Drug Dealer Simulator
- April 16, 2020
- Byterunners
- 19h median play time
Get on Steam"Drug Dealer Simulator" is a single-player simulation game with marvelous gameplay, good graphics, and an awesome soundtrack. The game offers a unique atmosphere, but is disturbed by ads and has lots of bugs and grinding. Six free updates have added new mechanics, maps, and gameplay hours, including weed growing, a new gang, and improved graphics.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- gameplay779 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Drug Dealer Simulator" is characterized by a detailed and immersive experience that combines resource management, strategic decision-making, and risk assessment in a gritty atmosphere. While the core gameplay loop—mixing, selling, and managing drugs—can be addictive and engaging initially, many players find it becomes repetitive and stale after several hours, with a lack of depth and variety in late-game content. Despite its flaws, including clunky mechanics and bugs, the game offers a unique premise and potential for expansion, making it appealing for fans of simulation games.
“With its immersive mechanics, strategic gameplay, and gritty atmosphere, it provides a challenging and unique experience for players looking to explore a different kind of empire-building game.”
“The gameplay loop is so fun I literally just ran around growing my empire for hours instead of doing the story.”
“The mechanics surrounding resource management, production, and market strategies provide a solid foundation for strategic gameplay.”
“While the gameplay is solid enough to last for 10-20 hours, it soon becomes extremely stale and repetitive as all you do for most of the game is mix drugs and sell them.”
“As fun as this game is for the first couple of hours, after that the mechanics of the game just become annoying, the way the police work in particular drove me insane.”
“The gameplay loop can be rote, yet there is something oddly fun about it.”
- story462 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its engaging elements and depth, while others criticize it for being shallow and repetitive. Many noted that the narrative feels like a backdrop to the gameplay, lacking significant development and often leading to a grind after the initial missions. Overall, while some players found the story enjoyable and immersive, others felt it was poorly executed and in need of more content and polish.
“The story of Drug Dealer Simulator is surprisingly deep and engaging.”
“The combination of engaging story, deep gameplay, and atmospheric sound design makes Drug Dealer Simulator a must for all fans of simulation and adventure games.”
“The captivating storyline keeps players engaged, eager to uncover the secrets and unravel the mysteries of the criminal underworld.”
“However, on the other hand, this game is a poorly optimized mess with a strong start that ultimately peters out due to a lack of a true story.”
“The story is minimal, god awful and with terrible voice acting (for the most part, with what little voice acting there actually is in the game).”
“The game is great you can make your own drugs get your own tag for spray, it's not like the other game where you have to get the money to pay off a dealer and the game ends; it's your own story on how you make it from one guy to drug dealer.”
- graphics332 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users describing them as outdated, poorly optimized, and reminiscent of games from the late 1990s. Despite some attempts at visual updates, players report significant performance issues, including low frame rates and graphical glitches, which detract from the overall experience. While a few reviews mention that the graphics contribute to the game's gritty atmosphere, the consensus is that substantial improvements are needed to enhance immersion and gameplay enjoyment.
“The graphics of Drug Dealer Simulator are impressive and contribute significantly to the game’s dense atmosphere.”
“The environments, while not AAA-level graphically, feel authentic and have their own vibe.”
“From the dilapidated streets to the dimly lit drug dens, the game's graphics capture the harsh realities of the drug trade.”
“I've got the graphics in this game looking like a game from 1999... read the whole review with that in mind.”
“Terribly optimized game, graphics are so blurry but also spiky and pixelated; I got better graphics on Roblox.”
“The graphics look like a late 90s game and not in a good way, and clearly whoever made this game knows about as much about the subject matter as the average soccer mom from California.”
- grinding202 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 84 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely described as tedious and repetitive, with many players feeling that it requires excessive time and effort to progress. While some enjoy the grind as part of the gameplay experience, others find it frustrating and boring, particularly in the mid to late game where the mechanics can feel overly convoluted and monotonous. Overall, the game appeals to those who appreciate grind-heavy simulations, but it may deter players looking for a more streamlined experience.
“A fun game, not too grindy, lots of mechanics.”
“A bit grindy... sometimes.”
“One long, tedious grind.”
“Uninstalled it instead of grinding back, I don't have time for this crap anymore, man. I got a job and obligations.”
“Felt like this had a lot of potential and was quite exciting for the first few hours, but I'm saddened to say that it quickly turns into a tedious, repetitive, grindy gameplay loop with some questionable design decisions.”
“The game is quite simple and straightforward; you can 'finish' all the content in this game within 10 hours, the rest is just useless grind for the sake of grinding.”
- stability162 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been a significant concern among players, with many reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that disrupt gameplay. While some users find the game enjoyable despite these issues, others express frustration over the lack of fixes and the overall unfinished feel of the product. Overall, the consensus indicates that while the game has potential, it remains plagued by technical problems that hinder the experience.
“Game runs great and it's a really cool concept.”
“22 hours in and pretty much bug free, awesome day 1 experience.”
“Most bugs have been fixed, you should be able to enjoy the game relatively bug free.”
“The game is unfinished, buggy, and kind of a let down.”
“Constant bugs and glitches making it impossible to progress, very annoying considering there is no real way to troubleshoot and you just have to restart the entire playthrough that took hours.”
“This game is an incomplete buggy mess.”
- humor141 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Drug Dealer Simulator" is a standout feature, characterized by a mix of dark, absurd, and self-aware comedy that resonates with players. Many reviews highlight the game's quirky characters, hilarious dialogue, and chaotic situations, making it both entertaining and engaging, despite some criticisms regarding bugs and repetitive gameplay. Overall, the humor effectively complements the game's unique premise, providing a fun and often laugh-out-loud experience.
“From the stoner who thinks he's a ninja to the gangster who thinks he's a poet, the game is full of hilarious caricatures that had me laughing out loud.”
“The game is well aware of its absurd premise, and it plays into it with a great mix of dark humor and self-awareness.”
“The dialogue is hilariously unrealistic.”
- optimization132 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 34 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting severe performance issues, low frame rates, and frequent crashes regardless of their hardware capabilities. Many users express frustration over the game's inability to run smoothly, even on low settings, and highlight a lack of significant improvements despite developer promises. Overall, the consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, making it unplayable for many until substantial updates are implemented.
“I hope the developer works on their optimization for this game.”
“The game is really fun and it has a lot of potential, but there are lots of issues regarding performance and features that have yet to be added/cancelled.”
“Fun game, just needs better optimization.”
“This game is a poorly optimized mess with a strong start that ultimately peters out due to a lack of a true story.”
“The game is great but it doesn't matter anyways because it is literally unplayable because of the terrible optimization.”
“Do not buy this game; it is not optimized for new graphics cards or chips. I have an i9, 32 gigs of RAM, and a 3080, and the game would not launch. Even with community help, when the game did launch, it was a broken mess that wouldn't go past 10 fps.”
- music120 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and match the gritty vibe of the gameplay, particularly through its underground hip-hop and techno influences. However, some users expressed frustration over the limited selection and repetitive nature of the tracks, as well as the inability to adjust volume settings effectively. Overall, while the soundtrack is often highlighted as a strong point, there are calls for more variety and customization options.
“The music is perfect for setting the mood, with beats that match the game's gritty vibe.”
“The music is atmospheric and heightens the feeling of tension and uncertainty that accompanies your criminal activities.”
“The sound design is where the game shines; the music selections are a great sort of underground mix, the title theme slaps to hell, like there are songs in this game that I still listen to even when I take months off from playing this game.”
“The music sucks, the controls suck, the dialogue sucks, the story sucks, none of the annoying endless dialogue or cutscenes can be skipped or even sped up, you can't see anything past about 4pm without a flashlight, but the flashlight is on your phone so you have to run around like an idiot holding your phone out all the time because there are no brightness adjustment settings in the game.”
“The music is very bad, so this affected my immersion a bit as well.”
“I'd like it a lot better if I didn't have to listen to the same 6 or 7 rap songs over and over (and over) again.”
- monetization51 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- -2 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many players feeling misled by false advertising and a lack of promised content. Frequent in-game ads for other titles from the same developer, along with minimal updates and a focus on merchandise, have further fueled dissatisfaction among the community. Overall, players warn against supporting the developers, labeling the game as unfinished and a poor investment.
“Worth the $20 price point with no microtransactions, would recommend even if it were $29.99.”
“The developers have created a fair monetization model that respects players' time and investment.”
“I appreciate that the game offers a complete experience without pushing for additional purchases.”
“It's a simple cash grab; don't waste your money on these devs; they really don't deserve it.”
“Now, going on almost 7 months after release, I realize this was a massive cash grab, as the hotfixes and updates literally add nothing new to the game, and the trailer for the game is so incredibly far from the truth that it's just sad at this point.”
“Bottom line: these developers are crooked, scamming criminals out to make a quick buck in a greedy cash grab.”
- replayability42 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits significant replayability due to its branching paths, impactful choices, and diverse missions that encourage players to explore different strategies and outcomes. While some users note a lack of content and repetitiveness, many appreciate the potential for continuous progression and the enjoyment derived from multiple playthroughs, especially with recent updates. However, a few reviews highlight that the game could benefit from additional content to enhance its replay value further.
“The choices you make have real consequences and affect the course of your criminal ascent, ensuring high replayability.”
“Missions and objectives are diverse, offering great replayability and a feeling of continuous progression.”
“Drug dealer simulator offers substantial replay value, thanks to its open-ended gameplay and branching paths.”
“If you're looking for an unfinished game, with lots of bugs, no replay value, something that will keep a gamer like you happy for no longer than 10 hours, you are in the right place!”
“However, it suffers from the same massive drawback that Thief Sim suffers from, and that is that there is zero replayability.”
“Not much replayability value except to run for different gang content, but the core of the game is repetitious enough; other than for role-playing purposes, there isn't much fun in replaying those early levels.”
- atmosphere38 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a gritty and immersive urban environment that effectively captures the tension and realism of the criminal underworld. Players appreciate the detailed graphics, atmospheric sound design, and the intense vibe created by ambient noises and music, which collectively enhance the overall experience. While some find the atmosphere engaging and reflective of real-life struggles, a few critiques mention a need for more content and variety in the environment.
“With its immersive mechanics, strategic gameplay, and gritty atmosphere, it provides a challenging and unique experience for players looking to explore a different kind of empire-building game.”
“The sound design overall is solid, from the sounds of police sirens in the distance to the ambient noises of the city—it all adds to the immersive atmosphere.”
“The game's presentation is also noteworthy, with gritty, urban environments and atmospheric sound design that help to immerse players in the seedy underbelly of the criminal underworld.”
“There's no atmosphere.”
“Atmosphere of the game is boring.”
“The atmosphere is tense, living in a police state and on the hustle all the time to make lots of money.”
- emotional9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the games, highlighting moments of deep personal impact, such as crying over character departures and feeling a sense of wholesomeness. While some games may have repetitive elements, they successfully evoke emotional responses, making players feel invested in their narratives and experiences. Overall, the emotional aspect is characterized by a blend of heartfelt moments and engaging storytelling.
“Eddy was all I had; when he left, I cried myself to sleep that night.”
“Beyond its exceptional gameplay and mechanics, Drug Dealer Simulator weaves a compelling narrative that adds an emotional dimension to the game.”
“The game does what it is supposed to do; elicit an emotional response from the player!”
- character development6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the immersive environment and the sense of growing an empire, others criticize it for being shallow and lacking meaningful interactions or moral choices. The detailed character designs and atmospheric settings enhance the experience, but the overall narrative depth leaves much to be desired.
“I love this game! It’s absolutely amazing, and the character development of you growing your empire is so good. This game is great; I enjoy playing it!”
“The attention to detail in both the environments and character designs further enhances the overall gaming experience, drawing players deeper into the virtual criminal underworld.”
“The attention to detail in the environments and character designs creates a realistic and atmospheric backdrop that draws players into the dangerous world they are about to navigate.”
“No character development, just a so-called 'cartel' who you pay money to every now and then, and a supplier whose name I forget.”
“Additionally, the game's narrative and character development are somewhat shallow, with limited opportunities for meaningful interaction or moral choice.”
