Impressions: Cart Life

Cart Life, one of this year’s IGF finalists, is a game by Richard Hofmeier that is described on the official website as a “retail simulation” for windows. Based on that description, one would assume that the player would spend his or her time manning a store of some kind, selling products to customers and managing the business, and that assumption would be quite correct, but also incomplete. The other side of the game would be better described as a “life simulation.” The player is responsible not only for the business, but for the character’s health, family, and lifestyle. That means eating when hungry, sleeping when tired, paying the rent on time, and even feeding the cat or taking a smoke break.