It's not exactly Virgin Galactic
Apparently Energie-Manager was actually designed by the German government in order to teach computer savvy kids about the importance of being environmentally aware while also turning a good profit. However, while their intentions may have been good, the result is a less than enthralling little business simulation where any potential fun has been almost entirely sucked out threw a small straw. In similar fashion to other business sims like Motor City and Ocean Trader, you start out as owner of a small enterprise, which in this case is a restaurant, with the general aim of turning it into a thriving franchise that rakes in millions of dollars from the adoring masses. However, the twist here is that in order to be successful, you have to be as environmentally conscious as possible, so instead of being able to bribe officials or other such dubious activities, you have to pay more attention to things like water saving toilets and energy efficient lighting. It's all very worthy stuff, and in theory it could be a good way to get kids interested in caring about the planet while also giving them some useful tips on how to survive in the business world. However, in practice it's more likely to have most players turning off pretty rapidly. This is thanks to the dry, rather preachy tone which the game adopts which, when combined with the less than appealing visuals and uninteresting mechanics, turns things into a snoozefest before you get to the good stuff. This is a shame, as this could have been entertaining stuff but unfortunately, the appeal is limited.
