Auto Sale Life Preview

I got the chance to check out Auto Sale Life, a car sales simulator which was released on the 16th of September in Early Access. Developed by OTTO Games and published by GrabTheGames, this game will put you into the shoes of a car salesman, who will climb their way from the bottom to the very top, from working at a crappy dealership to creating their own automotive empire. I’m not too much of a car guy myself, but I do like customising my rides in games and it looks like Auto Sale Life features an in-depth customisation system. So, what should you expect when the game finally gets to its full release?

Surprisingly, there is a plot. A revenge plot to be precise. You play as John, who was screwed over by a car-jacking ring into taking the fall for his dead wife's stolen car. After a stay in prison, John is now free to start a new life in the automotive business… and get revenge on those who wronged him. It'll take a lot of cash and a huge reputation to pull it off, but it'll be well worth the effort.

My game truly began once I was out of jail and into the open-world. From there, the game guided me through starting my burgeoning business; purchasing a small gallery, getting a car within my price range, fixing it up and customising it to my liking, and selling it for a profit. As you do so, you’ll earn points to invest into various skills, such as negotiating for better prices when selling and buying, or just making sure the car you’re purchasing isn’t a lemon. You can eventually own parking spaces, garages, gas stations, and even bigger lots to help make more money. With enough time, effort… and some side hustles that may or may not get you re-arrested, you’ll eventually take over the town’s automotive industry. In between that, you’ll be on a quest spanning the entire city, doing favours and making friends in various places, and doing all you can to ensure those responsible for ruining your life all pay.

It features an open-world map that you can explore, where you can show off your fanciest ride to the public to garner interest in your business, visit shops to buy and improve vehicles, or simply get some new clothes. You might even run into someone who needs help with a problem, some of which can be solved through less-than-legal means such as carjacking (oh, the irony).

There are also other avenues of making money through odd jobs, which for this Early Access only had pizza delivery (no, Funiculì, Funiculà does not play) and O-Driver, which is just Uber. While delivering pizzas had you riding a bike around the city, O-Driver needed you to pass a driving test to ensure you’re a safe driver… which I definitely wasn’t. I cheated on the test by running over a few cones at a certain spot to skip to the end. Hey, it said to not go below 70 points when you reach that point, not complete the entire track. Besides, the car you’re given won’t take damage, so I sort of decided to drive like a maniac while getting to the destination as fast as possible, breaking every single law and endangering my passenger… and still getting paid for it.

However, there’s more to life than fast and fancy cars. You also have the option of moving out of your rundown home and into nicer places, decorating your abode to how you see fit. You'll also have to take care of yourself with proper sleep and good food, or else you could end up dying in the middle of the street.

I admit, I was surprised by Auto Sale Life. If the developer can pull it off, you could end up with a pretty cool car sale sim with an intriguing story to pull you through. However, it definitely needs to work out some of the kinks such as the UI and controls. I look forward to further developments