Instead of launching a brand-new venture, Discounty begins with you taking over a grocery store from your grumpy aunt in a quaint town past its prime. This peculiar locale boasts an inventor of the keyring as its notable resident, and the surrounding woods are partially closed off for safety. Despite these quirks, the town exudes a welcoming charm typical of small communities, allowing you to bond with its few residents throughout the game. Plus, there’s no shortage of drama to keep things lively.

Your primary responsibility is managing the grocery store. You’re the sole employee, handling everything from operating the cash register (yes, math is involved) to restocking shelves to prevent customer complaints about empty coffee or shampoo aisles. Additionally, you’re tasked with behind-the-scenes work like ordering stock, organizing the storage area, disposing of trash, and negotiating with local suppliers for fresh fish and produce. This aspect of the game is fulfilling, requiring immediate focus on selective customers while simultaneously planning strategically for the future.

As you advance, your store grows both in what you can offer and its physical dimensions, enhancing the core gameplay’s complexity and difficulty. Progression depends on engaging with the townspeople, as collaborating with local vendors often involves returning favors like locating lost sheep or selling odd Christmas-themed fish sticks, leading you into various narrative subplots.

The fascinating part of Discounty’s plot is its exploration of real-world themes within its otherwise whimsical setting. Some town folks aren’t thrilled about a large chain settling in. Upon expanding my store, usually a celebratory moment in such games, townspeople were upset because I did so by acquiring an adjacent tea shop. Although closed for years, it still held sentimental value within the community fabric, and I was deconstructing that.

The game highlights that success isn’t always beneficial for the town. Often, the game’s darker narrative elements are masked with humor—for instance, assisting a city clerk in discarding environmental impact reports to secure a construction permit. Nevertheless, Discounty delivers surprisingly astute commentary, even if it never vigorously targets these issues.

That mixture of satisfying gameplay and a story that’s both relatable and genuinely funny is what makes Discounty work so well. It’s not an escape to an idyllic farm or mountain getaway. It’s you doing a job that’s hard and not always pretty, while trying to make the best of things. Most of us know just what that’s like.

_{Discounty is available now on the Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.}