Hellmart drops players into a remote northern convenience store as a lone clerk chasing quick cash. Days involve routine retail tasks like stocking shelves and serving quirky customers to hit sales quotas, while nights unleash adaptive horrors where you barricade doors and discern threats. Developed and published by GAZE IN GAMES, it fully launched on Steam today, January 28, 2026, building hype from a Very Positive demo.
Daytime Management Mechanics
By day, Hellmart plays like a cozy supermarket simulator with first-person immersion. Restock shelves from daily deliveries—snacks, bakery items, and basics—ensuring sections stay full to attract buyers. Process transactions at the register, upsell politely, and maintain cleanliness to satisfy the boss and boost quotas.
Customer variety adds flavor: locals grab smokes, rude kids test patience, and oddballs hint at later dread. Efficiency here impacts nights—poor stocking leads to sparse traffic but easier defense, while thriving sales amp nocturnal risks. A notepad lists rules like "polite to all" and "never leave at night," framing survival prep.
Nighttime Survival Horror
Sunset flips the script to tense horror, with anomaly indicators signaling threats. Monitor cameras, flip the "technical break" sign, and decide door access—mimicking entities pose as customers, forcing pattern recognition. Barricade entries, shovel snow drifts that block paths, and wield tools like snow shovels for defense.
Dynamic systems adapt: let a faker in, and monsters invade; hold the line for rewards and progression. Basement hatches and color-shifting anomalies build dread, with power management preventing blackouts. Shifts end in relief or catastrophe, tying to story branches based on choices.
Graphics and Atmosphere
First-person views deliver gritty realism—fluorescent-lit aisles contrast shadowy exteriors under northern gloom. Eerie sound design amps isolation: customer chatter fades to distant knocks and flesh scrapes. Performance suits modest rigs, with smooth framerates even during chases.
No two nights repeat, as AI evolves from your habits—observant clerks spot fakes faster.
Progression and Replayability
Day-night cycles span multiple shifts, unlocking supplies and intel via success. Decisions shape endings: save customers for good karma or prioritize self-preservation. Demo covered three days, teasing deeper lore around "Hellmart integrity" and vanished staff.
Steam achievements track survival streaks, while community hubs share mimic-spotting tips.
| Shift Phase | Key Tasks | Risks/Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Day | Stock shelves, sales quotas, clean | Quota bonuses; night prep |
| Night | Camera checks, door control, defend | Survival pay; story branches |
Launch-day Steam reception mirrors the demo's Very Positive tag, praising genre mashup. YouTube playthroughs highlight jump scares and management depth, drawing Papers, Please fans to horror. IGN notes dynamic customers evolving threats.
Critics flag short length pre-updates but laud atmosphere over cheap shocks. Discord buzz calls it "Lethal Company meets Supermarket Together."
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Seamless day-night blend | Potentially brief campaign |
| Adaptive AI mimics | Steep early deaths |
| Tense first-person immersion | Limited weapons initially |
Hellmart echoes Supermarket Together's retail sim but injects Outlast-style vulnerability at night. Unlike Viscera Cleanup Detail's post-horror cleanup, it demands real-time defense. For your Resident Evil lore dives, its mimic mechanics nod Bio-Organic Weapons—spot fakes or die. Lighter than Dead by Daylight, heavier on solo management than Phasmophobia.
Fits your horror/post-apocalyptic tastes, with extraction-shooter tension in door choices.
System Requirements and Accessibility
PC-only on Steam, with low specs: Windows 10, basic GPU, 8GB RAM—runs on your i5-9400F/GTX 1660 setup. Controller optional; mouse/keyboard shines for precise camera work. Demo lets you test compatibility free.
Options include anomaly hints for colorblind play and adjustable horror intensity.
Is Hellmart Worth Buying?
Absolutely for horror sim fans—$10-15 launch price delivers 5-10 hours of addictive shifts, expandable via updates. Perfect content fodder: day routines for chill videos, night terrors for jump-scare clips on @Zupitek. Skip if pure management sims bore you; thrill lies in the pivot.
Demo proves the hook—download it to confirm. Strong pick for SEO gaming niches, ranking high on "convenience store horror 2026."
Availability and Launch Details
Live now on Steam, no early access—full 1.0 from day one. Wishlists converted fast post-trailer. Console ports unconfirmed.
Pro Tips for First Shifts
Prioritize cameras over rushing restocks. Note customer patterns—repeat phrases signal fakes. Stock defensible spots like bakery for night grabs. Clean early to scout anomalies.
