Waterworks!
Waterworks!
- Waterworks!*** is a card-based strategy video game developed by Mateusz Sokalszczuk (also known by his online name scriptwelder) in co-operation with the University of Gdańsk and funded by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The game focuses on managing the water systems of the Polish city of Grudziądz during the Middle Ages.
Gameplay Waterworks! is card-based, with the player using a series of cards in order to grow Grudziądz's water management system. As the game progresses, the water systems built become more complicated. The growing complexity of water systems the player must build correspond to those of the actual city of Grudziądz, which had to improve its waterworks as its population grew. The game's distribution strategy, releasing it as a free browser-based title in English and Polish led to over one million play sessions worldwide on various different licensed gaming websites like CrazyGames. This success resulted in the creators being named finalists for the "Popularizer of Science 2020" award (Team Category), organized by the Ministry of Science and the Polish Press Agency.
With its global success Waterworks! was positively received by critics. PC Gamer, in their review of the game, described it as "a superbly designed resource-management strategy game", and praised its card mechanics.