Smil-E-Mart

Step into the shoes of a robotic cashier in a post-apocalyptic future. The rebels are planning to start a war. In this simulation, you’ll do more than just scan groceries, you’ll unravel the mysteries behind your customers’ lives through their peculiar purchasing habits and cryptic behaviors.

The game draws inspiration from those odd grocery store moments we’ve all had, spotting bizarre item combinations and wondering, Who buys this stuff, and why? But this isn’t just a quirky simulator. It’s set in a world where survival and secrecy go hand in hand, and as a robotic cashier, your role extends beyond mundane transactions.

At the start, you are programmed for basic tasks, unable to fully grasp the semantics of human interaction. That changes when a mysterious customer hands you a special chip. This upgrade allows you to decipher their words and introduces a unique communication system based on emojis.

With each interaction, you’ll learn more about the customers and the crumbling society they navigate. Pay close attention to their item choices and behaviors, they may reveal subtle hints whether they are rebels or just random people thriving in society.

Your intuition will play a critical role. You have the ability to flag suspicious customers, making decisions that impact the story’s progression. Will you use this power wisely, or let biases and uncertainties guide you? Every choice matters, leading to diverse endings that reflect your actions and judgment.

Through its unique combination of narrative discovery, emotional connection, and decision-making, the game challenges players to think critically about the world and the characters within it.

We encourage our players to reflect on elements such as what makes us human while navigating the rigid communication system of a robot where emojis are all they can use to talk. When self-agency and ability are stripped away from oneself, is there anything else left within us that differentiates us from being a robot? In addition, when facing moral dilemmas do we prioritize our own needs over others? All these are key themes we baked into our game design, hoping to bring our players a comprehensive experience that is emotional and insightful.

Credits:

Alex Ma  -  Game Designer, 3D Technical Artist, 3D Artist, Sound Designer

Akshar Vandara - Game Designer, Lead Programmer

Sebastian Salas - Game Designer, Programmer, Writer, 2D Artist,

Serena Yang - Game Designer, Lead Writer, 2D Artist, Sound Designer

Acknowledgements and Attributions:

Various 3D Models -> www.kenney.nl

Ending Song(s) ->  中島みゆき-雪(Remaster)