Game Review – Before Exit: Gas Station, I Got Fired
This isn’t your average gas station simulator. Don’t expect the usual day-to-day of running a service station. Before Exit: Gas Station puts you in the role of a kind of custodian who shows up after closing time to shut down the gas station. And the shenanigans you have to deal with are off the wall.
Take IT Studio! has created a series of scenarios that would send the most patient employee packing. I surely wouldn’t last more than a few days at this job (I did get fired a couple of times). But the game is strangely addictive.
Before Exit: Gas Station Gameplay Loop
Each night starts with you in the stock room. You usually have some interesting statement that’s spoken aloud and may or may not relate to what will happen in the night’s scenario. From there, you check the stock room, sales floor, bathroom, garage, and outside for anything that’s amiss.
You might have to mop up messes, use a sponge to clean graffiti, pick up trash, take out full garbage bags, replace garbage bags and toilet paper, stock shelves, and more. The list of things I have done keeps growing with every night I spend in the gas station. One night, someone had knocked over the ATM, the shelving in the garage, the dumpster, and other stuff. Another night, there was a strange woman I had to chase off. It’s bizarre.
Don’t miss a single thing wrong, or you’ll be penalized by the boss. He’ll be waiting for you outside the back door when you leave. Then you have to do that day over again. Make mistakes three times, and you’re fired. That’s it. You start all over at the beginning.
The Game’s Controls and Mechanics
The game is in first person. And the controls are fairly standard. You have WASD for movement, space bar to jump, and C to crouch. When you approach something you can interact with, an E in a square appears to indicate you can do something. The tasks aren’t very complicated, but it does require you to be focused on all the little details. It’s easy to miss one puddle of oil and find yourself starting again.
After going through a few of the scenarios, the controls became intuitive, and I was able to move about fairly quickly to complete tasks. When I had the situation with the knocked-over ATM and other things, it wasn’t immediately clear how to fix them. I eventually figured out that you just have to tap the E button rapidly, sometimes moving towards the object. It’s interesting that you’re strong enough to lift such heavy things!
Graphics & Music
The graphics are good. It’s a near-realistic design, which makes sense for the game’s tone. There haven’t been any glitches or issues with graphics so far, after completing one week in the game (and two partial weeks). The music suits the environment as well. There’s very believable convenience-store-style music in the store, and occasionally one or more boomboxes blare louder music. Most of the time, the music fades into the background so that I barely notice it except when it isn’t there.
The overall aesthetic of the game is a mundane job until you’re in the dark, and then it’s creepy. So creepy. I keep expecting something to jump out, though nothing has.
Memory Scenarios
Occasionally, you will get a strange scenario where it starts by showing “Day ?” instead of a number. I’ve seen two of them so far, and they are even more bizarre than the cleaning up you have to do in the gas station. They’re weird and worth experiencing yourself. So far, they aren’t really scary, but they are creepy and give me goosebumps.
What’s the Verdict? Buy or Not?
Buy it! This simulation game will draw you in with the strangeness of the situation, and the tasks you have to do are oddly satisfying. The game is $9.99 (as of today, March 11, 2026) on Steam, or you can get the bundle with the Midnight DLC for $12.58, which is 10% off. There are other bundles available right now, too. And, even if you miss that discount, there’s always a Steam sale right around the corner.
If you’re still not sure, go check out my first play-through on YouTube.
