Supermarket Simulator Review (Manospeed)
This game has big potential, but right now I can't recommend it yet. IMO it is very close to being recommended though:
Good: I don't really know what it is that kept me going to store level 27, it does scratch some kind of itch that is hard to explain. It's satisfying when you see a customer puts 6 bags of dishwasher tablets (high profit) on the conveyor belt, beep beep beep, sorting the coins, giving change, closing the register and just walk around the store to check how it's going. That's fun for a few hours. Also good: no bugs as far as I can see.
Bad: The restockers are doing a mighty fine job now, that's a big help. However, in order to keep track of your stock you have to constantly be walking up and down the store and storage room, remember where products are placed and trying to memorize that when you walk up to the computer to order stuff. Ideally, this would all be visible in one screen on the computer. When a rack is empty the restockers will put any product in its place, making you lose track of what is where.
Ugly: At this point I see little point in progressing any further, I won't unlock anything new that makes things more fun, only more complicated. Expanding the store and products would only give more headaches trying to keep stock up to date, without an increase of fun anywhere.
The atmosphere is very dead, it gives off a liminal space-vibe which is fun for a few hours but then you're like what am I doing here. There is little feedback from the robotic customers, even less from your cashier or restockers.
What I'd like to see: social interactions, questions from customers, adapted behaviour of customers in relation to prices, store layout - the staff should have more depth, skillpoints, different wages, training.
Marketing to affect customers (discounts, coupons, posters, in-store marketing). The ambiance should be a part as well, with plants and proper lighting to increase customer satisfaction. You could have the option to become a low-priced store with little ambiance while still drawing customers to the low prices, or you can make it a fancy store with marble floors and jack up prices, just to see that you will be visited more by customers in fancy clothes, paying higher prices. Play music in your store at a price to draw in more customers etc. etc. etc. - the options are endless.
Right now there is also no competition, no insight in how your prices affect the overall turnover or profit, no clear way to see what your choices actually have for effect.
At this point it is more Restocking+cashier simulator, it could be so much more. The core gameplay needs to be more fun. I'm hoping the updates will keep coming regularly because I think this game could be absolutely wonderful.