Pet Shop Simulator REVIEW: The Joys and pains of Animal Retail
If you’ve ever dreamed of running your own pet store, this game might just be your ticket to pet paradise—or a one-way trip to frustration-ville. Developed by the ambitious team at Games Incubator, this game promises to let you manage a bustling pet shop, but it’s got more fleas than a neglected mutt. Let’s see if this shop is worth your time or if it’s just another animal misadventure.
Gameplay and Mechanics
You start off with the grand ambition of building the ultimate pet shop empire. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, sort of. The gameplay involves stocking shelves, caring for animals, and dealing with customers who have the observational skills of a potato. Seriously, they’ll stand right next to the fish tank and ask where the fish are. It’s like a daily exercise in patience.
You can sell all sorts of pet-related items and even pets themselves, but here’s the kicker: selling actual pets is a pain in the ass. They’re needy little inventory items that constantly require feeding and cleaning before they can be sold. This makes it way easier to just stock up on non-living items like aquariums and cat towers, which kind of defeats the purpose of a pet shop, doesn’t it?
Visuals and Atmosphere
Visually, the game is pretty charming. It’s got that colorful, welcoming look that makes you think, “Hey, this might be fun!” The graphics are decent and the pets are cute, which is great until you realize the animations are janky and the camera has a mind of its own. If you’re prone to motion sickness, good luck. Adjust the FOV in the settings or prepare to feel queasy.
The atmosphere is generally relaxing, at least until the thieves show up. Yep, you’ve got to deal with shoplifters too. You can install alarms or hire security guards, but these guys are about as useful as a chocolate teapot. They take their sweet time getting to the thieves, who are long gone by the time your guard ambles over.
Story and Immersion
There’s not much of a story here, which is fine for a sim game. The immersion, however, takes a hit due to the repetitive tasks and the annoying bugs. Managing your shop can be fun, but when you’re constantly dealing with disappearing employees, glitchy customer interactions, and animals that need more care than a newborn, it gets old fast.
The lack of endgame content is another downer. You can max out your shop in a day and then what? Nothing. You’re left staring at your screen, wondering why you spent all that time on a game that has no payoff. And don’t get me started on the misleading marketing—there are no actual cats or dogs to sell, just their food and accessories. It’s like being promised a steak dinner and getting served tofu.
Conclusion
"Pet Shop Simulator" is a mixed bag of adorable pets, frustrating mechanics, and a serious lack of depth. It’s got potential and can be fun in short bursts, especially if you love simulation games. But the bugs, the tedious tasks, and the nonexistent endgame content make it hard to recommend wholeheartedly. If you’re a die-hard pet shop fan, you might find some joy here. For everyone else, you’re better off waiting for some major updates or finding a more polished pet sim.
So, ready to take on the chaos of running your own pet shop? Just remember, this game will test your patience—and possibly your will to live.
Final Score: 6/10