[i]Bellhop[/i] is a time management game developed and published by Cataclysm Entertainment. You take on the role of a female bellhop (whose name can be customized) working in a hotel. Your job is pretty simple. Deliver guests' luggage and any other requests they might make, such as ordering food, shampoo, etc. Also, you'll have to clean up the guests' room after they check themselves out. In addition, there may be other tasks that require your attention, such as repairing broken heaters, mopping up wet floors, and so forth. As you're completing tasks, you'll earn money, but be too slow and you'll lose money as you hold off on doing tasks. What use might money have? There are two main upgrades available in the shop - a vacuum (default is the broom) and a faster mop. Otherwise, money is used to purchase shoes and clothes for your character, purely for cosmetic purposes. There are a total of 16 levels, 4 levels for each of the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. You can earn up to 3 stars per level, depending on how much money you make within a limited amount of time (from morning until sunset). Also, there are 4 bonus mini-games (most of them are timed) that vary, such as throwing snowballs at targets and sweeping fallen leaves. At the time of this review, no Steam achievements or trading cards are available, and the game won't count towards a user's global total until it's out of "profile features limited".
Having just finished with the gameplay (since there isn't really a story here), I'll get down to my thoughts. I enjoy a good, fun time management game, and it has been a while since I played one, so I wanted to check out [i]Bellhop[/i]. The developer was very kind to send a review copy, so I could have a chance to try it. ^^ Although no story is present, that's fine since time management games are known more for their gameplay. Initially, it took me a bit of time to get used to the controls. This is the first time management game in which I couldn't use my mouse at all. I had to use either a keyboard or controller. (For review purposes, I used my keyboard.) In the first level, there is a mini-tutorial that explains how to move your character as well as pick up items and such. The controls use the WASD scheme, so after I got used to it, I had no trouble navigating through the levels. As for earning 3 stars for each level, it is quite doable, especially after you obtain the vacuum and mop upgrades. Of course, you can still earn the maximum number of stars without the upgrades although it provides a slightly higher challenge. Although I do like that I can buy clothes to customize my character, I kind of wish that money could have been used to purchase more upgrades to make my bellhop the most efficient employee out there. In addition, there's only timed mode available, so the gameplay might be a bit stressful for those who are looking for a more relaxing or easier experience.
As for the art, I like that the style is cutesy. I would have liked for there to have been a bit of character customization, like gender, hair style, etc., but I'm glad that there is the option to style the bellhop in different clothes and shoes. They do require tips from hotel guests, though. Getting back to the style, I like how well drawn and colored both the sprites and backgrounds are. I wish that I could have taken screenshots to show off the hotel and character. Anyway, the colors feel bright but never too much.
In regards to the music, the tracks vary and are fun to listen to. They have this light-hearted beat to them, and they fit well with their respective season.
Overall, would I recommend [i]Bellhop[/i]? If you're a time management fan, you're looking for a short, fun game, and you don't mind the lack of achievements, then this is certainly worth taking a look. It took me around 3.5 hours to complete all of the levels and obtain all of the upgrades, so if you're adept at time management games, you may want to hold off for a sale. However, for beginners, the price would be worth it. Also, it's in a Steam bundle, so you have that option.
Finally, I want to give a major thank you to Cataclysm Entertainment for the review copy. It took me a while to get here, but I had so much fun playing [i]Bellhop[/i], being a time management fan and all. I hope that there are/will be more games like this. ^^
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