A story that stops the game; 2/5

The core game is excellent and lots of fun. Lots of cool mechanics, you can really feel like you're an expert appraising items and finding out their true value while running a second hand shop. It's great when you can make a good deal, negotiating prices and then charging just enough on the resell to make sure you make a profit, but the item still sells; it's great fun! You also have some cool objectives to work towards like owning a flat of your own, paying back debt and buying stuff to make the shop nicer. Overall, great core gameplay

BUT

The story punishes you for doing this well. If you actually do make profits, even if everyone feels they've been treated fairly, the greed police will turn up and fine you. It's frustrating to have sold items but then have the police turn up and fine you because you made too much profit. It's not even clear how much profit is "too much" either.

Worst of all, there's a specific mechanic where you can keep your evaluation of the item to yourself and buy the item for what the seller is prepared to accept rather than it's 'true value.' It's good fun to actually do this, as you feel like an actual appraiser, making profits on your expert knowledge rather than just buying low and selling high. But if you do this, the game punishes you via fines and story elements; your mentor actually tells you that it isn't a good idea to use this option regularly. So overall, you end up choosing not to use this option. One of the most interesting game mechanics completely taken out by story elements.

Overall, I'd say the actual gameplay is great but the story prevents you from really enjoying it. Do too well at the game, or use the interesting and unique mechanics too much, and the story condemns you for being too greedy. Choose not to use those elements, and your reward is that you don't get to save towards those end game goals. It almost feels as though the game has a political message underneath it, by asking you to succeed as a small business owner but having the "greed police" come along and "confiscate" wealth when you do well. It really does make you resentful towards the authorities for this arbitrary tax, but in the end you end up frustrated at the game. Each moment of success comes with the fear of punishment.

Would recommend solely for the gameplay, the freeplay mode is well worth it; good luck enduring the story.

Solid foundation with a set of unique mechanics which give it huge potential.

However, this game suffers from a lack of players in matches; most multiplayer games are only half full. Takes away from the sense of "going over the top" and turns most matches into slow paced marksmanship tests, even while attacking.

I would advise waiting until this game has a larger playerbase before purchasing it.