Game Reviews

Smooth Operators

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iOS
| Smooth Operators
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Smooth Operators
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iOS
| Smooth Operators

The staff at my call centre are a slovenly bunch. I learn this on the first day I hire them when, after finishing their shifts, they leave the office ankle-deep in rubbish. It's okay, though, because I hire some janitors to work the night shift, cleaning up after the slobs.

I'm still a little worried about the receptionist, who sits all day and all night, hammering at the keyboard of her computer, a manic grin across her pixel-art face. Nobody says hello to Jill - they just walk past her, even though she's there all the time, giving me information and hints.

This is the world of Smooth Operators, where silent, sweetly animated men and women slave away to fill up my coffers, and in turn I build them toilets that are closer than the ones in their houses.

One day I might build them magic portals, if we make enough money.

Warm calling

The game is essentially a more focused Tiny Tower. You earn contracts, build up your business, and add new parts to your call centre building. There are various members of staff to hire as well, each of them adding different benefits to the company.

Everything happens at a sedate pace, especially to begin with. You're dealing with just one client and adding new staff, just trying to make and take enough calls so that you're not fined by the company that's paying you.

But it's not just about desks and toilets. You'll need to provide food for your workers, make sure they're content by hiring managers and coaches, and fix exploding computers by hiring IT guys.

Balancing the books becomes pretty hands-on as you try to make sure you meet your quotas without upsetting your workforce.

The size of your office is restricted to begin with, and as you play you'll unlock new employees who'll be able to help you out of certain situations and increase the productivity of your fledgling cold-calling empire.

There's a bit of spark missing from Smooth Operators, and it's unlikely to catch on with a wider audience in the way some of Kairosoft's slightly odd simulators have. But if you're already a fan of the genre, there's a lot to sink your teeth into here.

I'm still slightly worried about Jill, and right now all of my computers are on fire. Also I think one of the birds that lives on the roof is dead. But I'm still enjoying managing my little empire, and that's more than most people get.

Smooth Operators

A twee and entertaining sim, Smooth Operators isn't perfect, but it's deep enough to satisfy the call centre-running urges of most
Score
Harry Slater
Harry Slater
Harry used to be really good at Snake on the Nokia 5110. Apparently though, digital snake wrangling isn't a proper job, so now he writes words about games instead.