Idol Manager

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After a long exhausting day toiling in the working world, is there any better way to unwind than with a game that tosses you into the fast-paced hellish nightmare of the entertainment industry? Well, lucky you as Idol Manager lets you do just that! Take on the challenge of managing a small idol group while expanding your empire as you avoid debt, dirty deals, and underhanded rivals in your quest for fame and fortune.

Will you manage your idols with a gentle hand or an iron fist? Will you let your morals be top priority or are you willing to step into the gutter to get ahead? It’s all up to you as you learn to juggle proposals, events, single releases, and everything else you need to make it to the top. 

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As with most management type games, there are a few basic things Idol Manager asks you to stay on top of. This includes managing your finances, managing idol happiness and health, and using a number of avenues to gain popularity for your group, such as releasing singles, taking business proposals, and holding special events. Each of these things comes at an expense to your bank account, the stamina and satisfaction of your idols, and your reputation. How much of an expense, though, is based on what difficulty level you choose. 

At normal difficulty, you’re expected to keep an eye on your finances and number of fans by performing, taking proposals for photo shoots and TV appearances, and releasing singles. All of these things can get pretty costly, so it’s up to you to spend your money wisely and try not to go into debt. Luckily, it isn’t impossible to make money or gain fans in this mode. As long as you’re smart (and maybe take out a loan or two,) you should be well on your way to success. 

Playing in relaxing mode makes it a bit easier to get through the story of the game. You don’t have to worry about money, idol stamina recovery is faster, and things progress a bit more quickly. It’s also easier to gain fans in this mode and your group earns fame a little faster, so if you really hate your rival manager in the game (or prefer to focus on the story), I recommend this mode.

And, of course, the unfair mode is…unfair. It’s harder to earn money, singles are more likely to fail, and idols are a lot more difficult to keep happy. If you want to take on this challenge, I strongly suggest doing it outside of the story route; free play is great for trying out these different difficulties and figuring out which is the best fit for you. 

In addition to all of the pressing management tasks, Idol Manager asks you to make decisions and spend time getting to know your idols. You’ll decide what kind of image you want to cultivate, whether or not your idols are allowed to date and use social media, and what kind of relationship you want to have with your idols. This is an important part of the game; if you’re willing to throw your group under the bus when strapped for cash or if you’re too harsh with your idols, you’ll find yourself out of work pretty quickly. Become too flexible, however, and you’ll be in the same boat. 

Then there’s your relationship with the idols themselves. You’ll interact with them; socializing with your employees increases their happiness, and it’s important to do it often to manage their career goals, relationships with other group members, and to gain general knowledge about them (like how fast they solve Rubik’s Cubes or that they have pet spiders). That last part might not seem important, but trust me, it is. You’ll need it during parts of the main story.

Honestly, it’s one of the things that makes the game so fun. These idols aren’t just faceless people you’re managing; they have lives and dreams. Which makes any decision that hurts them harder to make. I think that’s a neat detail. Oh, you can also romance certain idols, but beware. If things go awry or you make the idol upset, it’s your reputation on the line.

Idol Manager is overwhelming in the best ways possible, tasking you not only to juggle money, public relations, and business decisions while building your idol empire, but also the happiness and relationships of the idols themselves. While the story isn’t anything out of the ordinary, the characters are amusing and often catch you off-guard with witty or darkly comedic dialogue. You’re never at a loss for something to do; this game is a fast-paced, decision making nightmare, with enough to keep you going until you’re at the top of the industry.