Video games are a way to unwind and relax after a long day at work, whatever that day ends up looking like.
For some gamers, however, nothing is more satisfying than coming home from work and working another shift.
For some reason, clocking in and working in a video game is far more fun than it should be. With countless different jobs being represented in gaming, players are able to dip their toe into all kinds of unique careers.
It’s equal parts moonlighting, and entertainment – done in a way where it doesn’t even feel like work at all.
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Working a 9-5 for your 5-9 may not seem like the most thrilling of prospects, but these shifts are just too satisfying to leave alone. In these games, working is a central mechanic, whether players are working for the entire game or just a distinct portion.
Either way, you’re not getting paid for this labor with money – instead, you’re paid with a gaming experience that’s fun and, in some cases, outright hilarious.
10The Sims 4: Get to Work
Work a 9-5 After a 9-5
The Sims 4
There is nothing more authentic to life than a literal simulator, and there is definitelyno shortage of options in the job market. However, nothing beats a good simulation game more than the original simulator itself:The Sims.
The Sims is a game that needs no introduction, a wacky life simulator with elements of striking realism, with just the right amount of tomfoolery that keeps things engaging.
Players create a character and then go about their entire life, including their job – and inThe Sims 4, theGet to Work expansion packallows players to go to their Sims jobs directly.
Players are able to selectany variety of careers for their sims, but only three of them have the option to be in another location:doctor, detective, and scientist. They would be in a hospital, a police station, and a laboratory, respectively.
The Sims 4 is already outright addictive in its gameplay, and it’s something that many players (including myself) have far too many hours invested in the game than they’re willing to admit. With the added touch of being able to go to work, it makes the Sims even more engaging and all the more entertaining.
9ArmA 3: Altis Life
A Mod That Lets You Literally Live Another Life
ArmA 3’srealism remains unmatched, and that’s extended to the mods that came from this game. Some mods ended up beingturned into full-blown games, but one in particular stands out for becoming a near-perfect copy of life itself:Altis Life.
Altis Life is a mod that focuses on roleplay and immersion into the digital world. Players take on roles that they carry out, literally living another life through amod– not even the full game – and yes, this includes taking on a job. If this sounds familiar toArmA Life, that’s because ArmA Life is directly inspired by the content in Altis Life.
It’s a community that gained quite a lot of traction when it first launched, and it has since simmered down to an intensely-loyal player base. Players earn in-game currency, work and contribute to their digitally local community, and justlive,providing one of the most unique experiences in gaming overall.
Needless to say, it made fans all the more excited aboutthe announcement of ArmA 4and what that could mean for an updated Altis Life.
8Job Simulator
You Are Expendable, The Company Is Not
Job Simulator
Job Simulatoris a VR game that is set in acorporate, capitalistic dystopiawhere robots have taken over all human jobs. The only way that humans are able to simulate working is through this simulator, to “relive the glory days” as the game puts it.
It’s cutesy and charming, with hilarious gameplay that kindly covers up the nightmare that reality has become. The irony here isthis game came out in 2016, and it’s meant to beset in the year 2050.
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Players are able to work a variety of jobs through the simulator, such as gourmet chef, office worker, convenience store cashier, and others.
Robots are your only company, but it doesn’t feel lonely – in fact, the gameplay can almost feel chaotic (especially with VR shenanigans).
This game set the foundation for all the other job simulator-type games that game after, without knowing that it would become terrifyingly relevant in modern times.
7Night of the Consumers
The Nightmares of Working Retail
For almost everyone, their first job was either in fast food or in retail – doing grueling work and being verbally abused by customers nearly every shift for a far too meager salary.
Night of the Consumersis anindie horror gamethat nails this startling concept. You play as a grocery store employee tasked with restocking the shelves while also attending to customers' needs.
If they fail, players are put through a startling sequence where they’re grabbed by their boss and fired, resulting in a game over.
The dialogue is absurd, but real to actual customer interactions. Anyone who has worked in retail can attest to insane and overwhelming demands from customers, as well as their bizarre logic that almost feels like a prank.
It’s a game that nearly everyone can relate with, even if it means having a few war flashbacks.
6Death Stranding
Delivering Packages Has Never Been So Fun
Death Stranding
Hideo Kojimais not above weirdness in his games, and it’s all the more obvious withDeath Stranding,where players take on the role ofSam Bridges, a freelance courier. As his story starts to unfold, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a job to do.
Players will continue being a delivery boy throughout the game,overloading their backpacksand trekking the dangerous world for that perfect 5-Star Rating. You can genuinely watch your rating rise and fall in real-time with your deliveries.
This is a game that players tend toeither love or hate, but it’s genuinely worth a shot every time. It’s got the Kojima signatures of humor and bizarre encounters, including added surprises and gut-punch at the end of the story.
Being science fiction, it’s also a unique take on the courier job that would still give real-world couriers a breath of fresh air.
5Grand Theft Auto V
Embrace The Roleplay Servers
Grand Theft Auto 5
While you can’t get a job inGrand Theft Auto Vitself, many players have found their coveted 9-5 through thevarious roleplay serversthat are a near-perfect simulation of life. There are several different “jobs” and opportunities available in these servers, leaving things to player discretion.
It’s surprising how a game likeGrand Theft Autocould end up becoming home to such immersive RP servers, but then again,GTAV passed 205 million copies soldeven a decade after the game’s release.
It’s got a dedicated player base, needless to say.
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Of course, these servers are a wonderful way to meet new people and foster a community with fellow players. I’ll admit I’m curious about what will happen onceGrand Theft Auto VIis released – if players would jump to new servers to stay planted where they are.
Knowing this loyal fanbase, it would likely be both.
4The Closing Shift
Become a Barista With A Keen Stalker
The Closing Shift
Chilla’s Artis a studio that has mastered the art of mundane horror, something that is prevalent in nearly all of theirPS1-Style games. InThe Closing Shift, players face a distinctly real horror: the fear of being stalked.
Not just that, you’re working as a barista, with every single customer becoming stranger and stranger while you become increasingly paranoid about who your stalker might be.
There’s such a deep, unspeakable horror about being trapped at work, making coffees (and get ready, you will be making coffee for a massive portion of this game), and bagging snacks for customers, any one of which might be the one who haunts you.
It’s an excellent horror game, but it’s also unironically a fun barista game. It’s incredibly methodical and meticulous, step by step in a way that’s almost relaxing – and as a former barista, that’s exactly how the job was.
3Graveyard Keeper
Attending Medieval Cemeteries
Graveyard Keeper
While games likeStardew ValleyandHarvest Moonare incredibly relaxing and beloved as cozy, pixel-y fun, farming isn’t something that appeals to everyone – especially for those who want something quieter, a bit more isolated, yet calm.
InsertGraveyard Keeper, a dark, yet cutesy simulator game set in Medieval times, and you manage the cemetery. It’s far more fun and light-hearted than it might seem, matching its aesthetic in tone and delivery.
Plus,grinding is just outright fun, which is a relief considering the genre. It’s a macabre surprise that’s akin to watching a kid’s Halloween Movie (a good one, mind), with the right amount of hijinks that ensue.
2Elite: Dangerous
Fulfill Your Dream of Being an Astronaut
Elite Dangerous
When children are asked what they want to be when they grow up, someone is almost always bound to mention becoming an astronaut. It’s a wonderful dream, with space exploration being a topic of fascination for centuries.
Elite: Dangerousallows players to fulfill that dream of becoming an astronaut, exploring the Milky Way Galaxy to gather minerals and resources, as well as documenting everything you find.
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Of course, it has all the wonders that space has to offer (including the terrifying black hole), but your entire job (and, therefore, the entire game) revolves around being a space explorer.
In a vastsandbox world that’s just outright impressive, it’s a job that doesn’t feel like a job, especially since, for some, it’s a dream come true.
1Papers, Please
Work as an Immigration Inspector
Papers, Please
In perhaps one of the most dynamic methods of simple storytelling,Papers, Pleaserevolves around you playing an immigration inspector forArstotzka, a fascist country in the 1980s.What starts mildly silly at first quickly becomesa tear-jerker, and it’s incredible.
Every single level revolves around a shift at work, and your own performance is judged based on your performance at this in-game job.
There are, in fact, multiple endings (including ones you’d never expect) based on how this game is played; making it a stunning example of storytelling that is equal parts entertainment and commentary.
Not to mention, the game takes it a step further, and you have to manage your family at home (their hunger, health, warmth, etc.) based on your earnings at work, making this a puzzle game that sets an unforgettable experience.
Seriously, if you’ve never played Papers, Please change that as quickly as possible; you won’t regret it.
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