There is a specific kind of magic found in the flickering light of a projector, and indie studio Mad Pumpkins clearly understands this as they aim to capture the magic and history of cinema. Their latest offering, Movierooms: Cinema Management, recently hit PC, and it is a playable love letter to the history of the silver screen.
While the management-sim genre often falls into two camps, hyper-stressful “tycoon” games or mindless clickers, Movierooms finds a comfortable middle ground. It is accessible, stylish, and just cheeky enough to keep you smiling as you transition from the silent era to the modern age.
A Journey Through the Ages
The game’s standout feature is its chronological progression. You don’t just start with a multiplex; you begin at the turn of the 19th century in France. Your first task isn’t installing a 4K digital suite, but rather placing a Magic Lantern style projector.
The tutorial is cleverly disguised as this historical introduction. You are tasked with setting up a projection room and selecting films that are period-accurate, such as Hilarious Phases of Funny Faces or the iconic A Launch to the Moon. As you progress, you unlock different eras, artists, and locales, making the game feel like a playable museum of cinematic evolution.
The Mechanics of the Movies
From a gameplay perspective, Movierooms keeps things refreshingly intuitive. Using a standard click-and-drop system, players can design their layout with ease. You can rotate objects like popcorn stands and ticket booths, with clear indicators showing exactly where your staff and customers need to stand.
The building system is flexible. You start with open ground and gradually add:
- Individual projection rooms
- Restrooms and staff breakrooms
- Retro arcades (as you reach later eras)
A Quick Tip for New Players: Keep an eye on your equipment. While the upkeep system is straightforward, object degradation can feel quite aggressive in Sandbox mode. You might find yourself repairing projectors more often than you’d like to keep the profit margins healthy.
Oh, and the rats! I spent way too much time trying to get rid of those pests. Jump on them quickly or there’s no time left for movie fun.
Style, Sound, and Performance
Visually, Movierooms opts for a soft, animated art style. The NPCs have a wonderfully cartoonish charm that prevents the game from feeling too dry. Surprisingly it is exceptionally well-optimised, gliding along at over 120 FPS on most modern setups. I did try the game briefly on Steam Deck and the Lenovo Legion Go S however the control system was not great for those devices and ultimately I struggled getting out of the initial menus. If you are prepared to do some controller tweaks you might be able to get this opperational. Hopefully down the track they can do some tweaks to get it verified as I really think this would be a strong title for the handheld systems as you can spend hours in front of it.
My time with the game saw a few updates that seemed to fix some initial resolution issues and the developers welcome feedback through their social channels and community hubs. It’s a suprising amount of work being done considering that they only really have one programmer working on the title. What a fantastic achievement that deserves to be recognised.
The audio experience is equally immersive, with a soundtrack that evolves alongside your theatre. You’ll start with carnival-themed tunes in the early 1900s before transitioning into the brassy, upbeat swing of the 1930s. While the music is delightful, it can become a bit repetitive during long sessions, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself reaching for the volume slider after an hour of peak-hour cinema rushes.
The Final Verdict
Movierooms succeeds because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It balances the granularity of income/loss statements and customer satisfaction with a genuine passion for film history. It is the perfect choice for gamers who want the satisfaction of building an empire without needing a degree in logistics to understand the menus.
If you are looking for a playful, historical homage to the movies, I can recommend this game for PC players.
