Prison Architect

Prison Architect is a game that, unfortunately, didn’t captivate me as much as I had hoped. The concept of designing and managing a prison is intriguing, and there’s a lot of depth in the gameplay, but I found it hard to stay engaged for long periods of time. The complexity of balancing construction, inmate needs, and prison security is interesting at first, but the pacing can feel slow, and it sometimes becomes repetitive.

The game has great potential with its strategic elements, but it didn't hook me like I expected it to. Maybe it’s just not my style of game—while some players may enjoy the micromanagement and building aspects, I didn’t feel a strong connection to the gameplay. It’s a good game for those who love simulation and strategy, but it wasn’t the right fit for me.

Very buggy, with bugs that have been noted as aware from the dev team going unresolved. They will never be resolved as the game has sunsetted patch support.

games been out forever as one of the first "colony sim" esque experiences, but still lacks any need tab that makes any sense. you could spend 6 hours playing with double the food supply than it states you need for a prison, but still somehow have prisoners going starving. Same with freedom, you could schedule them to spend their entire 16 hour waking day out in the yard or with freetime adn they will still be pissy about not having enough freetime. just not a good colony management game

If you have never played, it's hard. There are a lot of complex ways that things work and it will take time to figure them out by watching YouTube instructions. Very fun and engaging. Time passes quick when playing.

🚔 Prison Architect – Build, Manage, and Try to Avoid Chaos 🚔

Prison Architect is a deep, engaging simulation game that puts you in charge of designing and running a high-security prison. Whether you aim for efficiency, rehabilitation, or a total dystopian nightmare, the game gives you complete control—along with all the consequences that come with it.

🏗️ Gameplay: Design, Expand, and Maintain Order

Your job is to build a fully functioning prison, managing everything from cell layouts and staff hiring to meal schedules and security measures. At first, it’s simple—construct some basic cells, hire guards, and keep things running. But as you expand, you’ll face riots, escape attempts, and budget constraints that turn prison management into a constant balancing act.

🔥 Challenge: Micromanagement at Its Finest

It’s not just about building walls—you have to handle power grids, plumbing, staff morale, prisoner needs, and even legal trouble. Each decision affects the prison’s efficiency, and ignoring small problems can lead to full-blown chaos. Do you focus on rehabilitation, or do you run a brutal, profit-driven institution? The choice is yours.

🎨 Graphics & Sound: Simple but Effective

The top-down, cartoonish art style keeps things clear and easy to manage. Despite its simple look, the animations and details—like prisoners working out in the yard or guards patrolling hallways—add plenty of life to your facility. The ambient sounds of prison life, from distant shouting to alarm sirens, make the experience feel immersive.

⚖️ Final Verdict: 9/10 – A Must-Play for Sim Fans

Prison Architect is one of the best management sims out there, offering deep mechanics, endless customization, and unpredictable challenges. Whether you want to build a humane rehabilitation center or a terrifying maximum-security prison, the game lets you experiment, fail, and try again. If you love simulation and strategy games, this one’s a must-play.

This is one of my favorite games, I have nearly 800 hours in at the time of writing this. The DLCs are amazing and if theres something you want thats not in a DLC, there is likely a mod for it! This game is super awesome. I love how there are also modes to play as the warden or as a prisoner.

I never thought running my own prison could be this fun!! I've discovered a newfound love for corporal punishment. Hoping the next game doesn't ruin a good thing.

Absolute masterpeice.

Got on sale but honestly worth the full price, even after buying xbox version and playing that, incredibly addictive.

Really good i got in on sale 90% off ,so had to get.I recomend getting the SCP mod its great

its very engaging and relaxing but also challengingTT

---{ Graphics }---
☐ You forget what reality is
☐ Beautiful
☐ Good
☐ Decent
☑ Bad
☐ Don‘t look too long at it
☐ MS-DOS

---{ Gameplay }---
☑ Very good
☐ Good
☐ It's just gameplay
☐ Mehh
☐ Watch paint dry instead
☐ Just don't

---{ Audio }---
☐ Eargasm
☐ Very good
☑ Good
☐ Not too bad
☐ Bad
☐ I'm now deaf

---{ Audience }---
☐ Kids
☑ Teens
☑ Adults
☐ Grandma

---{ PC Requirements }---
☑ Check if you can run paint
☐ Potato
☐ Decent
☐ Fast
☐ Rich boi
☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer

---{ Game Size }---
☑ Floppy Disk
☐ Old Fashioned
☐ Workable
☐ Big
☐ Will eat 15% of your 1TB hard drive
☐ You will want an entire hard drive to hold it
☐ You will need to invest in a black hole to hold all the data

---{ Difficulty }---
☐ Just press 'W'
☐ Easy
☐ Easy to learn / Hard to master
☑ Significant brain usage
☐ Difficult
☐ Dark Souls

---{ Grind }---
☐ Nothing to grind
☐ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks
☐ Isn't necessary to progress
☑ Average grind level
☐ Too much grind
☐ You'll need a second life for grinding

---{ Story }---
☑ No Story
☑ Some lore
☐ Average
☐ Good
☐ Lovely
☐ It'll replace your life

---{ Game Time }---
☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee
☐ Short
☐ Average
☐ Long
☑ To infinity and beyond

---{ Price }---
☐ It's free!
☑ Worth the price
☐ If it's on sale
☐ If u have some spare money left
☐ Not recommended
☐ You could also just burn your money

---{ Bugs }---
☑ Never heard of
☐ Minor bugs
☐ Can get annoying
☐ ARK: Survival Evolved
☐ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs

---{ ? / 10 }---
☐ 1
☐ 2
☐ 3
☐ 4
☐ 5
☐ 6
☐ 7
☐ 8
☐ 9
☑ 10

It is still amazing game.

I've played this game from a console since it came out, and I love this game.
I was a city builder gamer, and this game got me into like base building type of game, and it was an awesome introduction to that world with this one.

but there are some catches though.

1. not intuitive or detail explanation on how things work.

you definitely needs some help from Reddit, wiki to figure out (mostly why canteen, kitchen, in my case) why some things are not working. because the game is not really good at explaining how things should be connected, scheduled and stuff.
when I first started this game I had to figure out why my prisoners are not getting fed when I have so many cook, why they do not attend classes that needs, or parole and stuff.
it gets frustrating at first, but once you go thru some problems, you will get the hang of it pretty quick.

[h3]2. Once you complete the successful prototype, there is nothing to do except watching. [/h3]
this depends on the players. I like to watch them for a while, and I would start over and try another layout or stuff.
however, some may just lose interest real quick because it may feel like you have completed the game, but there's no satisfying ending to it. you may even feel burnt out from it lol

3. I would not bother to get DLC?

only DLC I've tried is Psych Ward. It is the first DLC ever if I'm correct. So I would say it was one of the quality DLC, and that was mid. Most of the DLC seems to be lack of volume, and honestly it does not add enough new aspect or dynamic to the game.

But overall it's still a great game. I would recommend it to play at least once.
Buy it when it's on sale since this is an old game.

A great time sink fun time. first you dont know how to get enough showers, then in no time you're trying to find more criminals!

The game was good until they sold the game to a different studio, now its just riddled with micro-transactions and never gets updated

I received a key as part of the Yogscast Jingle Jam 2020 Games Collection. Firstly, thank you for working with such a great group and supporting some very deserving charities! Secondly, I've had so much fun building and escaping prisons.

The original game as Introversion has made, is quite amazingly good, however over the years paradox has had its way with it, making slop DLC after slop DLC, only a couple of them are remotely good. The erosion of the games stability by lack of bug fixes, with the multiplayer still active, despite the number of bugs that go unfixed. As a bonus, you can't add mods to multiplayer due to how multiplayer works, so the bug fix mod which could fix these issues can't be used.

Paradox please stop ruining games.

Too many bugs!! I don't want to play this game anymore if you don't fix this

I started off making prisons on my Playstation 4 and now I make them on a computer. I personally love being able to not only design the prison but I love being able to control the different aspects of the functioning of the prison. You can direct emergency people, you can set routes for your guards, you can set specific rooms for different needs and you can make restricted rooms for specific types of prisoners or staff. You can even edit how much time prisoners spend doing any activity from working to relaxing in the common room. If you are more of a person who would like to run the prison you can play the various warden prison levels to not only run the prison but also learn how to build and run one. Then if you like playing prisoner there is also an online multiplayer version for you. You attempt to escape various prisons with the tools you are able to obtain and your wits.

After 180+ hours played I think it's finally time I review this game.

As someone who feels like they've lost control of their life I often play games that let me have control of other's lives, and oh boy does this deliver! My prisons are either very nice or complete hell holes but the government keeps giving me money no matter what I do. I will never be able to have any sense of power in the real world so this is a great outlet for my evil capitalist desires (that I would never do for real but boy is it fun).

I do wish the game had more campaign though.....

good game. satisfying to control all of the different acpects of the prison: utilitys, blueprint, schedule, etc.

Great game! I wish there was more to the campaign, though the grants does provide some of what I'd want from more of a campaign. Get the various DLC, for sure. Most of them provide stuff you'll want even if you're not interested in the main focus of the DLC. Unless you're chomping at the bit for a DLC though you can probably wait for the next sale. All that said, lots of fun to play!

super fun game but there's definitely a learning curve at the start of it that some people won't like
I don't think I could've learnt the game as fast as I did without looking up tutorials and watching external videos about certain items and mechanics. There's a lot of things in the game that it explains greatly and then there's some tasks that fills forums with questions like "am i doing this right, is my game bugged?". If you can get past that, It's really rewarding to put all of that knowledge you gain into a highly optimised prison and then try and escape it yourself in the aptly named 'Escape Mode'.

Let me start off by saying this is my first EVER Steam review. So please trust me when I say i LOVED this game. It was fun and addicting, much like the drugs i kept busting my prisoners with.

However, as of late there are too many game breaking bugs. My prisoners wont eat so they die, my doctors wont bring them to the morgue, so they wont get picked up by the hearse, so they wont leave, so i cant get new prisoners, so i lose all my money, so the game ends.

Please please patch these issues! I love this game so much but i have uninstalled it as it is unplayable.

This game is really good, I have played it everyday this week and once there is a sale I will buy a lot of the games DLCs. You must get this game if you like management games and the campaign is pretty good I just wish it was longer. This game is a great idea to get but only if it's on sale, This is not a game that is worth 30 dollars.

This game is super fun, especially with premade prisons and mods, they just make the game so much better, but try to buy it while it is on sale, since the 30 dollars probably could be a little too much.

⭐ Rating: 6.5/10

Prison Architect is a fun and challenging prison management simulator where you design, build, and run your own correctional facility. The game offers deep mechanics, from constructing cells and utilities to handling inmates' needs and dealing with riots. There’s a solid mix of strategy and creativity, allowing for both efficiency-focused prisons and chaotic disaster zones.

Pros:
✔️ Addictive and rewarding management gameplay
✔️ Plenty of freedom in designing your prison layout
✔️ Satisfying challenge with inmate AI and behavior
✔️ Mod support extends replayability

Cons:
❌ Can feel overwhelming for new players
❌ AI sometimes acts strangely
❌ Some mechanics (like guards and pathfinding) can be frustrating

Overall, Prison Architect is a great game for fans of simulation and management titles. If you enjoy games like SimCity or RimWorld, you’ll probably have a blast running your own prison—just be ready for some unexpected chaos along the way! 🚔🔨

I bought this game to reform people
I left this game with multiple Geneva Convention violations to my name.
10/10 game.

I love it, I bought it thinking I should try it before they come out with the PA2, but 4 years later we're still waiting. Still I recommend Prison Architect, it is easy to learn and very fun for people who like management mixed with a bit of letting your pain out.

The story line actually does it's job and teaches you the game, while still being a good story. Just has some bugs like guards letting Criminally Insane prisoners outside and letting them escape. 9/10

I love my police brutality simulator, MP is pretty fun too.

Absolutely works on steam deck- creating and managing prisons is so addictive. I thank attackingtucans on YT for showing us this game!

Decent game absolutely ruined by a custom launcher. I can't get it to launch on my main monitor, It always launches on my vertical. Moving it over my any means has the aspect ration all borked up. This indie game doesn't need a bloody launcher (with telemetry enabled by default - EU says that's naughty btw.

Only bought the base game with a few DLC, still good enough, spent so many hours playing it. It's so good that I even though of getting this game on my pad LOL

So addicting and fun to watch all of my workers and prisoners

fun prison builder
first bought it on my chromebook acer, and wanted it on steam
its been fun everytime i play it.

This game is so bugged, basically unfinished beta. Not to mention all the problems that Paradox brought

Simply will not download as they have changed the terms of service. Now they collect information from your computer. Retroactively changing terms of service is not legal in europe.

Had a lot of fun with this game. Came back to it recently to find it has a paradox launcher. There seems to be an issue with setting higher resolutions that crash the game.

There appears to be problems with this game. Objectives aren't fulfilled when completed and utitlies aren't working

instructions unclear, the prisoners all shit themselves and died of sepsis

This is a great game the story is good and the game play is over all fun.

I've spent more time googling and researching how to make the game work than actually playing the game.

I played this in 2025, 18hrs time played.

I made my first prison, luxury cells, 160 prisoners. Thought I'd make a new 1000+ prison. Thought I understood all the bugs.

Spent an hour designing the new layout. Workers wouldn't stop looping around a 10 cell block, laying concrete for 3 in-game days. I cancelled the building by bulldozing it and received £500'000.

Nothing makes sense, so many bugs, after 10 years. Such a terrible game

They should surprise us with an update so that all of our prison architect games turn into better graphics and more options,,,,, i just love this game and can easily look past any flaws it does have.... it would be perfect if the graphics were better - cant wait for 2 tho ....

Can no long play multiplayer or play with my friend without a launcher, removed features and then added them as DLC. Sever browser doesn't work or connect. Way to ruin things.

A game this old and it's riddled with bugs? Feels like it was an EA game that was 'released' when sales stopped. Bugs and all.

If you have a standard monitor this is still a good game (ultra-wide is kinda a scaling mess) even if Paradox abandoned it in a buggy state to chase after a 3D version that is now seemingly on ice. Buy it cheap on a sale and it's a good deal, but it's hard to want to give Paradox money for it when I remember it in a less buggy state before they took over.

This game is SUPER fun, a little hard to understand all the different features at first, but once you get familiar, its so addicting. its in-depth and detailed, and either you experiment and have fun, or you buckle down and run a prison! PLEASE PLAY IT !!!!

Lost hours of my life to this game. Very addictive. Loads more fun with the DLC but you can have loads of fun without it too! Would buy this 1000x over if I had to

I only bought this game yesterday and have 9 hours into it so far, so it shows for itself if you like base/structure building games with planning and some needed "strategic thought" then you will love this game!

A management sim that doesn’t take itself too seriously, Prison Architect blends dark humor with deep simulation mechanics. You start with a small facility and expand into a massive prison, balancing security, finances, and prisoner morale.

The core gameplay is addictive and rewarding, with a lot of freedom in how you design and manage your prison. The AI interactions between prisoners, guards, and events (like riots or escapes) keep things engaging.

However, the late game can become repetitive, and some systems, like rehabilitation and reform, feel underdeveloped compared to security-focused mechanics.

✔ Addictive and detailed prison management
✔ Freedom to build and experiment
✔ AI interactions make for engaging emergent gameplay

✖ Late game can feel repetitive
✖ Some mechanics lack depth, especially reform programs

If you enjoy management sims like Tropico or SimCity, Prison Architect is a great choice—just be prepared for some trial and error.