Dealer's Life

About

In Dealer's Life, you run a pawn shop, buying and selling items to make a profit. Each customer and item is procedurally generated, offering a unique experience each time. Manage your finances, stock, and reputation to build a successful business.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 211 reviews

gameplay10 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game offers a fun and addictive gameplay loop, especially for fans of negotiation and trading.
It has a unique concept as a pawn shop simulator, providing a casual experience that can be enjoyed in short or long sessions.
The developers are responsive and actively update the game, adding new content and addressing player feedback.

The game becomes repetitive and monotonous after a few hours, with little variety in gameplay mechanics or events.
Completionist players may find the game frustrating due to poorly designed endings and random events that can lead to significant losses.
The faction system and interactions with NPCs can be confusing and punishing, leading to a lack of clarity in gameplay progression.

gameplay
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
54%
11%
The gameplay is characterized by a fun and addictive loop, particularly appealing to fans of trading simulators, with simple mechanics and a variety of character customization options. However, many players note that the progression can feel slow and the gameplay becomes monotonous and repetitive over time, lacking new challenges or mechanics as the game progresses. Overall, while the game offers decent depth and entertainment, it may not sustain long-term engagement due to its repetitive nature.
- “Fun gameplay loop and decent depth, took 10 hours to finish.”
- “Very entertaining and addicting game with fast mechanics.”
- “There are different employees, skills, and fame levels that all affect the gameplay and generate events that can greatly affect your game.”
- “Progression feels super super slow and gameplay is so monotonous that it gets incredibly boring after a while.”
- “Also, the game does not introduce any new mechanics or events later in the game to make it more difficult and enjoyable.”
- “The gameplay is pretty neat, not yet very challenging or complex.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the quirky, retro art style that complements the gameplay, while others criticize the overall quality as poor and uninspiring. Despite the lack of sophistication, many find the visuals to be fitting for the indie genre and still enjoyable within the context of the game. Overall, the graphics are seen as a secondary aspect to the fun gameplay experience.
- “Best pawndealer simulator to date, quirky but funny graphics.”
- “I was a little resistant to the art style initially, but the scuffed 80’s retro vibe actually suits the feel of the game.”
- “The graphics might look strange at the beginning, but the gameplay is pretty neat, not yet very challenging or complex.”
- “Graphics 2/10”
- “- The art style does not really inspire much confidence in the title.”
- “Too bad that so little was invested in design as the graphics are quite poor, yet still I can recommend this game.”
story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
46%
23%
The game's story is generally viewed as underwhelming, with some players noting that it only becomes relevant mid-game and lacks depth, leading to forgetfulness about the narrative. While a few reviewers appreciated the emotional investment and personal touch in the story-driven progression, many agree that the gameplay overshadows the narrative, making it more of a gameplay-focused experience rather than a story-driven one. Overall, the story is seen as a weak point, with ratings varying from forgettable to decent but not essential.
- “It's easy to understand, and even after the end of the story, I still spent heaps of hours in this game without getting bored.”
- “If I have ever played a good game, this is it. The story is great and the gameplay is just fantastic.”
- “It's got the interactivity and control of a simulation-strategy game, but also the story-driven progression adds a nice personal touch and emotional investment, ultimately creating some additional replay value.”
- “This means that you can't even start this story until mid-game at least.”
- “Lame story.”
- “There's little to no backstory if you're looking for that.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with users highlighting its quirky graphics, amusing newspaper jokes, and overall fun and addictive gameplay. Many describe it as a charming indie experience that delivers consistent laughs, reminiscent of other comedic titles. Despite some criticism regarding graphics quality, the humor remains a standout feature that enhances the game's appeal.
- “Best pawndealer simulator to date, quirky but funny graphics.”
- “Oh and the jokes on the newspaper are a lot funny, like the fake names.”
- “This sweet game is very funny and addictive.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
44%
33%
The music in the game is generally considered generic and unmemorable, with a rating of 6/10. While it may not stand out on its own, it serves as a non-intrusive backdrop that can be enjoyed alongside other activities, making it more suitable for multitasking players. Some users noted that the rhythm can be engaging enough to inspire movement, but overall, it lacks distinctiveness.
- “At some point, you can even catch yourself swinging to the beat of the music.”
- “It's pretty straightforward and isn't recommendable if you're not multitasking like listening to new music or a podcast, but if you multitask often as I do, I highly recommend you add this to your library.”
- “Also, I don't remember any music.”
- “The musical accompaniment is the same as the visual.”
- “It can be a bit slow going, so I'd recommend listening to music or a podcast while playing.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
Overall, the game offers a mix of high replayability due to its engaging features and story-driven progression, appealing to fans of simulation-strategy genres. However, some players feel that it may not sustain long-term interest beyond specific playstyles, such as speedrunning. While many enjoy the game enough to return, opinions vary on the depth of replay value available.
- “I usually say 1 dollar per hour I play on it, but geez... love this game, has tons of replay value!”
- “These features make the game less repetitive and give it a lot more replayability.”
- “I don't think it's something you'll want to spend a million hours on as I don't think there's a ton of replay value, but if you like this type of game, you'll love it.”
- “I don't see much replay value minus speedrunning to the finish.”
- “It's got the interactivity and control of a simulation-strategy game, but also the story-driven progression adds a nice personal touch and emotional investment, ultimately creating some additional replay value.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be very repetitive and time-consuming, often requiring significant investment of hours to achieve goals. Despite its grindy nature, many report that it maintains engagement, encouraging them to keep playing for "just one more turn." Overall, while the grinding can feel tedious, it is often balanced by enjoyable graphics and sound.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Very grindy and repetitive, but somehow keeps you playing just one more turn. Graphics and sound are perfectly fine.”
- “As mentioned above, I played roughly 8 hours to max out and 'win,' and there was little to no struggle, just grinding through it.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively combines simulation-strategy mechanics with a compelling narrative, fostering emotional investment and personal connection that enhances replay value.
- “It's got the interactivity and control of a simulation-strategy game, but the story-driven progression adds a nice personal touch and emotional investment, ultimately creating some additional replay value.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy includes new perks such as media ads and shop upgrades that enhance item displays and attract more customers, suggesting a focus on improving the shopping experience while encouraging additional spending.
- “The monetization system feels overly aggressive, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
- “I find the in-game purchases to be unbalanced, making it difficult to progress without spending real money.”
- “The constant ads and paywalls detract from the overall experience, making it frustrating to play.”