Monument Builders: Alcatraz is an engaging resource management game filled with quirky characters and interesting facts. Contractor Lloyd Andrews is volunteered for the monumental (pun intended) task of building the inescapable prison, Alcatraz. 

Upon arriving in the Bay Area, Lloyd discovers that mob boss Call Palone is willing to do everything in his power to stop the prison from being built. Palone has his release all lined up – but if Alcatraz comes to life Palone’s chances of freedom evaporate.

I’m always up for a new resource management game and I had yet to try anything in the Monument Builders series. I found a new release, Monument Builders: Alcatraz and was intrigued by the storyline. 

In addition to the typical features of a resource management game, Monument Builders: Alcatraz also contains factual information at the beginning of each level about the prison and its inhabitants. I always love learning fun (useless?) facts so this was a plus for me!

Monument Builders: Alcatraz is well made with crisp and bright graphics with not-too-annoying background music and special effects. The gameplay is very simple and on-screen prompts and task lists keep you on the right path. 

The game will walk you through how to best utilize your workers and resources, construct plants to increase your resources, and ward off thugs, thieves and pesky cupcake-eating pelicans. Once you have rehabilitated the surrounding town you can move on to constructing the actual prison, using all the skills you gained in early levels.

I enjoyed breezing through the training levels of Monument Builders: Alcatraz and learning how to utilize the resources. I can see how an experienced gamer familiar with the series could be annoyed by getting started as you can’t skip the intro levels. For my first time playing the series, I found it a fun way to get up to speed without the obnoxious on-screen tutorials.

The quicker you can finish a level the more stars you will earn upon completion. I wish the game had included the goals for earning stars as well as a timed clock (since that is what stars are based on) because I found the hourglass and colored bar on the top right more difficult to read. 

The other downside to the game was that resources didn’t seem to follow from one level to the next. If I had my cake shop cranking out tons of cupcakes but I only needed a few for that level’s objectives, I forfeited the rest of my cupcakes and started again at 0 in the next level. They may have been considered separate neighborhoods but it annoyed me in any case.

On the bright side, gameplay is simple and clearly defined at the start of each level. Lloyd tells you which things you need to accomplish and includes an interesting tidbit about the prison or the prisoners so you actually learn something as you go.

Monument Builders: Alcatraz could offer some easy summer learning while kids are out of school! As long as you don’t mind promoting a little violence as they knock out thugs and thieves who intend to derail the project.

Monument Builders: Alcatraz was a great introduction for me to the Monument Builders games, and I look forward to seeing more from this series.