Hello there, fellow gamers and readers!
I recently came across some pretty harsh reviews of the Senior Simulator game on IRecommend, and I decided to check it out for myself to form my own opinion.
After playing it, I can say: the game is a lot more nuanced than people make it out to be.
The game does have its weird moments and a dash of dark humor, but it also offers plenty of opportunities to make your senior citizen happy and living in comfort.
I didn't have to scrounge for bottles or beg for alms – not once. And why bother when there are so many other options available? My grandma was an artist, then a blogger, and even a streamer!
I don't get why people immediately start nitpicking the bottles and begging for help, like that's all the game has to offer (some players' reviews give that impression).
The game gives you a ton of choices, as long as you understand the mechanics and manage your finances wisely. Even with a tiny pension, you can still accumulate wealth and invest in expensive courses, luxury sanatoriums, business investments, or even a swanky apartment.
Retirement Simulator Game Retirement Simulator Game
The pension amount, as harsh as it may be – the game accurately reflects reality. Not all retirees receive a decent pension for their years of hard work.
I still remember an episode from “Ural Pельмени”, where Rozhkov played his grandma, who couldn't afford medication because her pension was too low, so she ended up treating herself by keeping a bunch of cats at home:
— Get rid of the cats, or it'll only get worse.
— Oh, come on. My pension is 6,000 rubles, and my rent is 7,000. Try making my life worse!
Retirement Simulator Game
A few stories from life
I still remember when I was pregnant and stood in line at the pharmacy, and this old man was in front of me. He asked for some medication, and when he found out the price (100 rubles with some change), he turned around and left because it was too expensive for him. I couldn't help but tear up at the time.
When I worked at a bookstore from 2018 to 2019, I'd see grandmothers come in to buy covers for notebooks, pen refills, and other stationery. The cost of all this office supplies was laughably cheap for us – 1 ruble, 2 rubles, 7 rubles. But here's the thing... one of the grandmothers couldn't afford a 7-ruble notebook cover, because it was too expensive for her. Another granny asked for a receipt for a single pen refill worth 2 rubles, because she keeps track of her expenses. That's just absurd, woven into reality – it's heartbreaking and scary.
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Now, let's get back to the 'Simulator of a Pensioner' game.
✅ I thought it was one of the most logical choices – streaming, blogging, or game development – for someone on a fixed income. In our generation, I think there are many people who will be playing games on their pension. My husband recently bought a subscription to a game that's been around for 30 years and is still being updated (if you guessed it – it's World of Warcraft). On the server, he found many adult men, including pensioners, who shared that they enjoy playing classic games on their pension, reminiscing about their youth.
Even my husband's late grandfather, who was battling cancer, actively used online platforms to earn money. So, pensioners who play computer games and even earn money from it – that's a very real scenario.
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Mobile game 'Simulator of a Pensioner' \xa0
I've gotta say, despite all the awesome features, there are some weird things going on in this game. I mean, it's clear they're trying to make life as sweet as honey, but some details have me scratching my head. So, let's talk about those inconsistencies.
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Inconsistency #1: medical care costs a pretty penny\xa0🚑
I was surprised to find that calling an ambulance or making a doctor's appointment comes at a cost, with no consideration for government support. You can only call an ambulance in emergency situations – just like in Spain, where I've heard seniors are always calling for non-emergency checks because they're bored. But, the internet is full of videos from doctors-blogging about how seniors are misusing the system by calling for non-emergency care.
And yet... it's crazy that people can be saved from heart attacks, but they can't afford the ambulance. That was my major gripe. But how much that affects the game's overall experience is hard to say... I mean, you can level up your finances to afford even an ambulance call.
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Mobile game "The Pensioner Simulator" \xa0
Inconsistency #2: constant health issues and weird food rules\xa0🤒
If frequent migraines are understandable, having your grandma get gout or hemorrhoids three times a year is just plain weird. And I barely fed Gertie anything except homemade vitamins. I didn't even give her pilaf – although I don't get why it's considered unhealthy in this game... maybe it's because it's high in fat.
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Simulator for Seniors Simulator for Seniors\xa0
The Age Thing: A 55-Year-Old Grannie
I've seen women in their 50s who look like they're in their 30s. Some women even look younger than their age. I think Gertude Niki forovna needs a new avatar – one with a nice hairstyle, maybe even a salon of her own. But what really got me was the age thing. In today's world, the pension age for women is 59, and for men, it's 64. But the game starts in 2018, when the pension age for women was 55. That doesn't mean a 55-year-old is old or useless. Many people continue working even after retirement – my grandfather, for example, worked until the day he passed away because he loved his job.
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What really bugs me is the stereotype that at 55, you should be wearing a headscarf and automatically be considered a granny. That's just not true. The game reflects this stereotype, but it's not a realistic one.
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Simulator for Seniors\xa0
Some more life stories:
My grandfather recently turned 70, and no one's ever given him his real age. Despite his rapidly developing senior-like habits, he's still young at heart and refuses to acknowledge himself as old. No one would ever think that about him, that's for sure. He looks like he's 50-55 max. And my grandfather's always been like that too, always looked younger than his years. When I was a kid, only lazy ladies, I reckon, wouldn't tell me how handsome my dad is, and they'd ask if I was with my dad, and they'd be pretty surprised to find out he's my grandfather.
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Unrealistic 4: Clothes don't wear out in a season like they do in this game\xa0
And we all know how our grandmothers and grandfathers used to live. They valued their belongings. Whether it was clothes or things they bought a year ago or even 10 years ago, they could use them constantly like they were new. Why my grandmother can't just mend a worn-out coat is a mystery to me. Or take their shoes to get repaired.
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Mobile game 'The Retiree Simulator'\\xa0
Unrealistic 5: To earn a decent income, you can't live in the countryside\xa0
This really threw me off. The retiree can't work remotely because there's no internet in the village and, honestly, there's nothing else there except for the house and the kitchen... I guess I should've mentioned that the village is pretty isolated in this case, to the point where there's no shops or any kind of connectivity. For me, a house in the village is the perfect dream, and I'd never trade it for any apartment in the world, no matter how modern it is. So, when I first started playing, I put my grandma in the game, and we made a living by writing art, but compared to blogging, it was peanuts. You'd be lucky if someone even noticed the art, let alone bought it for three times the pension.
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Mobile game 'Simulator for Retirees'\\xa0
I'm probably being a bit too harsh, but the final thing that really stood out to me...
Unlogic 6: The retiree has no developed skills by 55\xa0
This is just ridiculous. Do people really need to take courses to forage for mushrooms or berries? I'm pretty sure that's something you learn as a kid or in your teens. My grandma can't even pick mushrooms? Come on. It's one thing to gather medicinal herbs, but berries and mushrooms? Any adult should be able to tell the difference between a chanterelle and a poisonous one.
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So, what's the verdict?
I'd give the game a score that's not one, not two, but somewhere in between.
✅ I'd give it a solid 4 out of 5. The concept's not your run-of-the-mill idea, the mechanics are easy to grasp, but the execution's a bit weak in some areas, and there's definitely potential. I'm not convinced that the creators were trying to mock or offend older folks. Instead, they're highlighting the harsh realities that get under people's skin. No one wants to spend their life constantly taking meds, eating, and barely scraping by on $15,000 a month. So, I'm hoping we can secure a decent old age for ourselves and not get left behind.
I don't have any reasons why I'd strongly advise against playing the game, so I'm giving it a thumbs up.
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Thanks for your time and good fortune! Also, health, beauty, and a long life! As they say, sometimes you make the choice, and sometimes the choice makes you. 💚\xa0
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