The demo for the upcoming cyberpunk shop management sim, Probably Stolen, offers a substantial experience that could easily occupy players until the game's full release next month. As a shopkeeper on a cramped, dystopian space station, players will manage a diverse inventory ranging from mundane supplies to illicit contraband.
The game allows for extensive shop customization with various gadgets, and players must contend with security raids, thievery, and even choose a side in the burgeoning class war. The demo alone provides over two hours of potential gameplay, with mechanics that evoke a range of familiar titles.
Comparisons have been drawn to Papers, Please, where player decisions directly impact the game's world and narrative. Reporting wanted individuals to security, for example, can yield rewards but may also alienate resistance members. The setting and its social stratification also bring to mind the imposing towers of Dredd, with customers from both impoverished lower levels and wealthier upper strata visiting the store.
Fans of intricate simulation games will find echoes of Strange Horticulture in Probably Stolen's mechanics. The ability to use a magnifying glass to appraise items and identify counterfeits mirrors the clue-finding and identification gameplay of that title. Furthermore, the game's survival and scavenging elements, such as farming rats for meat and purifying water, draw parallels to the resource management found in the Fallout series.
For those who enjoy dynamic market simulation, Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale provides a similar model. Players can haggle over prices, influence their reputation, and adapt to fluctuating market demands caused by in-game events, such as the docking of a mining expedition affecting metal prices. Naturally, the game's aesthetic and theme are heavily inspired by Cyberpunk 2077.
Probably Stolen is slated for release next month, but the extensive demo offers a compelling preview of its complex gameplay and atmospheric world.