Invisible Hand, developed by Power Struggle Games was released in May of 2021. This game shows you the other side of the stock exchange and whether or not you are strong enough to handle it. The game begins with the stock exchange company you work for crashing and you have two options: sell everything or leave it alone, that is it! The entire time warning signs are flashing and your phone is ringing off the hook. The company you work for goes bankrupt and you’re out of a job either way. Now you have to go through an interview with your old company after they received a hefty bailout. Your previous choices change the conversation you have with the recruiter. Once you answer all of the questions they will let you know if you are hired or not. Spoiler, not Spoiler! You get hired. Thanks to a recommendation from your friend(Thanks friend!). Prove yourself over the next couple of days of training or you will be fired.
The gameplay is very straightforward. Well, as straightforward as the stock market can get. In your first couple of days, you are in charge of a few stocks so they can test you against the other new guy, later they give you a full range to make any decisions you like (as long as you’re not fired.) You also have the option to use insider knowledge to give yourself a leg up in the stock market or to buy off lobbyists to always put your interests first. Either way, be careful you don’t want to end up in the papers. The company will do whatever it needs to keep its hands “clean.”
You have three game modes available to you in the game. In story mode: you can’t be fired no matter how terrible you are. Regular mode: you can be fired, and if you are fired its game over. Also there is a random mode where it will pick one of the previous choices, but it doesn’t tell you which while you are playing (the only way to know is if you do terrible and get fired or not haha.) During the game, you get your desk for you to decorate if you like, to the dismay of your coworkers. You can also interact with your coworkers by walking over and talking to them. You can harass them and throw items at them as well. I do not advise this method until you are top in the stock market if you plan to keep your job.
Personally, I did not find this game super fun, but if you like simulation games similar to Not For Broadcast, this is the game for you. The game itself is very well thought out and might even give some economics students a run for their money if they try any real-world theory in the game. Alternatively, if you make enough and just buy everyone off and you get some funny commentary in the game. I recommend giving this game a run for its money, if you are looking for a challenge or if for nothing else to say you tried it.
DVS rating 5/10
