Developer: Crinkle Cut Games
Platforms: PC (Reviewed), PS4, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X
Genre: RPG, Simulation
Publisher: PQube
Discounty is a narrative-driven shop management game. This game is developed by Crinkle Cut Games and published by PQube. Discounty offers a charming experience that is accessible to all players. This review was done for the PC version, but the game is also available for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, PS4/5 and Xbox One.
Discount is an indie management sim that puts you in the shoes of a new arrival to the town of Blomsket, where you’re helping your aunt run her supermarket. What starts as a simple job in an upstart business quickly becomes an engaging story about small-town life, quirky townsfolk and the unexpected challenges of running a store. Blomsket itself has recently seen a boom in business thanks to a new highway, and you arrive just in time to help your aunt’s shop, Discounty.
Right from the start, the game introduces its controls in a smooth, interactive tutorial that makes learning mechanics fun. You’re taught everything hands-on; stocking shelves, attending the register and navigating your PDA (a personal digital assistant that keeps track of goals, inventory, schedules and the town’s map). The tutorial is nicely taught through the words of Grace, Discounty’s other worker. The controls are user-friendly, and if you’ve got a number pad on your keyboard, attending the cash register feels so much more immersive. Each keybind is introduced naturally as you play, and the game’s interface does a good job of keeping things accessible without overwhelming you.
Visually, Discounty leans into a warm, pixel art style that feels both homey and vibrant. The world is full of colour and charming little details from NPCs’ exclamation marks or sparkle effects when they become excited, or even text bubbles highlighting key bonds in different fonts and colours. My favourite part about the visuals would have to be the designs for the items you can store at the supermarket, shampoo bottles, apples, fishy sticks, and more, all look so realistic and pleasant. As you begin the game, you even get the option to customise your character and name them to your liking, which is a nice touch to make the game feel more personalised to you. The audio is equally delightful, featuring a quirky, upbeat soundtrack that feels straight out of a cosy Nintendo title. It shifts between lively tunes during busy store hours and calming tracks while you explore town, and the mumbling voice effects give conversations a playful charm. Altogether, the slice-of-life atmosphere is perfect, creating a town that you are bound to explore once you have completed your shifts. Even character designs bring the game to life, and Blomsket thrives more and more.
The heart of Discounty lies in its gameplay, which balances management tasks with exploration and story. Store hours run from 9 to 5, during which you will stock shelves, attend to customers and ring up purchases on the register. Each customer places items on a conveyor belt, and you input prices and quantities while cross-referencing the catalogue. If you do punch in the wrong numbers, a red buzz will be triggered that makes players more attentive. Additionally, you do have the ability to upgrade the register for easier convenience when the store gets much bigger. Outside of work, you can explore Blomsket, decorate your trailer and store, create trade deals with other businesses, and recycle leftover materials (who would have thought recycling stacks of cardboard would actually be fun). The PDA keeps you on track with goals, while a computer system allows you to order stock. The game also layers in story quests and town interactions, giving you reasoning to explore beyond your store and interact with NPCs to receive store upgrades and expansions. With challenges, point rewards and even three chapters of structure progression, there’s plenty to do without ever feeling restricted.
Personally, I found Discounty to be both relaxing and surprisingly addictive. Attending the cash register was easily my favourite feature; it felt the most satisfying. I mean, the entirety of the store management was simple yet effective, which was charming. It took me roughly 15 hours to complete the main game. I loved how the game lets you continue running your store even after finishing the main story, meaning I could keep working toward achievements like 365 apples sold at my own pace. My only complaint would be not being able to buy decorations like shelves in bulk.
Even though Discounty is a single-player game, we were provided with another code and one of the other players, Moody, had the following to say about the game. “Discounty is honestly amazing. There were several aspects of the game that I loved! The self-checkout and the story are both amazingly well written. The art style captures such a warm, cosy presence, and the details are spectacular. The effort put into flawless animations and intricate details in the pixel sprites are so amusing to observe. I mean, in this game, nothing beats the whole premise of owning a supermarket. I could go on and on about the checkout gameplay because getting to use my keyboard just makes it feel like I am punching in numbers in front of a real register. I love the little details they added to make the game better, such as the little perks with the trade deal people and the perks of completing the goals in the market. As much as I loved Discounty, I would definitely recommend it to others!”
Discounty delivers a cosy, colourful, and immersive experience that blends the joy of running a supermarket with the charm of living in a small town. With its quirky music, charming visuals, and thoughtful gameplay, cosy game lovers will definitely want to get their hands on this title. If you’ve ever dreamed of running your own little store whilst taking on townsfolk’s ridiculous quests (almost like solving mysteries that you would never expect), then be sure to check out Discounty!
Overall: 10/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
