“Port Authority” is a small game whose mechanics are very similar to those of “Mini Airways.” Essentially, you manage a port and do everything in your power to both unload ships on time and prevent them from sinking. Although it sounds simple, in reality, it’s far from it. As your port expands and begins to accommodate massive container ships, you realize that the real struggle for survival is just beginning.
Despite its simple mechanics, game has that rare quality that makes you want to play it and keep coming back to it. It’s well-designed mechanically and technically polished. It’s engaging yet relaxing, and the short “runs” (around 30–40 mins) are perfect as a break between other activities or as a quick diversion when you’re short on time.
Unfortunately, there are also some negatives. All in all, the most serious one is the fact that the ships don’t have any kind of AI (not even a rudimentary one), which means that even though you give them specific commands, you can’t really take your eyes off them. Since they mindlessly follow the player’s commands, they won’t make any decisions even if there’s a risk of colliding with the loading dock or another ship. As a result, you actually have to plan routes for ships that have just arrived, those that are about to depart, and supervise everything currently moving around the harbor basin.
[b]Would I recommend it? Yes [/b]
Game is quite addictive thanks to its simple yet enjoyable gameplay mechanics. I think it's a great choice if you want to play something lighter when you're short on time. I'd also add that it's a must-have for fans of the “Mini” game series.
✅[list]
[*] Graphic is simple but pleasing to the eye. The system requirements are reasonable, and the game is bug-free.
[*] UI is very well designed. It’s extremely minimalist, yet precise and easy to read. This makes it easy both to track vessels in port and to plot routes for them. The route-planning tool is very reminiscent of the pencil tool in Paint – which makes it incredibly intuitive to use.
[*] Game is surprisingly addictive, considering that its core mechanics are fairly simple.
[*] A wide variety of ports (maps) are available. Each port has its own distinctive “quirk” that should be taken into account when planning routes.
[*] A well-designed tech tree – you can unlock both permanent upgrades for individual docks and additional, consumable upgrades for individual ships. The currency is the number of containers unloaded.
[*] There are two difficulty levels in the game. Normal – the recommended setting, which offers a fairly significant challenge; and “relaxed”, which is designed for a more laid-back and easier gameplay experience.
[*] Game developer listens to feedback from its community.
[*] Most of the achievements are easy to unlock, but it will take a while to unlock them all.
[*] An indirect form of competition for players in the form of a leaderboard.
[*] Price/length ratio is well balanced. As for the price, the game is ridiculously cheap, considering how much time you can put into it.
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😐
[list][*] If you set the game’s difficulty level to relaxed, you won’t be able to unlock any achievements.
[*] Soundtrack is fine, but it isn’t particularly memorable. It’s a bit of a filler, really, and it’s there simply because it’s supposed to be. [/list]
❌[list]
[*] Sometimes a ship begins to turn too close to a loading pier, a corner or another ship, which usually results in its sinking. Furthermore, ships have no basic artificial intelligence, so they mindlessly carry out the orders they receive, even if these lead to their destruction.
[*] Sometimes ships, even when correctly positioned relative to the loading pier, don’t dock, and the timer keeps ticking… As a result, you might lose a run, through no fault of your own.
[*] It is better to plot ships’ routes at a reasonable distance from one another, as it is really difficult to judge whether a shorter distance would result in a collision or a safe passage for both vessels. Unfortunately, identical vessels following the same route can sometimes pass each other safely, whilst on other occasions they collide. I haven’t the faintest idea what determines this.
[*] The losing conditions are: the sinking of 10 ships or failure to unload a ship within the allotted time. I would prefer these conditions to be more flexible, particularly as regards the time limit mentioned (I can lose a few ships, but if one remains unloaded, it’s “game over”).
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