Weed & Greed - Review

Weed & Greed Review: An Ambitious Tycoon with a Promising Grind

There's a special kind of magic in the tycoon genre, the fantasy of building an empire from the ground up. Nostra Games' Weed & Greed taps directly into this, offering players the chance to "transform your passion into a successful business" in the high-stakes world of illicit enterprise. The premise is immediately engaging: start small, grow your operation, and eventually take over the city. It’s an ambitious concept from an indie developer known for its prolific output of simulator games.

The Hustle: An Addictive Gameplay Loop

At its heart, Weed & Greed is about the grind, and for many, that’s the most satisfying part. The core gameplay loop is straightforward and compelling: you cultivate plants or synthesize products in your lab, manage your inventory, and find clients to build your fortune. The hands-on crafting system, which includes a "Mixing Station" for creating new product variants, adds a nice layer of engagement to the production process.

What keeps you coming back is the steady sense of progression. With over 40 character levels to work through, you constantly unlock new ranks and access to bigger, more profitable orders. Some players have found this cycle of producing, selling, and upgrading to be quite addictive. To add a bit of variety, the game includes an "ACTION TIME" feature, allowing for first-person combat against rivals and police, giving you a chance to "rule the streets like the Boss". While simple, it breaks up the management gameplay with moments of action.

The World: A Tale of Two Consoles

The game unfolds in a "living, breathing city" complete with different neighborhoods and a day-and-night cycle, which serves as the sandbox for your growing empire. My experience playing across both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 revealed a noticeable difference in performance. The PS5 version, while offering next-gen features like DualSense support, currently suffers from some performance issues like stuttering and screen tearing that a number of players have pointed out.

Interestingly, the PS4 version provides a more stable and consistent experience at present. Running the PS4 version, even on a PS5 through backward compatibility, is a great way to enjoy the game smoothly while the developer hopefully works on future patches. It’s a solid option that lets the enjoyable core mechanics shine through without technical interruption.

The Verdict: A Promising Start with Room to Grow

Weed & Greed is built on a solid and engaging foundation. The business simulation loop is satisfying and offers a great sense of progression for anyone who loves the tycoon genre. It’s an ambitious indie title that delivers on its core promise of building an empire from scratch.

Like many ambitious indie games, it has some rough edges, particularly regarding the PS5 version's technical performance. However, the more stable PS4 experience ensures that there is a good way to play, and the potential for this game is clear. With a few patches to smooth things over and perhaps the addition of community-requested features like multiplayer, Weed & Greed could become a real gem in the simulation space.

Final Score: 6/10