Self-Checkout Unlimited

About

In "Self-Checkout Unlimited," players manage a grocery store's self-checkout machines, handling customer issues, maintenance, and upgrades. The goal is to maximize profits while providing good customer service. With various challenges and simulation scenarios, it's a unique and engaging experience for management and tycoon game enthusiasts.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 126 reviews

graphics20 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Visually stunning with a captivating Vaporwave aesthetic that enhances the overall experience.
Offers a unique philosophical and introspective journey, prompting players to reflect on their own lives.
Short yet engaging gameplay that combines walking simulator elements with light puzzles and exploration.

Gameplay can feel repetitive, especially with achievements requiring multiple playthroughs.
The narrative and psychological themes may come off as pretentious or lacking depth, leading to frustration.
Technical issues such as limited resolution options and unresponsive controls can hinder the overall experience.

graphics
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
54%
6%
The game's graphics are widely praised for their vaporwave aesthetic, effectively capturing the atmosphere of a "dead mall" with simple yet visually pleasing designs. While some reviewers note that the graphics may not be as detailed as other titles, they commend the overall integration of visuals, music, and sound to create a surreal and immersive experience. Many players appreciate the aesthetic appeal, particularly those drawn to the mallsoft theme, and see significant potential for further development in future updates.
- “It's an aesthetically pleasing game, truly.”
- “While the environments are not as high detail as Security Breach, the devs still absolutely nailed the atmosphere and aesthetic and vibe of a real-life mall.”
- “Graphically, this game is very nice looking, simple but pleasing to the eye; I would recommend this game if you like walking sims and surreal games.”
- “It wears a vaporwave aesthetic without analysis or delving into the movement's associated themes.”
- “Even the mall aesthetic feels a little underutilized.”
- “While the game has a few optional trinkets and some branching dialogue, it's very funneled - which is not a bad thing, I just want those visual moments to be more memorable.”
atmosphere
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a blend of eerie nostalgia and a relaxed exploration of a mall setting, creating a unique experience that evokes feelings of isolation and subtle creepiness. While the visuals may lack high detail, the sound design and overall aesthetic effectively capture the essence of a real-life mall, reminiscent of vintage gaming. Despite some initial tension, the atmosphere transitions into a more casual vibe, making it a memorable walking simulator that stands out for its originality and depth.
- “While the environments are not as high detail as Security Breach, the devs still absolutely nailed the atmosphere, aesthetic, and vibe of a real-life mall.”
- “Visuals, music, and especially sounds create an overall atmosphere of the game that is well integrated with its plot.”
- “Finding yourself in an empty, dark mall was a bit scary at first, plus eerie noises and choices like, 'are you sure you want to go out' created some spooky atmosphere, but that kind of wasn't developed further.”
- “While the environments are not as high detail as Security Breach, the devs still absolutely nailed the atmosphere and aesthetic of a real-life mall.”
- “The dead mall and liminal space atmosphere coupled with the feeling of isolation makes for a very stylish and memorable experience.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
35%
15%
The music in the game is widely praised for its fitting and relaxing qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and aesthetic, particularly with its vaporwave and mallsoft influences. Players appreciate the dynamic soundtrack that avoids repetitive looping, and many recommend purchasing the soundtrack separately. Overall, the music is seen as a key element that complements the game's nostalgic and existential themes.
- “Finally, someone got the aesthetic right with great music.”
- “This game deserves more attention, and I even bought the soundtrack (which is really great music by the way, and I loved the music constantly changing instead of looping the same song over and over) to give the devs a few extra bucks.”
- “Visuals, music, and especially sounds create an overall atmosphere of the game that is well integrated with its plot.”
- “Sure this game has the vaporwave aesthetic complete with a mallsoft soundtrack, but trying to write a review of this game is like if you ask Rick Astley for a DVD of the movie Up; he won’t give it to you because he’s never gonna give you up.”
- “The music is easy-going, but it lacks depth and variety, making it feel repetitive over time.”
- “While the visuals and sounds create an overall atmosphere, the music feels disconnected and fails to enhance the experience.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The game's story is described as simplistic and somewhat lacking, with some players finding it unengaging or confusing, particularly in its attempts at psychological analysis. However, others appreciate the philosophical depth and the unique mall setting, noting that the fast-paced narrative offers intriguing themes to explore. Overall, while the story may not resonate with everyone, it provides a certain value in replayability and atmospheric enjoyment.
- “Pretty deep story too, honestly.”
- “Bought it for the mallsoft aesthetic, stayed for the enigmatic storyline and philosophical analysis of the self.”
- “However, I like that the story moves at a fast pace; every 10 minutes or so you get to experience a different surreal theme within a confined space of a shopping mall.”
- “I thought at first the story would dissect the life of the main character, kind of rolled my eyes at that, since I just wanted to explore a cool mall, but then it started trying to psychoanalyze me.”
- “I will be playing it several more times and hopefully gain more insight, and unfortunately this game isn't very popular and nobody is really talking about the story or theorizing online, so for now I feel unsatisfied with my lack of comprehension, but hopefully that will improve over time.”
- “Story wise a little meh, and instructions not always clear.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
Gameplay is generally described as enjoyable and aesthetically pleasing, but it suffers from clunky mechanics and occasional misalignment of prompts and buttons, particularly during specific interactions. While some players appreciate the learning curve and new experiences, others feel that additional buttons do not enhance replayability if they don't impact the overall gameplay. Overall, the experience is mostly positive, with minor flaws noted.
- “Today I learned something new; it's an awesome game in both gameplay and aesthetic aspects.”
- “As to gameplay: it is a bit clunky, sometimes you have to click on things and the prompt doesn't appear until you move in a very specific way.”
- “"Having other buttons to push" are not replayability if it doesn't affect the overall gameplay.”
- “Now that's fixed, the gameplay experience is flawless, except for the minor parts where [spoiler]you're using the computer[/spoiler] and some text/buttons are misaligned.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong sense of nostalgia and emotional resonance with the game's atmosphere, particularly its sound design and exploration elements reminiscent of classic stealth games. However, there is a desire for deeper emotional engagement, as many feel that significant moments lack meaningful interaction, which could enhance the overall emotional impact of the experience.
- “With lightness comes heaviness, with transcendence comes an emotional and thought-provoking toll.”
- “First of all, SCU made me feel a bit nostalgic – the way your steps sound on different surfaces and in different areas, dim lights of the first part, vast, empty buildings you can explore – all of that reminded me of one of the old stealth series that I still keep playable on my PC.”
- “Whenever something cool happens in this game, you don't get to interact or explore very much; if the developer made those moments more meaningful, it would be a more wholesome experience.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviewers highlight that true replayability involves meaningful gameplay changes rather than just additional actions that don't impact the experience. "Self-Checkout Unlimited" is noted for its replayability features, including various options and a free roam mode that enhance the overall gameplay after completion.
- “Having other buttons to push is not replayability if it doesn't affect the overall gameplay.”
- “Self-Checkout Unlimited has options for replayability and a free roam mode after you finish.”