The Schedule I demo is inspiring on Steam with motivating gameplay and clever mechanics, despite its unappealing graphics.
When you first see Schedule I: Free Sample, you’ll probably want to quickly scroll on by: simple graphics, goofy art style, and character models reminiscent of early Unity Engine projects. But behind this unassuming facade is a game that’s getting rave reviews on Steam.
The demo of the drug dealer simulator has achieved an impressive average rating of 98 percent positive reviews and was able to record over 30,000 simultaneous players at its peak last weekend. What makes the game with the strange look so special?
From small-time crook to drug lord
In Schedule I you take on the role of an aspiring drug dealer in the fictitious West Coast city of Hyland Point. You start practically from scratch – with no money, no contacts and no merchandise.
Your rise in the criminal underworld begins with growing your first plants in a motel room. The demo offers many different mechanics: you have to buy soil and seeds, monitor the growth process, and finally carefully trim and package your harvest. Each step is done in a kind of mini-game, as you know it from other simulators.
As your wealth increases, you can expand your empire by buying real estate, businesses, and hiring employees. The pace of the game is deliberately accelerated – a plant grows within a day, not over the realistic duration of three months.
But be careful: while you are building your business, you also have to watch out for the police and hold your own against competing cartels.
The community is excited
Despite its simple graphics, the free demo of Schedule I has found an enthusiastic following. With an impressive average rating of 98 percent positive reviews , it is one of the best-rated demos on Steam.
Players are raving about it in their reviews:
Best game I’ve played in the last 5 years. Hell of a lot to do, and actually fun and not buggy like I expected. – Bofie
Absolutely fantastic for a demo, been playing it for a few hours now and loving it. Playing with friends makes it even better […]. Can’t wait for the full release and will definitely be buying it on release day. – Bumbly
Awesome game, can’t wait for the full release. Simple mechanics and fun as hell, need more ASAP.- OYSfivenine
An excellent game. Plenty of content for a demo. Looking forward to the full game and will gladly pay for it as it is worth the money. – patkelly1326
While the full version of the game is still in development, you can download the demo Schedule I: Free Sample on Steam for free right now and see for yourself what’s behind the unassuming look. The full release is scheduled for March 24, 2025.
Sometimes it’s worth looking beyond first impressions when there’s a gameplay gem hidden behind them – games like Rimworld, Dwarf Fortress or Vampire Survivors have proven this in the past.
