Shop Crush is another store management sim, but with a psychological horror twist

• Thriftin' ain't easy in Shop Crush, especially when half your customer base are aliens
• Keep your rep in the green by selling proper goods, or take the risk of stocking illicit merchandise
• Meet a wide cast of strange and eccentric characters in this shop management sim

Ever since Discounty was announced for mobile last month, I've become acutely aware of how many shop management sims there are out there. However, much like idle RPGs or puzzlers, this genre lives and dies by how the developer spins the formula, and for Shop Crush it's a psychological horror angle that studio Bslteam have taken!

Shop Crush puts you in the shoes of a thrift store owner in the 2000s. However, rather than just selling cheap shoes and discount jackets, you'll be providing your customers with strange and sometimes dangerous goods. Oh, and a few of them might be aliens too, but don't let that stop you trying to flog them some expired milk.

Retail nightmares

While its art style is a little rough around the edges, Shop Crush promises a combination of visual novel and shop simulator that offers plenty of depth around its eccentric cast. You'll be faced with choices both on what items to offer them, how to barter for more cash, and to solve the strange illusion puzzles lurking in each character's picture.

At its core, aside from the usual interaction with (and gradual understanding of) your customers, you'll need to make sure that you keep your shop's reputation in the green. The fine balancing act, of course, being you make more money selling more bizarre and dangerous goods.

Shop Crush is a game that looks suited to people who want to interact with customers, rather than focusing on the shop itself. But if the features promised here are any indication, there'll still be plenty of active management and balancing to keep you engaged.

For now, Shop Crush is only confirmed to be coming to mobile at some point. But keep your eyes peeled because we'll keep you informed once we've got the official dates and platforms!

And in the meantime, if managing your own life and getting out of the hustle-and-bustle of the city is part of the appeal of this genre, then you'd do well to check out our list of the best mobile games like Stardew Valley!