Car Mechanic Shop Simulator Review (PC)

I’m going to level with you — if I go out and buy a car today, then you can bet that I’ll be the sort of guy who’ll gleefully kick the wheel and sign the paperwork without asking any questions about the vehicle or its history. If it’s green, and it has that “fresh leather” scent emitting from the interior, then chances are I will willingly throw a stack of cash at it and scrape off with the wheels still bolted onto the stock shelves. And it’s for that reason alone that I probably wouldn’t make for a great mechanic. And yet, here we are, at the dashboard of Car Mechanic Shop Simulator, with a socket wrench in one hand and a shoddy V8 in the other. I’ll admit, I’m out of my depth here, but for the sake of elevating the store’s reputation, I will refrain from kicking the wheels.

There is a silver lining to the above predicament: Car Mechanic Shop Simulator isn’t quite as threatening as Mechanic Simulator. Well, it is threatening for me, but that’s partly due to the fact that I’m prone to having an existential crisis whenever the oil needs changing or the tires need inflating. But, in spite of all of this, Digital Melody and Games Incubator’s latest mechanic-centric simulator has a few more forgiving features; it sidelines the complexity of an in-depth vehicle configuration system and instead focuses on the business side of things. Don’t get me wrong, you still have to carry out the usual maintenance, but you also have the flexibility to prioritize other elements of the trade. And that’s great, because quite frankly, I haven’t the slightest clue about, well, anything. Pass me that V8, Mrs Smith — I’ll have you back on the road in no time. Probably.

I Will Fix It

I have a brother who’s a mechanic, and so, naturally, I am somewhat accustomed to hearing the usual jargon about catalytic converters, carbonetic clutches, brake pads, and the fact that my “tread depth is almost over the legal limit.” Well, I entered Car Mechanic Shop Simulator with the intention of porting that wealth of internal data into a series of jobs, when in reality, it didn’t matter all that much if I knew my oil from my windscreen washing liquid. As it turned out, it didn’t make a lick of difference, as the game essentially spelled it all out for me right from the get-go; to achieve goal A, you must attach component B to socket C, and so on and so forth. See, Car Mechanic Shop Simulator doesn’t expect you to be a part-time aircraft engineer; on the contrary, it asks only that you pay attention and adapt.

The game itself is broken up into two halves, with one being devoted to the business—a half that involves the player managing aspects like customer data, stock options, and tactical decisions that can curb the competition and increase the value of your business. And then there’s the second half—a smaller chunk of the job that primarily depends on acts like stocking shelves, serving clients, sourcing better car parts, and branching out to other services, like installing custom modifications, specialized repairs, and other advanced routine checks. To that end, the game is more or less a shopkeeping simulator than a full-fledged mechanic simulator. And while that may bode well for me (refer back to the previous comment about kicking wheels for clarification), it might steer potential petrolheads or asphalt fanatics away from the dashboard. Swings and roundabouts though, I guess.

If Supermarket Simulator Had a Baby…

If you’ve ever played Supermarket Simulator, then you should have a rough idea of how Car Mechanic Shop Simulator presents its cards. Like the former example, the game mostly sees you working on odd jobs and carrying out small tasks around the store whilst working to achieve an overarching corporate milestone. It starts out with a simple goal—to stock a few tires, and to gradually build up your repertoire of tools and other services to boost your productivity and sales record. Simply put, the more jobs you complete, the more you begin to earn. And with higher earnings comes better upgrades for your shop, as well as a few other nifty shop-wide benefits for your customers.

Car Mechanic Shop Simulator envelopes a familiar gameplay loop that we’ve seen countless times before. It’s a loop that, despite having a golden carrot on the end of its stick, frequently reminds you that the only way to acquire a better understanding of the game is through taxing your fingers and optimal play. And, fair enough, there are plenty of great rewards for those who choose to chase said carrot, but as with any rags-to-riches simulation game, they’re often hidden behind several long and often grueling hours of hard work and dedication. In other words, if you can’t fathom spending an hour or two stacking cans of oil on a shelf for the bare minimum, then you’re probably going to struggle to make ends meet in this line of work. But if you can persevere, then the benefits eventually become apparent. It’s the grind, that’s the issue.

Verdict

Car Mechanic Shop Simulator might fall short in its ability to produce an in-depth engineering experience, but it certainly manages to produce an engaging loop that’s both satisfying and oftentimes rewarding. It doesn’t go a great deal beyond what other business simulation games have done in previous years, but it does make an effort to capitalize on the success of its kin by generating enough pro-active tasks to keep you motivated and forever pushing towards a new goal. Is there enough material to keep you coming back for more? I’m on the fence with that one, as it does carry something of a novelty factor; it’s interesting at first, and it provides enough hoops for you to jump through, but the more you begin to subject yourself to the grind, the more you slowly begin to lose sight of the appeal that lingers on the end of the stick.

For what it’s worth, I’ve certainly seen a lot of poorer shopkeeping simulation games on the market. The fact that Car Mechanic Shop Simulator at least has a lofty collection of incentives to chase and an endgame that’s worth putting in the hours for makes it all the more memorable — ever for ne’er-do-wells with little to no existing knowledge like myself. I can’t say that I’m falling head over heels in love with the idea of switching career paths to pursue something in the field of vehicle engineering — but I can sort of see the appeal, if only just.

To cut a long story short, if you’ve a strong enough interest in games like Supermarket Simulator or, to be more specific, Mechanic Simulator, then there’s a good chance that you’ll enjoy several of the core components of this particular endeavor. It isn’t a perfect gig, but it does scratch an itch.