Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic Reviews

Tutorial needs a complete overhaul. As it stands, each part of the tutorial is segmented into parts. However, you get to pick which part to do next. Which normally wouldn't be an issue, but in this case, the segments are laid out in a some kind of hierarchy, which would lead you to assume you need to do the top ones first, then the next row, then the next etc, all from left to right. Well, if you follow that method, you'll do the Emergency segment before the Education. The second thing you do in the emergency one, after building a hospital, is supply it with doctors, which you'll have none of because no one in your city is educated. Outside of that, road snapping and especially curves is pretty rough, and buildings have built in roads that leads to them instead of snapping to roads like many other city builders, so you end up with some glaringly ugly city design because your buildings are sitting some 500 feet off the main roads. I was interested in the immense logistics chains you'd have to set up, but I couldn't get to deep into it due to the tutorial. What I did see what incredibly bland though. Click a building to stock it with workers and vehicles etc. I guess I was more looking forward to moving things between parts of my city but never got there. Clicking a building and hitting the up arrow on different "stats" is pretty lackluster though. It's micromanagement for the sake of micromanagement.....but I guess thats the soviet union for you? Couple all this with a gui that reminds me of games from the late 90s and you've got the general idea of the game.

W&R is a spectacular city builder. Its exceeded my expectations.

This game is something else. As a fan of this genre I decided to play realistic mode. For the first time playing it I put it on easy and got 10M Rubles and 2M US $ which removed the pressure of the money. Put it on always sunny and no demolition + simple traffic. It has been a slow progression for me to understand how things work. Many many forum reads and YT videos watched to understand how some things are working. After 60 hours, I'm addicted to it. The game can be made to be played like any other city builder, but playing realistic mode made this game to be so special. You get so much satisfaction when you solve each problem your republic is facing. It takes time, planning and adaptation. I love it. Once I learn the in and outs, I can imagine how will it be to take on the challenges that I have disabled for my first save.

Unfortunately Steam only allows one thumb up. If it allowed two thumbs up I would use both... enthusiastically! I love infrastructure, and that leads me to love city builders and logistics sims. But for some reason none have seemed to click for me the way this one does. WRSR is just.. great. It's the best city builder I have ever played. (I'm calling it a city builder, which it certainly is, but it's more than just that really) The goal of the game is to build an industrialized mid-century Soviet republic. To do that you need functioning infrastructure. So you build a railway to efficiently export some goods from your newly built factories. That's working nicely and it's time for another factory to boost the economy. Can your rail network support all the materials needed for the new factory, as well as the traffic it's already handling? Also, a train likely can't pull up outside a construction site.. so then what? How does the material move off the train and to the site itself? Similarly, it's easy to be distracted by the finished factory and forget just how many concrete trucks were needed to make it. How did those concrete trucks get in there without disrupting everything that was there first? A road might be built specifically for concrete trucks. What happens to that road after the project? Then once the factory is done, how does the workforce get in and the goods get out? These are all real world considerations, and it's a huge factor in a construction project. WRSR makes you think like that. It's pure bliss. Factories aren't the only thing to build either. A lot of the infrastructure is very deep and satisfying to play with. Water is a good example. In other city builders, you drag a pipe and make sure everything is in range of the pipe. That's all well and good, but actually designing a pressure based water system is way more interesting. In WRSR you do the latter. What's cool about this game is that it allows you to actually USE your infrastructure. Sure you'll have transport lines and different mechanics running automatically. But when it's time to scheme and push the economy forward, you'll be manually grabbing trucks and trains and ships sending them all over to gather what you need. This is a time when your infrastructure decisions either help you or hurt you. In other city builders, you click to build and then watch it all function. That's a good time for sure, but building and then USING the system yourself to realize your goals... that's way more interesting. In WRSR, you do the latter. If you're looking to buy this game, just be aware of the learning curve. It's steep and there's a lot going on that the game doesn't make immediately evident. Thankfully the community is awesome. I've gotten answers on Reddit within the hour, sometimes within minutes. There's also a great wiki from the developer itself, which I'll link below. There's tons of really well written guides on Steam too. From what I can tell, the game is designed around a few core mechanics that might do different things on the surface, but function very much the same under the hood. (I'm still new, take that with a grain of salt) I'm from the US, so I had to shed everything I knew about urban planning and how western cities function. It's been interesting to learn how the other half of the world did it (and the odd similarities between the two). I recommend reading a bit about microdistricts and Soviet urban planning. It's not absolutely necessary to start playing, but it will help make sense of what you're looking at, especially if it's as foreign a concept for you as it was for me. In WRSR, you do things your way, and it's loose enough to think outside the box and find creative solutions. But with great freedom comes great responsibility. It will take you a few tries to really get off the ground, and aspects of the UI will be mysterious. But the game isn't hiding anything or trying to trick you, it just does a lot of cool stuff, and for that reason it's complex. But if you like infrastructure and appreciate how different elements of infrastructure all work together to make a place function.. you'll love this. One tip I can offer without spoiling anything: It sounds brutal, but the people in your country are nothing more than a resource. View them as such. Every task completed, every good manufactured, and every building built requires materials and manpower. The manpower resource just needs more specialized management than say... a pile of gravel. They have to be kept happy and healthy between shifts if they're to keep grinding away in your steel mills. All that is accomplished with efficient logistics to keep the town stocked and the people getting where you need them to be. Buy this game and let it consume you. The wiki: https://wiki.hoodedhorse.com/Workers_Resources_Soviet_Republic/Workers_%26_Resources:_Soviet_Republic_Official_Wiki The resource flowchart: https://i.ibb.co/nRvPGYT/Soviet-Republic-Flowchart-v0-4-5039x7086.png Also (I understood how to design a city after reading this): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microdistrict

What is Soviet Republic and is it right for you? It lies in a bit of a weird place where beyond the appearance of a city builder, it really is much more of a country/macro economics simulation. Sure you may come up with satisfying and pretty city designs but it's not the focus here and it shows. You will be tasked with building up your economy, reduce your dependency on imports, balance your budgets, balance your external commerce, provide public services to your republic (electricity, water, sewage, waste, heating, fire prevention, security), provide fast moving consumer goods to your people, research civil/health/state engineering techs, and a bunch more. You will have to construct your republic from the ground up using an elaborate construction process chain as well that will tie into the other supply chains. That seems like a lot? It is. It's very in-depth, complex without being overly complicated. Can be clunky and somewhat unintuitive, and can also be misexplained or simply not explained at all anywhere. The in game tooltips and tutorials are not up to snuff for this title. So it is a game you will have to learn and dedicate yourself to so as to better understand and appreciate. And yet, despite all this, I would say this is a gem of a game. It reminded me of Caesar III and Pharaoh, if those still had iterations nowadays and were fleshed-out to the max. The walker system of old isn't there but there is a soviet-microdistrict type walking system that is very reminiscent of the constraints you had in those older titles. The industries are essentially doing the same thing as they were then, albeit with newer tech, more processes, more inputs and a better management of throughput. It's not factorio levels of complex chains, but it's certainly up there. On the technical side of things, it's unfortunately not the prettiest game in the genre or using this technology, but it's serviceable. Moderately demanding in general, the game absolutely hates rendering non-built planned buildings and tanks because of that. May need to troubleshoot some crashing issues. I had random crashes a gogo until i disabled vsync and kept playing windowed mode. Just something to keep in mind i guess. So to conclude, in my mind you will likely appreciate this title if you come at it expecting the style of management you found in the old impressions game, but with a whole other level of complexity and depth. Reciprocally, i would say that if you come at this expecting City skylines or Sim City, you will be sorely left wanting. Beyond that, it's definitely a game that deserves more room in the spotlight.

The game really shines when it's set to "Realistic". Every build takes time, resources, and assets to accomplish, strongly encouraging the forethought of a civil planner. Did you put a building in a poor location? Congrats, now you have to devote resources and time to demolishing it or just living with your mistake. Did you decide to upgrade the one road to an essential service? Time to endure the inefficiencies of a dirt road. The game scratches an itch that Cities Skylines can't quite satisfy.

[h3]Final Rating: 8.5/10[/h3] [h3]Introduction[/h3] Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic is a complex city-building and economy simulation game that challenges players to manage a planned economy in a fictional Soviet-style republic. Developed by 3Division, it stands out for its deep mechanics, realistic supply chains, and emphasis on micromanagement. Unlike traditional city-builders, it focuses on logistics, infrastructure, and socialist-style resource distribution. [h3]Gameplay and Mechanics[/h3] Players control every aspect of their republic, from urban planning and industry to transportation and trade. Unlike capitalist city-builders, there’s no money-driven free market—resources, production chains, and manpower must be meticulously managed. The game includes road, rail, and air transport systems, requiring strategic planning to keep industries running efficiently. The learning curve is steep, but the depth of control is rewarding for fans of complex management sims. [h3]Graphics and Atmosphere[/h3] The game’s visuals, while functional, effectively capture the brutalist architecture and industrial aesthetic of Soviet-era cities. Factories, towns, and landscapes feel authentic, with dynamic seasons and day-night cycles enhancing immersion. The soundtrack complements the setting with Soviet-inspired music, adding to the thematic experience. [h3]Replayability and Challenge[/h3] With its deep economic mechanics, mod support, and evolving Early Access updates, Workers & Resources offers near-endless replayability. However, its intricate systems and lack of tutorials make it challenging for newcomers. Success requires careful planning and patience, making it more suited for hardcore simulation fans. [h3]Conclusion[/h3] A unique and detailed city-builder that captures the essence of a Soviet-style economy. Its complexity and realism set it apart from traditional simulation games, though the high learning curve may deter casual players. [b]Pros:[/b] · Deep, realistic economic and logistics system. · Authentic Soviet-era atmosphere. · Strong modding community and ongoing updates. [b]Cons:[/b] · Steep learning curve with limited guidance. · Can be overwhelming for casual city-building fans. [h3]Final Rating: 8.5/10[/h3] A must-play for hardcore simulation enthusiasts, offering a rich and intricate experience unlike any other city-builder.

You like city builders? You ain't never played one like this. I really do mean that, this game will take over your life and every other city builder will feel like they have holes in their design. You can control EVERYTHING, in this game. What I mean by that is everything. The best part about it is you can choose what you want to control, and what you don't. And by god if it couldn't get better, you can also control this in game at any time. Don't feel like running sewage and water lines in your city, or you are having a struggle trying to grasp how heating your buildings works, just turn it off. On top of every possible thing you can control, there is basically 2 modes to play the game. Normally were cash buys your works and the parts for buildings to basically construct themselves, or realistic, where ever single man hour, screw, bolt and plank needs to be brought to the work site. If you remember though, I said you can do everything, so you don't even have to choose between these modes if you want, because you can still do this, in the normal mode! Please, if you are a city building enthusiast, bless your steam library with this gold. I only have 2 gripes, the citizen walking range, and the grid system. There are ways around both, but it can get tedious. As for the workers, you city planning needs to be top notch to make sure they can get to their place of work with sidewalks.

I have played most Strategy games of any note over the last 35 years - and this is a simply astounding game. The depth is quite mind blowing. The advisors available actually make learning it not too bad at all. A massive recommend. Also a brilliant theme, really different. A must purchase in my view.

At first it is a "Tropico" like game in the Eastern Block. But after a few hours this game is much more detailled and complex than a "Tropico" like game. It is a hybrid between transport tycoon (complex logistics) and Cities Skyline (city builder). The game mechanics are great, but there are a few UX problems. Some menus and mechanics are rought and fidley to grasp. There is a certain lack of precision for building streets that is unnecessary. The theme is good and everything feels "east block" without being to depressive or authorative. While there are propaganda elements (and secret police), the tone is kept light. Great game.