We have all sorts of management games–but this might just be the first game where you manage a high security prison. Meet Prison Architect, made by the folks behind Darwinia, Uplink and DEFCON. Not a bad pedigree, though the narrator in this video is kind of terrible. It's the producer, not a voice actor.
The game is officially in alpha, which you can participate in if you pre-order. Apparently the game will include fighting, eating, fires, wardens, riots, showers, general havoc. Exciting! The game has been in development for a couple of years now, and the video mentions that they're likely to be in alpha for quite a while still. Bummer for us impatient types. You get to be a part of that process though, if you'd like–or at least see where the game goes and how it evolves.
The preorder alpha has a variety of bugs–it's an alpha–but it still looks worth experiencing. Some of those bugs look highly amusing, even! If you have a minimum of 30 bucks to drop on this, I'd go for it.
Higher tiers allow you to get a physical copy of the game, name prisoners, get your picture in the game, if not create a warden. Not bad incentives, though pricey! You can sign up for the alpha here.
