Parcel Simulator Review (PC)

I’d be lying if I said I was jumping out of my seat at the mere thought of being able to scan boxes and weave conveyor belts into a well-oiled machine. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to hack it — more so given that I was just off of a shift in Ship, Inc. At that point, I had seen enough crates to last me a lifetime, and not to mention enough false promises that things would improve with each passing delivery, only to find out that there wasn’t an endgame for me to chase — just more crates to assemble, storage to fill, and items to deliver. And so, when Parcel Simulator knocked on the steel gate and asked me to do, well, the same job, but for less money, I didn’t know how to respond. Like a moth to a flame, though, I accepted.

To paint it in black and white — no, there aren’t any double entendres that you need to know about before unboxing Parcel Simulator. Frankly, it doesn’t pretend to be something that it’s not, nor does it make an solemn vow to be more than what it’s capable of. No, what you have here, in short, is a fresh-out-the-box automation sim—a warehouse-centric packaging title in which your sole purpose is to scan boxes and ensure swift deliveries to their respective locations. With a quick flick of the wrist and an oddly satisfying bleep of a scanner, the factory floor calls to arms, and it’s you, of all people, who must enable its conveyor belts to function, and the business to prosper. No pressure there, then.

Boxing Protégée

Parcel Simulator doesn’t exactly beat around the bush with its barebones structure. It’s certainly frivolous, but not the least bit pretentious — which is a double-edged sword, in ways. On the one hand, you’ve got a steady gig that doesn’t involve much more than a few simple steps—scanning, shuffling, and stacking the conveyor belts, for example. But on the other hand, there isn’t much by way of longevity; it ceases to exist outside of a rather generic and predictable formula that, quite frankly, doesn’t tout much more than a couple of basic ingredients. And yet, even with its small scope and uninspiring depth, Parcel Simulator still manages to accomplish the most important thing: creating a shamefully addicting experience.

The core gameplay loop isn’t perplexing, though it does often require some forward planning. An example here would be the conveyor belt system. Like a lot of alternate automation-like games, the objective is to arrange, organize, and correctly label the system, ensuring maximum efficiency for each parcel that jolts through the warehouse. I’ll admit, there is a bit of a learning curve to all of this, what with there being a handful of machines to operate—label processing, cargo handling, and detection systems, to list just a few of the many, many toys that flesh out a sizable catalog. What’s more, there are also several other jobs for you to master—tasks that range from acquiring licenses, upgrading storage, building inspection desks, and fostering multiple cargo bays, for example.

Automation Is King

Like a fine wine, Parcel Simulator is a game that just gets better with age. In other words, once that initial learning curve has been dealt with and the warehouse is able to function to the highest standard, the journey itself doesn’t necessarily become a doddle, per se, though it does become a lot more enjoyable to work with, with more avenues opening up to you as you make headway on your business milestones. And there’s a lot of fun to be had during those latter stages of the journey, too, with more gadgets to experiment with, better conveyor belt arrangements to utilize, and a surprisingly lofty collection of post-introduction perks to obtain to keep things moving smoothly.

The bulk of your quest is scanning parcels, identifying information, and scooting items along their route in exchange for cash and useful rewards. And whilst this may sound painfully mundane to the naked ear, the truth is, such a simple loop can be an annoyingly addictive after a while of subjecting yourself to the graft. I suppose, in ways, it helps that it actively aims to incentivize people who want to stick around for the long haul. It doesn’t offer a lavish bonus for those who opt to stay for the duration of a twenty-hour stint, though, to give credit where it’s due, it does provide just enough breadcrumbs to keep your attention as you whittle down the branches on the upgrade tree and flesh out the warehouse with all of the bells and whistles of a well-oiled machine. And that’s enough, all things considered.

Verdict

At the heart of this conveyor belt archipelago is an elementary packaging simulator that, although about as drenched in frills and flair as a wet scouring pad, has all of the trimmings of an oddly addicting chore core experience that gives just as much as it takes. With thanks to its sizable collection of customizable machinery, floor layouts, and warehouse facilities, Parcel Simulator does, in all fairness, offer enough of an edge to grant itself passage aboard the same podium as its competitors’ automation systems. The process of building that platform is often dull, as is the learning curve that comes with it, naturally. But with a generous amount to unlock, it does keep you on your toes and coming back for another shift. And that’s a major plus in my books.

To cut a long story short, if you’re a bit of a dab hand with automation games, and you enjoy the mere thought of unwinding to the simple act of scanning labels and booting boxes onto makeshift conveyor belts and what have you, then it’s a bit of a no brainer here. Like countless other flat concepts that base their entire existence on chores and other everyday tasks, it’s highly unlikely that Parcel Simulator will keep you engaged for weeks on end. That said, if there’s an itch of yours that yearns to be scratched, then I could certainly think of a bunch of reasons why you’d want to seek refuge in the likes of Dansan Digital’s factory setting.