Game Review: Layoff
If you've played the famous Bejeweled, Candy Crush or Zookeeper, Layoff - created by Tiltfactor- should prove no difficulty and almost feel like a dupe. However similar the style of these puzzle games are, Layoff stands out from the crowd with it's value behind the game - targeting the truth about business and unemployment. Some players found this offending as the game gave the impression it was making fun of unemployment, however instead of turning a serious matter into a joke, Layoff was more informative than mocking.
The brilliance of Layoff did not just lie with its simple and clean layout and nostalgic music, but with the deep value it was able to portray with such a simple puzzle game. The rules are simple, line up the same employees in a row - by swapping two neighbouring people - to fire them. The laid off employee's are thrown into the unemployment office at the bottom of the scree as seen above and the numbers in your bank account increase. When you are out of matches, you click bank bailout which resets the screen and gives your a new set of employees - says quite a bit about how our society operates doesn't it.
This almost pixel art style brings back nostalgic memories and highly resembles zoo keeper. Each character varies from the other and are placed against a scenic city background which changes with time. All in all a very aesthetic and simple design.
You play the role as the boss as you have the power to fire anyone except the men in suits - the rich businessmen. The goal is to keep firing employee's to gain more income. However, this is the part that ignites empathy within the players.
Each character has a short back story which is why it makes it more difficult to fire people: Terry (41) donates a portion of his income to charity and helps buy livestock for developing countries. Raffi (24) works at a bookstore with no holiday pay. He's trying to save up for masters but doesn't get enough shifts. Boss - the public sees the importance of my bank and has given further funds to support our plan.
You can clearly see their difference which increases the empathy and unwillingness to fire them but you have no choice. What's intriguing is that they made the boss invincible - no matter how you switch people around and line bosses up, you cannot fire them. This further adds to the empathy towards employers and distaste towards the boss - especially as you watch the unemployment jail fill up.
Even though the game is a simple puzzle game, the empathy players experience makes it more difficult than it is. It's is repetitive but also addictive, one can continue matching up for a good amount of time.
If you're up for a quick, educational - but not dumping you with information and words - then this is perfect.