''Waterworks!'' is a card-based

strategy video game Strategy video game is a major Video game genres, video game genre that focuses on analyzing and strategizing over direct quick reaction in order to secure success. Although many types of video games can contain strategic elements, the strategy ...

developed by Mateusz Sokalszczuk (also known by his online name scriptwelder) in co-operation with the

University of Gdańsk The University of Gdańsk () is a public university, public research university located in Gdańsk, Poland. It is one of the top 10 universities in Poland and an important centre for the studies of the Kashubian language. History The Universi ...

and funded by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, which focuses on managing the water systems of the Polish city of

Grudziądz Grudziądz (, ) is a city in northern Poland, with 92,552 inhabitants (2021). Located on the Vistula River, it lies within the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and is the fourth-largest city in its province. Grudziądz is one of the oldest citie ...

during the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

Gameplay

''Waterworks!'' is card-based, with the player using a series of cards in order to grow

's water management system. As the game progresses, the water systems built become more complicated. The growing complexity of water systems the player must build correspond to those of the actual city of Grudziądz, which had to improve its waterworks as its population grew.

Development

''Waterworks!'' was initially conceived by Waclaw Kulczykowski of the University of Gdańsk, who was developing a thesis on the water systems of Grudziadz. The game took about a year to develop. After release, a patch was released that fixed numerous bugs relating to the storage of resources.

Reception

''Waterworks!'' was positively received by critics. ''

PC Gamer ''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games m ...

'', in their review of the game, described it as "a superbly designed resource-management strategy game", and praised its card mechanics.

References

Video games developed in Poland 2020 video games Digital card games Construction and management simulation games Strategy video games MacOS games Video games set in Poland Windows games Armor Games games Single-player video games {{Card-videogame-stub