Brand new indie game Schedule 1 has just launched and, within 24 hours of release, it’s already taken the top seller spot on Steam. Combined with overwhelmingly positive reviews as well as a 68,000 concurrent player peak, it’s clear that Schedule 1 is already a major hit.
Similar to the likes of GTA and Payday, Schedule 1 has you running an illegal drug empire. You start small, just trying to get by on your own as you roll into a new town with no cash, no connections, and no product to sell. Slowly, you’ll begin to recruit as you grow, eventually taking over the grungy West Coast city of Hyland Point.
While high-budget crime games usually rely on excellent graphics and realistic gun mechanics, this game is very different, bringing a whole new lease of life to the genre. Schedule 1 relies on a pretty distinctive cartoony art style, which makes it all that more comical and fits the theme well.
Incorporating some almost too specific growing and selling mechanics for drugs, as well as requiring you to manage your money and avoid the police, there’s a lot to keep track of in Schedule 1, but thankfully it isn’t too punishing. This makes for a pretty chill build-your-own-empire style of game which doesn’t have to be taken too seriously. I mean, what other title allows you to bonk someone on the head with a baseball bat and then put them in a recycling bin in exchange for $1?
You can also jump into Schedule 1 in co-op mode, where you and your friends can grow an empire together – or you can sit back, smoke all your product and let your friends do all the work. Your call.
All of these elements have drawn in tens of thousands of players in its first day alone, resulting in the game shooting up to the second top-selling spot on Steam, second only to the omnipresent Counter Strike 2. With 68,662 peak concurrent players as well as a 99.24% positive review score, it’s clear that players are loving the title.
Despite still being in early access, the game has hours of content to get through and is pretty polished, making for thousands of overwhelmingly positive reviews already. You can also take advantage of an introductory offer with 15% off of the game over on Steam right now, bringing it down to $16.99 / £14.23.
There are a range of other excellent titles you can jump into if Schedule 1 isn’t your thing, so take a look at our best indie games on PC for some inspiration. You can also find similar titles in our best simulation games round-up.
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