Monopoly Plus Review

Monopoly is one of the most popular board games in existence, with almost unlimited iterations of the same basic game, frequently re-skinned with heavy franchises. Video game consoles are no exception. Now we have Monopoly Plus, a modern take on the classic game but with shinier looks, different mechanics, and customization options. To be a game that’s turning 80, Monopoly Plus makes it look as if it were a pretty recent product, appealing to even the newest generations.

In Monopoly Plus, you’ll have the option to play solo, with your friends, or with people online. As one would expect, each experience is radically different from the other. For instance, in single-player mode, players will face AI with different levels of difficulty, from very easy to hard. Although this seems like a good idea, the AI itself is not very well crafted, which leads to very upsetting and even annoying performances and actions from the computer players.

To be completely honest, and as it happens in real life, playing a board game by yourself is not necessarily the go-to option of many because, frankly, it can become boring pretty fast. However, the multiplayer experience changes a lot while playing with friends. The game allows up to six players, either with different controllers or with only one, so Monopoly Plus is a very good alternative as a party game. Online multiplayer is a bit trickier, not because of the online interaction with other players but because of issues with the way the host communicates with other consoles.

Although there are no major connection issues and servers work properly, the host player has all the power in the game because, if he quits, the game automatically ends instead of being redirected to another player. This is very annoying, especially when a host player is rage-quitting. The silver lining, perhaps, is the server’s stability, mainly because some games can reach up to 4 hours in a single sitting.

The graphics in this game are very sophisticated. If you choose to play the traditional board, you’ll get a rather innocent look at the traditional board of the game, but if you choose to play on the living board, you’ll get a fully functional 3D board resembling an actual city with a lot of things happening at the same time. Even the character tokens are animated and have sound while moving. This is a very appealing aspect of the game because it makes it far more interactive than the game ever was.

Speaking of interactivity, the game also allows you to customize your very own board. This function allows players to add destinations and decorations and even to name the different locations in the game. If you are looking for a different version of Monopoly that has never been invented (good luck with that), then this is your chance because there is no better game than the one you can create by yourself. Music, however, is not that adequate, as it becomes rather boring and repetitive after a few minutes, just like the quirky audio comments of the game’s narrator.

The game itself feels well-crafted and really brings back memories of family and friend reunions over playing Monopoly. For a game that has been in existence for the better part of a century, Monopoly Plus shows players that the franchise still has a lot to offer. For those who, inexplicably, still haven’t played a single Monopoly game, it is the perfect chance to get into this classic.

There is, however, a lingering question that needs to be tackled: are board games meant to be played as video games? Purists of both genres would say board games are meant to stay on the table and video games on the consoles, but examples like Tabletopia or Settlers of Catan on Xbox Live and its unsounded success are clear examples that both types of games can coexist, and feed off of each other and increase a game’s popularity. There is no need to choose one or the other when both options are on the table.

So, if you’re looking for a fun party game for when people visit or even while you’re on your own and want to connect with someone else, Monopoly Plus is a viable option, a game almost everybody knows or has played at least one and, as in real, life, it can become incredibly intense.