Rest Area Simulator Review: A rest area where you don’t really get to rest
, by Enzo
In recent years, management and simulation games have been exploring some of the most unlikely concepts. After gas stations, supermarkets, and even dry cleaners, here comes Rest Area Simulator, which brings all of that together. Oriseus Studios’ debut game invites you to take charge of a roadside rest area, complete with a gas station, a convenience store, and plenty of activities to develop over time. Is it any good?
A small rest area with big dreams
The premise is simple: you inherit a modest rest area consisting of a gas station and a convenience store. Your goal is to transform this ordinary spot into a full-fledged commercial complex frequented by hundreds of drivers. But to achieve this, you’ll need to manage inventory, restock shelves, ring up customers, keep the place clean, and invest in new infrastructure.
The first few hours feel like performing repetitive tasks, but each improvement unlocks new possibilities… although the pacing isn’t quite right. You move fairly quickly from simply restocking shelves to simultaneously managing multiple business operations, but the transition to the next phase, which requires significantly more patience, is rather difficult.
Gameplay: get ready to cheat
The main strength of Rest Area Simulator lies in its balance between micromanagement and automation. At first, the player has to do almost everything themselves: serve customers, fill the gas pumps, receive deliveries, and even clean the facilities. Gradually, hiring employees allows you to delegate certain tasks.
The dynamic economic system also adds a welcome dose of unpredictability. Prices fluctuate, random events sometimes disrupt operations, and you must constantly adjust your management to stay profitable though the economy can sometimes feel a bit harsh and unbalanced.
Fortunately, you can cheat a bit to make things easier on yourself. Dilute the fuel with water, overcharge customers at the store, or unload a larger shipment than expected at the gas station. Be careful, though, while these tactics can generate more money, you risk losing customers’ trust if you get caught.
Game-changing co-op
One of the game’s pleasant surprises is its online co-op mode. Multiple players can participate in managing the rest stop, with each taking on different responsibilities and, more importantly, different activities.
While the single-player mode can sometimes become demanding as tasks pile up, co-op creates a genuine sense of collective organization. While one player handles deliveries, another can take care of customers or maintain the facilities.
Areas for improvement
This is where things get a little more complicated. Overall, the experience is interesting but still feels cheap and rather clunky; the lack of depth is a recurring issue. There’s a clear lack of ease in navigating the menus, as well as a shortage of icons and visual cues. For example, updating the prices at all the shops every day quickly becomes a nightmare.
The tasks to be completed are very often the same; they lack variety, much like the tasks on cars at a car wash. There are always the same number of them, on the same sides, and for every vehicle. Also, inspectors show up in an instant and leave no chance to react or anticipate their arrival. Offering players a game where they can cheat the economy, but without real information on how it works or any control over it, is quite frustrating.
We would have liked real freedom, not activities that feel incomplete. Payments are exclusively by card; there’s a total lack of cash; no scanning of items; you can’t choose where your items are placed in the store; no shelf arrangement; and certain mechanics, like power outages, are trivial… In an effort to diversify the tasks too much, they end up feeling a bit rushed.
Tested on PC. See our rating policy here.
5.5/10
Rest Area Simulator isn’t bad, rather a game that launched too early. The concept is interesting, as are the ideas, but the execution still lacks rigor and polish, particularly in terms of pacing and UI/UX. Few games aim as broadly as this one for a sim experience, but many do a better job within the genre. Looking back, an Early Access label on the game’s product page would have justified a lot of things. We’re still curious to see how the title evolves, though, it certainly doesn’t seem to lack ideas!
- + An interesting concept worth exploring further!
- + Co-op is quite enjoyable
- + Plenty of activities to come
- + A collection of fun radio stations
- - The overall experience lacks depth
- - Pacing and progression are too slow
- - UI and UX leave a lot to be desired
- - Becomes repetitive too quickly