I don’t think I need to explain what Monopoly is to you. It’s wormed its way into the hearts, minds, and game nights of families all across the world since the 1930s, easily becoming one of if not the most iconic board games ever made. It’s no wonder, then, that it would see a number of video game adaptations through the years, with the latest being Ubisoft’s Monopoly for the Playstation 5. This version of the classic board game promises to bring Monopoly to current gen consoles so you and your friends can play whether in-person or online, and it does deliver on that promise.
I’m not going to go too in-depth on the gameplay of Monopoly as I feel it would be too redundant. We all know how to play Monopoly here, and the PS5 adaptation makes no changes to that gameplay formula. You’ll still be rolling dice, buying and trading property, and going into debt whenever you land on someone else’s properties. It also offers custom rules and some pre-built house rules to further customize your games, but nothing unique to help it stand apart from other Monopoly adaptations.
The game does an impressive job at trying to replicate the feel of playing at a table, though. Whenever you roll your dice, you can feel the rumbling of dice in your PS5 controller, and there exists an option to use motion controls to further simulate the feel of physically rolling dice. The game also makes you take control of your piece to move it across the board rather than automatically move it for you on dice roll. It’s clear that this adaptation’s main focus is trying to simulate real tabletop gameplay as accurately as possible, even going so far as to include the option to flip the table when you land an opponent’s property.
The biggest feature this adaptation boasts is the addition of a “live board,” a supposed living map that the game promises you can explore. In actuality, it’s a 3d model of a city that you can look around in on your turn. There are a few game pieces you can unlock by exploring this, but it’s nothing truly special or game-changing. It’s a nice gimmick you will have fun with for about two or three minutes, but you could ignore it, and it would change nothing in your games.
I’ve been dancing around the point, but during my time with the game, I struggled to rationalize how I could recommend this game over other options. Monopoly, to me, is a game mostly carried by the energy by physically playing it with others, and that energy is missing when playing it online. Without that energy, you’re left with a version of the game that quickly loses steam. You could physically play it as a game night, sure, but what’s stopping you from getting a physical addition for a cheaper price and playing that? Additionally, I don’t think it stands enough on its own to justify picking it over other versions of the game or over other party games in general.
In the end, I give Monopoly for the PlayStation 5 a 7/10 solely for how well it translates the board game to the digital world. It really feels like you’re playing the actual game, but with that, I can only help but ask why I should play this version over the actual board game. If you want a simple version of monopoly that you can play on your console, then this game is for you.
For more information on MONOPOLY, visit HERE.
Related: Reviews by Josh Freeman
I love games and love talking about games. Some of my favorites include action games (both 2D and 3D), metroidvanias, roguelikes, shooters, and Indies.
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