Unemployment Simulator 2018

About

Unemployment Simulator 2018 is a single player casual simulation game with horror, mystery and comedy themes. It was developed by Samuel Lehikoinen and was released on February 3, 2026. It received positive reviews from players.

Feature ListSurvival elements Story-driven progression Handcrafted pixel art Comedy, drama, and maybe trauma Original soundtrack by Wilson Tanner Smith About the Game How long can you survive unemployment?The year is 2018, you are trapped in a single-bedroom apartment somewhere in an undisclosed Nordic welfare state. Your objective is to survive in the mind-numbing loop of long-term …

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 78 reviews

story4 positive mentions

grinding1 negative mentions

Unique, surreal, and emotionally impactful narrative portraying mental health struggles and unemployment with strong artistic expression.
Excellent pixel art and atmospheric music that enhance the immersive and compelling experience.
Engaging for players who appreciate indie games with abstract storytelling, humor, and a psychological depth.

Gameplay is repetitive, very basic, and lacks depth, leading to monotony for some players.
Several technical issues including bugs, glitches, and minor performance problems affect the overall experience.
The story can feel unresolved or ambiguous, with little player agency and an abrupt or confusing ending.

story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
58%
18%
The story is generally engaging and immersive, offering unexpected twists and a realistic yet heartfelt narrative, particularly around themes like unemployment and mental health. However, it can feel repetitive and somewhat short, with limited player impact on its progression, leading some players to find it abrupt or lacking depth. Overall, the story is considered the game's strongest element despite occasional mundanity.
- “This game gives you the most realistic way of experiencing unemployment in Finland while also having a wholesome story of siding with the small ones in a huge battle.”
- “At a first glance the game looks like a funny little survival simulator with some quirky scenes, but you will soon realize you are engulfed in an immersive story that keeps you playing for 'just one more day'.”
- “The story is easily the strongest part of the game.”
- “It's repetitive and kind of boring, but it draws you in with little random abnormal events that progress the story.”
- “Unfortunately, the story doesn't make up for the repetitive, mundane tasks the game throws at you.”
- “It's a bit sad that we cannot go outside of the apartment; there isn't really a story behind it either.”
gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
46%
23%
The gameplay is generally simple, basic, and somewhat repetitive, offering enough engagement to keep players hooked but lacking depth and complexity. While the mechanics are fun for casual play, they may feel too simplistic for fans of more serious survival games. Minor technical issues like lag are present but don't significantly impact the experience.
- “But there's enough going on gameplay-wise that it kept me hooked.”
- “The game mechanics are simple and fun, but most likely a bit too casual for a die-hard survival game fan.”
- “It all makes great use of its simplistic mechanics, where all you're doing is pressing buttons for mundane tasks and trying to juggle your meters, like any survival game.”
- “Though it is short and never really explores its mechanics in any depth.”
- “The gameplay itself is very basic and not really enjoyable, so redoing days is very tedious and I'm not convinced the game pays off with what it is trying.”
- “Gameplay: there honestly isn't much you can do.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is widely praised for being clever, original, and consistently funny, with quirky scenes and writing that keep players engaged and amused throughout. Many users appreciate its lighthearted and humorous tone, often highlighting amusing character designs and unexpected comedic moments. Overall, it combines humor with an immersive story effectively, providing frequent laughs and a unique experience.
- “Had a good laugh numerous times, very funny idea, execution, and writing.”
- “It's hilarious, been playing since the minute it released.”
- “Not really a survival game but surprisingly funny and very original.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The graphics feature charming pixel art with a strong atmospheric style that conveys emotion effectively, though they suffer from bugs, weird hitboxes, and poor optimization. Despite these issues, the visuals contribute well to the game's indie and surreal feel, creating a unique and immersive experience.
- “Great pixel artwork.”
- “It's a short game with incredible graphics, expressing so much emotion, trauma, and surreal art.”
- “Very indie, a bit rough around the edges but the art style and the view of the rooms are so good, I like the atmosphere.”
- “To make matters worse, it's poorly optimized and full of bugs, which is frustrating given the simple pixel graphics.”
- “Some bugs, weird hitboxes and visuals that you most likely come across (at the time of writing this review), but nothing game breaking.”
- “The game music was excellent and fit well the game, just like the crude graphics!”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The music is universally praised for its quality and fitting atmosphere, effectively enhancing the game's psychedelic and unsettling experience. Reviewers highlight its excellence and strong connection to the game's themes and visuals, often rating it as a standout feature.
- “The music is very well done.”
- “Music is fantastic.”
- “The game music was excellent and fit well the game, just like the crude graphics!”
- “This isn't meant to be a 'work' simulator; it's a psychedelic, incredible experience combining terrible, disturbing, grotesque imagery, music, and mechanics to convey the repetitiveness, impossibility, and steady decline of being unemployed, feeling hopeless, and like you don't even have the privilege to exist, let alone be part of a community.”
- “Music: fair”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a unique emotional experience by realistically portraying unemployment in Finland while weaving a heartfelt story of supporting the underdog. Players find it both unexpectedly fun and deeply moving, blending humor with poignant moments.
- “This game gives you the most realistic way of experiencing unemployment in Finland while also having a wholesome story of siding with the small ones in a huge battle.”
- “It is a fun game in a weird way, with a nice emotional depiction of the situation.”
- “I came for the meme, stayed for the emotional impact.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is notably indie and somewhat rough, with a distinctive art style that effectively conveys a dank, depressing mood. It captures a strong sense of stagnation and bleakness, immersing players in a grim, lived-in environment.
- “Very indie, a bit rough around the edges but the art style and the view of the rooms are so good, I like the atmosphere.”
- “It's so dank and depressing to see this decently nice apartment, a full enough fridge, and having plenty of things to do but having this incredible atmosphere of depression, of being unable to do more, and getting used to living in abject filth.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is considered tedious and unenjoyable, with repetitive tasks feeling basic and lacking rewarding payoff.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game demonstrates generally stable performance with only a few minor glitches that do not significantly impact the experience.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is subpar, with frequent bugs that hinder performance despite its simple pixel graphics. Users find this frustrating and indicative of poor technical refinement.
- “To make matters worse, it's poorly optimized and full of bugs, which is frustrating given the simple pixel graphics.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers multiple endings but isn't designed for extensive replayability, as repetitive tasks may diminish the overall experience for some players.
- “I don't think it was built for that sort of replayability, even with multiple endings and the repetitiveness of the tasks that will likely grate on me.”

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Frequently Asked Questions

Unemployment Simulator 2018 is a casual simulation game with horror, mystery and comedy themes.

Unemployment Simulator 2018 is available on PC, Windows and Linux.

Unemployment Simulator 2018 was released on February 3, 2026.

Unemployment Simulator 2018 was developed by Samuel Lehikoinen.

Unemployment Simulator 2018 has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked Unemployment Simulator 2018 for its story but disliked it for its graphics.

Unemployment Simulator 2018 is a single player game.

Similar games include DISTRAINT, OXENFREE II: Lost Signals, CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience, The Crooked Man, House and others.

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