My day job involves being asked to present management information to directors, and for something that should be clear and concise, this experience is like pulling teeth every single time. If directors spent more time asking questions about the information presented, and spent less time wanting a different shade of primary colour, then the world would be a happier, more productive place.
This is where Pocket Boss aims its satirical humour. The game takes place almost entirely on your work mobile (in-game) with your boss sending you across increasingly more unhinged requests to “fix the graph”. What starts out as clicking and dragging around a few line charts soon breaks the fourth wall, as you realise Pocket Boss will take your boss’s requests to extremes. Need more than 100% productivity? Why not break the graph and keep pulling the chart higher up? 500% seems fine to me! Need to show you’ve got more of the market share? Why not spin the pie chart to remove the competition entirely? Thinking of more creative ways to solve the issue and placate your boss is the core gameplay of Pocket Boss, and it’s wrapped up in beautifully judged cynicism for corporate greed.
Some concepts are revisited with some more things to consider. Some graphs turn into minigames like snooker or asteroids. These are brief, but fun sidesteps from the main concept. They are needed, too, as Pocket Boss is pocket-sized. I completed the game in 38 minutes, and whilst I thoroughly enjoyed myself, it was slightly shorter than expected. There is a full narrative that is satisfyingly concluded, and I have no complaints about anything else. Just know going in that this will be a brief but memorable experience.
If you enjoy the cynical corporate humour of Pocket Boss, I highly recommend checking out the Australian comedy duo Wankernomics. I’ve bought their book, and it is a fun way to send up the hellscape that office work has become. If you want something more interactive to give you equal parts comedy and office-worker PTSD, Pocket Boss is a great buy. I don’t want to say or show much more, as you’ll get twice the enjoyment going in blind. Good luck!
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