It is a well-known fact that Cannabis is the most widely tried and used drug across the world. Whether you’re for or against it, there are places it is perfectly legal. Here in the UK however, it’s a class B drug and illegal to grow, possess or sell and even consume. 

Despite this, the drug is rife throughout the land and it’s extremely easy to get hold of. People grow it from home, it gets imported into the country or developed in drug farms in discreet places. In this latest entry into this week’s collection of indies, we will be diving into the weed culture of the United States of America. Weedcraft Inc is an indie title that is now available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Here you’ll play across a selection of three scenarios and submerge yourself into the criminal empire of drug distribution. 

Introduction

Weedcraft Inc is a title that has been knocking around for Windows PC for a little over three years and finally makes its way to the console market. I was very intrigued to cover this one with a review due to its unique premise of the production and selling of weed. I don’t think you’ll see another game like it on the market and I was eager to see if its formula of storyline and gameplay was something that would scratch any itches I had. The game starts you off with a selection of three scenarios to play through and each has a different backstory to it. Whilst the game on PC was published by Devolver Digital, we see Klabater bringing it to the console generation whilst Vile Monarch is the development team behind this one-of-a-kind game.

Gameplay

Weedcraft Inc is a game that is very clever in its complexity and it isn’t solely about just growing weed and throwing it out to the stoners on the streets. You have to ensure that you’re treating the different strains of Cannabis with respect and that your plants are thriving in your grow houses under the best conditions possible. This all boils down to using the correct equipment for the job and balancing that kit is paramount to the success of a premium product.

Think of yourself as the Walter White of the weed world, there is a lot of tinkering and precise steps you must take to underpin competition in the suburbs and avoid police detection. There are a plethora of options and scenarios when it comes to the production of weed though, you could choose to take the illegal route or be a kind-hearted soul and grow it for perfectly legal medical use.

The entirety of the game is displayed with a range of menus, options, sub-menus and statistical screens that will take you a fair amount of time to get used to and understand. Unfortunately, I found the game to be lacking any intuitive tutorial and there isn’t a great deal of explanation of how everything in the game works. Ultimately you’re left to learn and figure a lot out yourself and whilst the game’s narrative often points you in the right direction at times, it isn’t always straightforward. I became stuck several times on how to grow plants to the quality that was required of me and had to take to Google for the answers from the community who had already figured these things out.

Logistics Make The Game Addictive

Whilst you don’t have to stick to the rooted scenarios on offer and can just play out the game with the focus of earning as much cash as possible. It is more fun when playing through the stories here and guiding yourself through the various quests this offers. As I said there isn’t a tutorial, so using these missions as a guideline is the best chance you have at an attempt to learn the ins and outs of the game. As with any game of this nature, you start small and build bigger and better, starting off with a piddly couple of plant pots and a piss poor light, it won’t be long before you are cutting up plants en-masse.

Before you know it, you can pass on the reigns to employees who will grow and sell for you whilst you focus your attention on other areas of your business.  As you expand you’ll be able to hire properties to expand your growing logistics and operations, invest in better quality equipment, discover new strains of weed and more. Be prepared for higher demands from employees as you stray away from dealing in dark alleys and street corners to higher profile areas amongst a higher class of people.

Graphics

I instantly loved the visual package across Weedcraft Inc. It is wonderfully illustrated pretty much like a living and breathing comic book with a wide range of stunning colours. The way the entire game has been drawn out is akin to a quality comic that you’d pay top dollar for and keep in one of those cellophane wrappers in case it increases in value over time. You can tell a lot of blood, sweat and tears have gone into the art design here. I would have loved to have seen some voice acting for the written dialogue as it could have added to the experience along with its brilliant soundtrack. That said though, the sections with the narrative were boldly displayed with options for further conversation with NPC’s across your playthrough.

Audio

They absolutely nailed the soundtrack here with hip-hop and jazzy beats that perfectly blend with the aesthetics of the game. If I was actually sitting there smoking a joint in real life, then it would be exactly the kind of music I would vibe with. I’d go as far as to say that the music actually kept me playing when the game became slightly challenging in areas where I became stuck and didn’t know what the next steps were. A huge salute to the audio team here as well, genuinely one of the best collections of tunes I’ve heard in a game for some time.

In Conclusion

Weedcraft Inc is a great concept with a fairly addictive gameplay loop, but its conversion from PC to console isn’t great. The control scheme for the controller is very clunky and it is extremely frustrating to navigate around the entire game. It sadly hasn’t been ported across very well and even after several hours of gameplay, I didn’t seem to gain any fluidity with getting around the game’s menus and options. I did become instantly submerged with its mechanics and offerings through the several scenarios across the board, it is hard not to like the gameplay loop. It has an element and feel of games like Theme Hospital and Rollercoaster Tycoon, those kinds of experiences where the hours pass by in a flash and you’re consumed by everything going on around you.

Is It Worth A Buy?

Is it worth your time and money? If you can brush aside the poor adaption of the controller, then there is a decent title here. It has a wonderful art-style with a soundtrack I absolutely adored and zoned out to completely. There is plenty of bang for your buck here and whilst I encountered hurdles in the learning process of cultivating and looking after my plants, I really enjoyed the aspects of growing my empires across the three scenarios which all range in storyline and avenues of how the game plays out. For the price point, it is one you may want to just pick up for its casual yet intriguing and creative presentation.