PC Critic Reviews

Here I am, essentially piecing together the cure for cancer on a cocktail napkin. For science? For prestige? For quality of life? Don’t be silly. It’s all for money. Call it evil, call it efficient, or call it American. But whatever you do, call it profitable and call it Big Pharma.

Big Pharma is a solid game that manages to criticize the pharmaceutical industry but never forgets that, deep inside, is still a video game.

Complicated, complex and sometimes very difficult and at the same time original and satisfying. Big Pharma is an interesting game for people who like puzzle and strategy games. Building your own company and creating medicine can be really engrossing. It's not without flaws but fans of the genre should be very happy with it.

Big Pharma revives the tycoon concept with logic beyond the given frame and this makes it not only fresh and interesting, but also entertaining. [Issue#264]

Its various components are limited, but this is a clever puzzler/simulation whose flaws aren't too bitter a pill to swallow. [December 2015, p.84]

I did enjoy my time playing it – there’s a pleasant satisfaction to building up your factory and slowly perfecting your latest wonder-drug (before giving it a deliberately silly name) but I was always faintly aware there wasn’t too much else to look forward to in the game.

Do not expect depth similar to Capitalism 2, you will not have to care for share prices or company’s reputation, but if you enjoy tycoon games, Big Pharma is a well-designed one. [11/2015, p.55]

Although the mechanics of Big Pharma are interesting, instead of Theme Hospital tycoon style it's more about factory management. The game is certainly entertaining where it is supposed to be. But I'm afraid that it won't be good enough for those without love for chemistry.

If you want a brilliantly designed logistical puzzler then so many other games offer so much more.