King of Retail
- September 14, 2022
- Freaking Games
- 29h median play time
Get on Steam"King of Retail" is a business simulation game that puts you in charge of managing your own retail store. You'll be responsible for selecting and ordering products, hiring and training staff, setting prices, and managing customer satisfaction. Success requires strategic planning, smart decision making, and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions. Engaging and challenging, "King of Retail" offers a unique and rewarding gaming experience for fans of the genre.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Highly addictive gameplay that keeps players engaged for hours.
- In-depth management mechanics that allow for customization of stores and staff.
- Regular updates from developers show commitment to improving the game.
- Clunky user interface and controls that can be frustrating to navigate.
- AI pathfinding issues lead to customers and employees getting stuck.
- Limited product categories and repetitive gameplay can make it feel stale over time.
- gameplay184 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "King of Retail" is described as engaging and addictive, with a mix of simple mechanics and deeper management elements that reflect real retail challenges. While many players appreciate the core gameplay loop and the potential for automation and expansion, some criticize the game's lack of polish, clunky mechanics, and insufficient tutorials that can hinder the learning experience. Overall, the game shows promise, especially for those willing to invest time in mastering its systems, despite its early access status and visual shortcomings.
“Addictive gameplay, automation + expanding your store + seeing your wealth grow. A good game to chill with Netflix on the side.”
“The core gameplay loop is engaging and feels pretty well balanced.”
“I haven't encountered any intrusive bugs, the UI is easy to learn, there's a huge amount of customization, and the mechanics are just deep enough to really dig in and activate your inner manager, but not too deep to be overwhelmed or frustrated.”
“Unfortunately, this remained unfulfilled, since it was pushed to 1.0 at some point, while still feeling very basic and clunky during gameplay.”
“The user interface, and that of the game mechanics stopped me from even playing this game and I asked for a refund 30 minutes in.”
“The game suffers from being a little non-intuitive, particularly with its menuing (which is the majority of the actual gameplay).”
- graphics144 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered mediocre and somewhat outdated, with many reviewers noting that they lack polish and depth. While some appreciate the simplicity and effectiveness of the visuals, others feel that the graphics detract from the overall experience, especially in character design and UI. Despite these shortcomings, the gameplay remains engaging, and there is optimism for future improvements as the game continues to develop.
“With the release of update version 0.16, King of Retail is a good game to play as it has great graphics and gives the player a taste of true retail life.”
“The graphics really look better in-game than they do on the promo screenshots/videos.”
“For what looks like a small game, it's very in-depth, managing stock levels, making sure customers are served, having enough shelves on the shop floor and store rooms, shifts for staff, having enough staff; it's not the most graphics-intensive game but there are some very nice details like realistic reflections.”
“Graphics look a bit old school.”
“The concept of the game itself is interesting and well thought out but the graphics and the controls of the game made it hard to play.”
“The controls are clunky, the graphics are mediocre, there's very little guidance outside of the barebones tutorial which amounts to little more than an interactive slideshow, and the UI is quite awkward and tedious.”
- stability54 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and unfinished features that significantly detract from the overall experience. Many players feel that the game is in a state more akin to early access rather than a full release, leading to frustrations with gameplay interruptions and unresponsive mechanics. While some users acknowledge the game's potential and recommend it on sale, the consensus is that it requires substantial updates to improve its stability.
“I really enjoy the concept of this game, but the buggy mess and lack of quality of life systems ruin it.”
“Run away! The game is buggy and will randomly bankrupt you even while making huge profits daily. Development has stopped; this is a very early access type game with all the bugs, not a full release. The developer is a scammer.”
“I find a game even buggier than the early access version, with a ton of unfinished, buggy, and poorly explained features that make the experience significantly worse.”
- story52 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game lacks a substantial story, with many users noting that there is no narrative to engage with. Some mention a "pseudo-story mode" that primarily serves as a framework for gameplay rather than a traditional storyline. Additionally, players have encountered frustrating bugs and inconsistencies in mission objectives, further detracting from any potential narrative experience.
“There is story mode then a mode where you just have your own shop and that's all you do.”
“Once satisfied, you can jump into either a single story mode or campaign mode.”
“There is one particular contract mission that is impossible to beat, because one of the stated objectives refuses to register as complete.”
“Also, missions that mention an amount of days to keep the store open always seem to show a random number of days, then once in the mission it's always 10 days.”
“All that being said, I've only been playing corporation mode (a pseudo-story mode where all the money, I believe, feeds into the entrepreneur/creative mode).”
- grinding36 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and monotonous, with many players feeling it requires an excessive time commitment. While some find enjoyment in the grind, particularly after achieving milestones like purchasing a store, others criticize the clunky controls and lack of guidance, making the experience feel laborious. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some players appreciating the grind while others find it frustrating and overly time-consuming.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“But it's very monotonous and tedious.”
“You can't manually save a backup to return to if your corporation or store fails, after you've spent hours grinding contracts to be able to start your first store.”
- music26 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as catchy and fitting for a retail setting, though some players find it lacks originality, often recognizing royalty-free tracks. While the background music is considered non-intrusive and there are options to change genres, many players prefer to turn it off altogether. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some praising the music's quality and others suggesting improvements for a more tailored experience.
“The music is amazing, the products in this game are detailed, and the amount of free will allowed is truly unique.”
“• Non-intrusive background music, with the option to change genre.”
“Because the music is so good, I want more! Thank you, devs! :)”
“The music is not the best.”
“I came across royalty-free music that I recognized, which hit the originality a bit, but most of the time I turn the game music off anyways.”
“Why in the ambient sound with the music off is there a sound like a woman with coronavirus coughing her guts up?”
- optimization24 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally considered poor, with numerous bugs and performance hiccups reported, particularly on older PCs. While players appreciate the passion behind the project, they note that it requires significant improvements to enhance performance and reduce frame rate issues, especially during active gameplay. Overall, the game is enjoyable but suffers from the typical early access optimization challenges.
“Albeit there are games out there with better graphics and optimization, I have to remember this was a passion project made by one person from the start.”
“While it sometimes suffers from minor performance hiccups, it is more than worth it to watch your store expand and feel like you're making something of it.”
“That said, there are bugs and performance issues -- none that are game-breaking, of course -- that still need to be ironed out.”
“The optimization is poor and the bugs in this game are plenty.”
“I'm running it on an older PC, and despite the lack of intensive graphics (and with the settings turned to the minimum), there are still minor performance hiccups and low frame rate performance when looking directly at activity.”
“It also suffers from the usual early access lack of optimization.”
- monetization20 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for appearing to prioritize profit over player experience, with some reviewers labeling it a "cash grab." Players can engage in extensive customization and management of their stores, including hiring staff and creating advertisements, but the overwhelming focus on monetization strategies may detract from the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
“A real shame, but as a few others have noted, it just looks like a cash grab.”
“I have an entire room, 100 x 2 meters of pure magenta, dedicated to my staff of 40 men and women to fabricate ads about my literal garbage at over three times the mark-up.”
“There's the obvious, like hiring employees and advertising, but there's also a persuasion mini-game to convince customers to come into your shop and buy your stuff.”
- humor6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted to be present but somewhat lacking, with players mentioning that while there are funny moments, particularly from early access bugs, the overall comedic elements feel sparse. Some users express a desire for more engaging humor, indicating that certain aspects of the game could benefit from improved comedic writing.
“Some funny quirks due to early access bugs, but very few.”
“I started a manager at home, but now it feels like I'm never home, and starting anew is a little bit unfunny. Please add cloud saving.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players consistently highlight the game's significant replayability, noting that while the initial learning curve may be slow, the experience becomes highly engaging and rewarding once mastered. The variety of ideas and gameplay mechanics contribute to a compelling reason to return, making it a game that offers extensive replay value.
“I have been playing since very early on in the development, and this game has come a long way while still remaining fun with significant replayability.”
“There are a lot of great ideas, and the game is very replayable.”
“However, the replayability and fun are off the charts. Don't let the first hours of learning bore you; once you get the hang of it, you're in for a grind.”
- character development4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received criticism primarily for its character design, which many users find unsatisfactory. Additionally, the color selection process is seen as frustrating due to the cumbersome color wheel, leading to a less enjoyable customization experience.
“The color wheel is annoying; why can't I just pick a color? The character design is awful.”
“The character design is lacking and frustrating to navigate.”
“The character customization options are limited and not appealing.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express a desire for a more emotionally charged experience in the game, highlighting the absence of realistic interactions such as conflict or degradation that are common in real-life retail jobs. There is a sense of anticipation for future updates that may introduce these elements, suggesting a potential for deeper emotional engagement.
