Review: Idol Manager [PS4, PS5]

In Japan, the word “idol” means something completely different than here in Sweden. An idol in our eyes is a talent who, through luck, chance or hard work, is recognized as an artist and possibly has the privilege of growing into his role. Or it is a malleable individual that a media production company finds and then shapes into a product that fits the market at the moment.

In Japan it is completely different. There, an idol is something that you decide to become early in your life. Then it is necessary to train and study extremely hard to get into the role quickly. Preferably at the beginning of your teens because the amount of time you, in your profession as an idol, is very limited. These jobs bloom and wither over the course of maybe ten years and when you start approaching thirty it’s time to stop.

In Idol Manager , developer Glitch Pitch delivers nothing more than a pure idol simulator, seen from the Japanese perspective. In this case, it’s about being the person who finds, takes care of and develops idols in a fictional Japanese society.

Although it’s all make-believe, real-life parameters are sprinkled throughout the title. As the person in charge of a smaller idol group, all the decisions fall on me and that’s a lot. Therefore, I completely rely on the introductory material that gives me tips on how to develop my group into a happy, but profitable business.

However, the problem with following the guide is that I always get a legendary idol that has really high factors when it comes to charisma, stamina and success. That in itself is not really a problem, but the fact that I will soon be faced with the dilemma of paying the idols in my group and that in this case it is about rewarding according to performance creates some headaches. Idol Manager is very much about providing the resources that have been allocated from the beginning. And of course having a legendary icon in my entourage is smart because she’s famous, but when it comes to paying out salaries, having her around really stings.

The game itself is based on real challenges when it comes to achieving success. If the girls are not heard on the radio, their popularity fades, and to make them heard, productions are required in the form of pieces of music being played, appearances on TV and many other parameters. In other words, as the person in charge of the idol group, I have to think about everything.

I need to make sure they get rest, I need to make sure they are seen in the appropriate media and I need to make sure their fans are happy and loyal. It’s a task that takes a lot of tries for me, and even if I finish the first round with a bankruptcy of rank, I feel like I need to start all over again. Maybe fine-tune some parameters to achieve a better result. Maybe spend more time with the idols to learn more about their dreams so I can help them realize them.

Idol Manager is a game that keeps on giving, long after the first, second and third try. But at the same time it requires its own special niche player. If you’re looking for a game where you’ll soon get a chance to shine, this might not be for you. But if you have a little patience and learn to understand all the intricate parameters required to make an idol become an idol, this is a Japanese pink gold mine!