Many people will be revisiting the GTA games in prep for the new release. I know this as folks have snapped up old duplicate copies of GTA on the PlayStation that I’ve listed online within a few hours, and I myself have been replaying the original game of late. But what happens if you don’t want to trouble the po-po and simply want to drive, without racing others? Ladies and gents: Cargo, Please!
When I refer to the original GTA, I mean the original one – top-down views and simple, yet satisfying controls. Cargo, Please! resembles this, but it has a more modern aesthetic, similiar to the excellent Maniac, but again, no guns. As you might surmise, this game is about deliveries, and while we aren’t gunning down rival gangs, there is the odd black market drop-off along the way.
It’s all pleasant enough with striking visuals and YouTube generic lo-fi, but it initially feels very contained. The world map is tiny and evident ‘coming soon’ like roadblocks imply the game is still being worked on, or could potentially open up larger biomes. Fortunately, it’s the latter, and it doesn’t take long to get to these new areas, which are essentially bigger and more challenging as there are more vehicles on the road, longer straights, faster speeds, and more to risk.
At the start of Cargo, Please! you begin with a moped and resemble an Uber Eats driver. Toggling your mobile phone, you can select available jobs, which are timed in that you have to respond to them relatively swiftly, then follow the map prompt on your mini map. Hopping off your ‘ped, you pick up the box, pizza, supplies – whatever it is- jump back on (interestingly, you can only get on one side of the bike), then head a few seconds up the road to deliver it, earn some cash, and increase your XP.
It’s very much rinse and repeat, with the rewards being expansion and more challenging jobs. With the cash, you can unlock other bikes as well as some flatbed trucks. The latter encourages you to complete more orders – both in size and quantity- but if you’re interested in my advice, besides the size limitations, the starting bike is absolutely perfect – both in handling and pace. That’s kind of key, as driving fast will get better ratings for swift deliveries (not as super crazy as some), but your vehicle is effectively an egg.
All vehicles take damage, and the slightest punt and you can take a fifth of your health off. Fortunately, some mechanics can repair this, but you also have the po-po after you if you clip anyone, as well as getting less dough for your delivery. Who wants their tofu being delivered all battered? The collision system is manageable; however, the AI is poor. Cars will back into you when you’ve been parked to pick up your order when there’s nobody else on the road. Pedestrians also walk into your parked car, fall like a Brazilian footballer, then are caked in a ridiculous pool of blood. It’s all a bit silly, really, though the game makes up for it with its chill vibes.
I’d argue that Cargo, Please! is ultimately a casual game. The removal of gang violence naturally drops those risks, and while your vehicle can take damage and you can run out of fuel and end up paying for a tow truck, it’s an enjoyable experience, and the presentation really is quite lovely. There’s even a Crazy Taxi mode without the ‘crazy’. Noting a game is by a solo developer always reminds me of Puss in Boots’ doe-eyed, ‘Pleeeeease….’ attempts, but the game stands out on gameplay alone. It doesn’t matter how many people made it, for the few flaws, it’s a fun GTA alternative and might make you tip your Uber driver a few more pennies next time.
