I have played some weird and wonderful simulation titles. Hell, my most recent one, Priest Simulator, knocked my socks off. However, when I spied Gas Station Simulator, I thought, at least I can try something a bit more “normal”. Yet, there is a possibility that running a virtual gas station will be mundane. However, I had high hopes that it would test me and keep me interested throughout.
Developed by MD Games SA and published by Drago Entertainment, this is a business management simulation title. What’s more, it has a wicked sense of humour and mafia undertones. Consequently, it’ll push you to your limits, make you chuckle, and will fill your heart with fear. As such, it adds some spice to the well-trodden mechanics.
Gas Station Simulator is a family affair.
Like the best businesses, your petrol station is a family affair. Well, that’s not entirely true, but your uncle plays a big part in financing your operation and offering some much-needed advice. The story or lack of one revolves around a young man who buys a rundown gas station. By working hard, he’ll improve the facilities, clean the business, and make his fortune. However, he must be wise as he could upset his uncle and lose it all.
As with many games in this genre, the story plays second fiddle to the ongoing action. Subsequently, the over-arching plot makes no difference to how you perform or what you do. Yet, key components from the plot impact the way Gas Station Simulator plays out. If you borrow money, like any fledgling business will, you better pay it back. If you don’t, your uncle goes all “Godfather” on you, and his goons trash your place. There’s nothing like close family ties, eh? But if you stay on his good side, his cash injection is essential to keeping your business running.
Many plates to spin.
Like its peers, Gas Station Simulator demands that you spin many plates at once. Sadly, this can be quite difficult, overbearing, and stressful. Yet, that’s how running a business feels, so it adds to the realism. The core action focuses on 5 key elements: Stock management, cleaning, running the shop, fixing cars, and selling fuel. Accordingly, you’re a Jack of all trades and you must plan wisely if you wish to succeed.
At first, the tasks and the gameplay are manageable. After all, all you must do is fuel some cars and tidy up. However, things soon heat up as you unload stock, fill shelves, serve customers, repair cars and sweep the floors. On top of this, an annoying boy sprays graffiti until you scare him off. Then, there are the crazy QTEs to contend with, as well. If you can manage all of these elements, you’ll successfully run a business and become increasingly popular. Yet, word of warning, this is no mean feat!
Mini-games and station improvements.
What I loved about Gas Station Simulator was its unusual mini-game approach. Every task you complete requires some skill to overcome. When fuelling the cars, you must stop the gauge as accurately as possible. Repairing cars requires certain items and a steady hand. Finally, running the shop demands fast reactions and quick thinking. Consequently, this unusual approach makes it stand out from others in the genre. What’s more, it enhances the difficulty and makes the gameplay much harder.
Thankfully, though, the developers used a generous learning curve. As such, the further you progress, the tougher things get. Therefore, as you upgrade each facility, the customer base becomes more demanding. They’ll want new stock, faster service, and a cleaner environment. Now, by yourself, this would be impossible! So, why not hire some staff to take away the pain? By installing trailers, you can take on some locals to do the worst jobs. This in theory is a great idea, but the more people you hire, the higher your outgoings are. Subsequently, you must balance expenses and income to be successful.
Gas Station Simulator looks surprisingly good.
I don’t play simulation games for their looks. However, Gas Station Simulator looks surprisingly good. I adored its rich colour palette and House Flipper aesthetics. Moreover, the smallish world is interesting as it hides many secrets. On top of this, there is a nice blend of characters and vehicles to interact with. Other than the looks, the action was smooth, and I experienced no frame rate problems or performance issues. However, there were a few visual glitches that were amusing and harmless.
The audio was just as good as well. With a distinct country and western edge, and deep Southern accents, it brilliantly sets the scene. Alongside this, the realistic sound effects and fancy environmental noises worked brilliantly. In short, the audio does amazingly to set the scene and keep things lighthearted.
Excellent controls.
Like House Flipper, Gas Station Simulator relies on a radial menu and a zonal interactivity system. Consequently, completing any maintenance task is easy and lacks complexity. On top of this, the responsive controls help with other key jobs. Therefore, every mini-game is fun and interesting. Moreover, the excellent tutorials ensure that the finer points are completely covered.
This genre oozes replay value, and this game is no different. Thanks to its varied approach, it’ll keep you going for hours. Furthermore, you’ll enjoy racing RC cars, picking locks, and stopping that kid from vandalising your business.
Gas Station Simulator is brilliantly addictive.
My fear of being bored to tears never came true. Thanks to its interesting core concept, excellent key mechanics, and wacky QTEs, it keeps you on your toes. Moreover, hiring staff, renovating the business, and keeping everyone happy isn’t an easy task. Yet, though it’s challenging, it is thoroughly enjoyable and ridiculously addictive. It is for these reasons that I recommend you buy it here! Running a business isn’t easy. However, anything that is worthwhile rarely is. Accordingly, you must plan, appease your customers, and keep your uncle onside if you wish to be successful.
