As the name suggests, Adslife is indeed a game about running a private design studio. As such, you have to come up with copy, do some simple design and pitch your efforts to the masses. The bulk of the experience comes in the form of copy-writing, though, and a witty line will inevitably win you over quicker than a pretty picture, especially considering the fact the in-browser editing tool isn't particularly in-depth.
But for a social game, Adslife gets things right by making you feel like you're actually progressing through a world. Unlike many social games that simply drop more things on your plate, Adslife tosses better things on your plate -- a distinct difference. While the bulk of the play comes from creating clever ads, you'll also have a chance to check out plenty of different mini-games, go on LSD trips and play poker.
The whole thing has a built in narrative as well, and because the game works in a sort of turn-based structure, it will take a while to complete. That's because you'll have to sleep and wait (in real time) to get ad proposals back. There are other little stopgaps that keep you from marathoning the whole thing -- you know, like life.
If you've ever watched Mad Men and thought you could do a better job, check out the first section of Adslife. If you're an actual creative designer or copywriter, you'll probably get nothing out of it except a chance to try out some new copy on strangers, but if you're aspiring to be a designer or just want to get off the farm, it might do the trick.
