The Parenting Simulator (2020)

Developer: Hosted Games
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Casual, Indie, RPG, Simulation
Rating: 4.4 of 5, 69 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 5.8 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A lighthearted, text-based choose-your-own-adventure where you guide a child from baby to adult with patience and love.

lightheartedwhimsicaltext-basedchoose your own adventurerelaxingslice of lifehumorousinteractive fiction

What players say

Players love the writing and emotional connection to their child, but note that achievement hunting requires repeating the same text. Some are frustrated by how heavily the game's path depends on US-style college financing.

Screenshots

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More by Hosted Games

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.