Today, I had an astonishing experience. In the very first 10 seconds of a trailer, a '90s-style 3D model of a businessman performed a kickflip with a dolphin in slow motion over the flashing words "ASSET FLIP". This spectacle was so captivating that I immediately rushed to Steam and downloaded the free demo of Spreadcheat. The game's opening gambit to potential players is "Do YOU have mad spreadsheet skills?"

Uncover the '90s Business Spreadsheet Adventure

Spreadsheet Skills and the Trojan Horse

I like to believe that I possess a few spreadsheet moves that can leave the younger generation in awe. However, Spreadcheat is a bit of a hidden gem. It initially promises the spreadsheet life but turns out to be a deeply peculiar and humorous puzzle game set in a '90s business environment dominated by bros. Here, the boss first wants to know if you're "cool", and then you have to remove ads for local singles and free PalmPilots from his PC using your "geek thing".In the game, I found myself fiddling with various figures I didn't understand, accidentally firing half the accounting department. I was also investigating an upgrade to my business card, realizing that "Eggshell White" makes the numbers look "cool and legitimate". I had to tidy away the blow-up dolls from my boss's late-night escapades before creating a PowerPoint about how "innovation is in our DNA", with the words rotating and zooming on a starry background. It felt like I finally got a real job!

The Spreadsheet Puzzle Experience

The demo allows you to go through approximately half an hour of the game. I would compare it to something like sudoku. The spreadsheet puzzles start off simple, but I struggled with the final one until I understood the functions. This suggests that the full game will present a decent challenge.The real question with Spreadcheat is whether you enjoy the vibe. It offers slightly lurid and surreal jokes about business and accounting while being pestered by a Clippy-like knockoff pencil (Corpy). In its current form, Corpy follows my mouse cursor outside the game window and hovers above the article I'm writing about it, asking if I need help. Whether it's a bug or a feature, it's a unique touch.

The Full-Fat Game and Its Promises

The full-fat version of the game can be added to your Steam wishlist, and it is set to release early next year. It promises to deliver the glorious "aesthetic pleasure of the ultimate '90s operating system" along with MIDI music and "256 sparkling colors". It also includes those "hilarious e-mail attachments" that we all remember so well. It really takes me back to the '90s.The final word goes to Spreadcheat's producer, Jack Kristofferson. He said, "While other kids were dreaming of spaceships, I was dreaming of spreadsheets. Who needs rocket science when you have conditional formatting?"Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.