CHESTO - At the Checkout

People love to get lost in a supermarket for hours, examining items and buying the things they want. However, no one is keen on waiting in line at the checkout, especially if the cashier is moving slowly. Hence, the job is more demanding than it looks, not to mention the fact that customers tend to argue with cashiers first, regardless of whether they have any control over the matter in question.

CHESTO - At the Checkout is an arcade game in which all you have to do is scan items and help the customers get out of the supermarket as fast as possible. Depending on how fast you move and how many customers you manage to clear, the supermarket pays you at the end of the shift. Obviously, if your performance is not good enough, you risk being fired for incompetence.

The game is also satirical when it comes to portraying the customers, because they are basically designed to poke fun at various stereotypes. Overprotective mothers with small children, picky vegans unhappy with everything about the world and many other such hilarious characters are part of the fun. More customer types are unlocked as you manage to keep your job and make more money.

You do not need a lot of practice to play the game, since all you have to do is pick up every item and rotate it over the scanner in order to have the barcode facing the laser. However, you must also put the items in the cart, which is a bit tricky if you are not careful. Most customers do not like it when you drop the goods on the floor, and it may attract sanctions to your salary as well.

Lastly, the visual quality is quite basic, although the voxel-based engine makes everything look silly and fun. The items appear particularly hilarious, especially when you see blocky pumpkins and carrots. A soothing soundtrack plays in the background, which sounds a lot like the depressing tunes you usually hear in supermarkets.

When it’s all said and done, CHESTO - At the Checkout is not meant to turn your world upside down, but it can be a decent distraction every now and again. You also participate in the success or the failure of the fictional CHESTO supermarket, which has its own website.