Many people who know me will know that I have a very different relationship with the grocery world. I’ve spent a little under half of my life working in stores and was a manager for about 8 years of that time. I’ve worked in every department and seen just about any situation you can think of (including some that you can’t possibly imagine). Those years are objectively some of the worst of my life. So why did I immediately gravitate towards Discounty, a pixel art style RPG where you basically run a grocery store?‘Discounty’ got its hooks in me pretty quicklyWell simply put, Discounty looked fun. I can’t deny myself a potentially good time just because it might reopen some wounds that I’ve spent the last 3 years trying to close. I’m half joking about this stuff, I swear. Starting the game up, you’re treated to a pretty solid tutorial as far as what it takes to run the store itself. Your character — who is customizable and can be given any name — is given the reins to a supermarket in a small town called Blomkest. You’re the only game in town, so it shouldn’t be too hard right?Wrong. After the tutorial and a test opening of the store, you’re tasked with heading down to the harbor to get some fish from a fisherman…named Fisher. He (very) gruffly refuses to sell you fish. Why? Because Barbara, the lady down the street has a monopoly on the fish. She agrees to let you in on the fish game on the condition that you help her offload her surplus of Fishmas Sticks. Yes, they are exactly what they sound like. Christmas flavored fish sticks. Cinnamon and other ingredients. On the way back to your shop before it opens, you see a hazmat van and start to investigate the reason it’s there. You then meet a journalist who seems to be of the same mind when it comes to the odd nature of its appearance. There is clearly more here than the game initially lets on. Discounty does a great job of giving you bits and pieces of these characters. Some of the interactions with townsfolk would indicate they aren’t particularly welcoming either. And that’s before you even get into the actual management of the store. Oh look, it’s my memoriesScreenshot: PQubeRunning the store, you’re in charge of ordering items, storing them, putting them out on the sales floor and keeping it all in stock. You also have to run the cash register. You have a catalog that tells you the price of each item. As the item comes down the belt, you input the price depending on the quantity of the item chosen. Seems easy at first but I see where a line could form, and people start getting a bit impatient. What’s that? Oh, you don’t want to stand in a line. Well, there’s just me running the register since my boss won’t get off his butt and help…Had a flashback there. My bad. I’m good, i promiseDiscounty really does feel like it’s going to be a good time. Our resident cozy king Shaun would probably enjoy it. I’m loving the art style and music. The characters seem truly interesting, and there’s enough here in the game mechanics to keep you going. As you go on, you can upgrade the store and turn it into a true powerhouse in the town. I can’t wait to see more. And I’m legitimately intrigued by the mystery that it’s setting up. All is not right in this small town, and I have every intention of figuring out exactly what’s going on when it comes out Aug 21st, 2025. Wishlist Discounty on Steam whenever you can. I have a good feeling about this one.The post ‘Discounty’- A Life Sim RPG that I Loved Despite My Own Past (Demo Impressions) appeared first on VICE.