Info about Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator: Official game description: Upcoming features ================= Introduced in v2.0 ================== About the Game ============== Features: --------- * Unique visuals inspired by medieval manuscripts and medical books. * Hyper satisfying physical interactions with ingredients and equipment. * Sandbox style gameplay where you have many different avenues available, and it’s up to you to figure out the best way to complete each task. * Sell your potions to the townsfolk while roleplaying as a noble artisan, a greedy weasel, an occult dark master, or whomever else you may wish to be! Work with all sorts of ingredients ---------------------------------- Leaves, flowers, berries, roots, fruits, minerals, and a plethora of mushrooms are at the ready for your mortar and pestle. Just like espresso, the fineness of the grind matters! Learn the art of potion making ------------------------------ Concoct your potion plan. Grind ingredients and carefully mix them in your cauldron. Heat the coals. Boil and stir. Add the base: water, oil, or… something else. Congrats on your first potion! Was it easy to learn? Now try mastering it! Experiment and invent new recipes --------------------------------- Carefully plan your route via the Alchemy Map to combine different effects. Be mindful of common sense: you won’t find a market for a poisonous healing potion… right? Or would you? Sell potions ------------ Every day customers will come to your store looking for solutions to their problems. You will face consequences depending on what you decide to sell them. Attract guilds, befriend notable figures (or feud with them), gain riches and influence - and one day, you may even decide the fate of the whole town. Buy ingredients or grow your own -------------------------------- Every alchemist needs ingredients, and there are many ways to get them! You can buy them from traveling merchants: it can be pricey, but successful haggling may save you some coin. Or take matters into your own hands and cultivate your very own enchanted garden. Grow a variety of ingredients, from vibrant herbs to exotic mushrooms and even magical crystals, each essential for brewing your unique potions! Get creative with customization ------------------------------- Want to give your best potions a special look? Go for it! Change the bottle shape, label type, icon and colours. You can even give it a custom name and label description. Carefully arrange your unique potions to showcase them on your shop's shelves and tables... or go a step further and customize your shop itself! Choose from a variety of furniture and shelving to give your alchemy shop a personal touch that matches your style. We won't tell you what to do, just have fun! Release date: Dec 13, 2022 Categories: Alchemy System, Crafting, Simulation, Resource Management, Customization, Relaxing Gameplay, Sandbox, Economic Simulation Feature scans: - Wiki: score 75; verdict: Positive with Dependency on External Resources; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals that players frequently rely on external sources such as wikis and guides to understand crafting requirements and complex game mechanics. While this dependency is noted, the overall sentiment remains positive, with users enjoying the game despite the need for additional resources. - Proton/Linux: score 10; verdict: Works Well; summary: The game shows strong compatibility and performance on Linux and Steam Deck. Users report that it runs well on various Linux hardware configurations and performs excellently on Steam Deck, indicating a smooth experience on these platforms. - Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Mixed Experience with Notable Issues; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals a mix of positive and negative experiences with the game on the Steam Deck. While many users appreciate the game's compatibility with the Steam Deck's touchscreen and various inputs, there are significant concerns about controller support, interface issues, and gameplay experience. Some users find the game unplayable or difficult due to these issues, while others praise its battery life and portability. - Hardware Profile: - Summary: The game generally performs well across most hardware cohorts, with only the lowest-end configurations experiencing significant issues. - Sample size: 41 (1% coverage) - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based. - Windows <8GB VRAM (positive, 25 reports): Runs well on lower-end PCs with beautiful environments and a strong visual style. - Caveats: 41 of 6962 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based. Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00 - Reasoning: The evidence indicates that while many users find the game enjoyable and worth purchasing, the majority suggest that it is best bought on sale. This sentiment is repeated across multiple reviews, indicating that the community generally feels the full price might be too high for the content provided. The game is often described as fun and relaxing, but also repetitive after a certain point, which affects its perceived value at full price. The frequent mentions of the game being worth it on sale suggest a fair base price range that is lower than the current full price. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: 30.0h - Story completion: 15.0h - Session length: 2.0h - Endgame: 10.0h - Reasoning: The evidence provides a range of playtime metrics. The first quote indicates extensive playtime, suggesting a high total game completion time. The second quote provides specific playthrough times, which can be used to estimate typical story completion and game completion times. The third quote gives a clear indication of the time required for 100% completion, which often includes endgame content. The fourth quote supports the typical session length and overall engagement. - Time-to-fun: - Summary: Players generally find Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator fun and addictive from the beginning, with a cozy and engaging initial experience. The fun tends to drop after the first few hours due to repetitiveness. - Stance: Fun immediately - Anchor: Initial gameplay and progression - Time to anchor: 0h 0m - Friction: Repetitive tasks; Tedious grind - Unlock drivers: Satisfying progression; Engaging gameplay - Conditions: Cozy vibes; Beautiful art-style; Relaxing atmosphere - Player Archetypes: - Chill Alchemist (sale) - Motivation: Relaxation and enjoyment of the game's aesthetic and fulfilling goals. - Playstyle: Casual and relaxed, focusing on the enjoyable aspects of the game. - Experience: mixed - Purchase stance: sale - Labels: chill gamer; casual player - Reference games: Stardew Valley; Animal Crossing - Master Brewer (buy) - Motivation: Engagement with the detailed and complex potion crafting mechanics. - Playstyle: Focused on mastering the crafting system and exploring its depths. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: crafting enthusiast; simulation fan - Reference games: The Witcher 3; Morrowind - Relaxation Seeker (sale) - Motivation: Seeking a relaxing and stress-free gaming experience. - Playstyle: Casual and laid-back, using the game as a way to unwind. - Experience: newcomer - Purchase stance: sale - Labels: casual gamer; relaxation seeker - Reference games: Animal Crossing; Stardew Valley Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Enjoyable potion brewing mechanics (weight 0.95): Players find the potion brewing process highly enjoyable and engaging. The mechanics are straightforward yet dynamic, allowing for creativity and experimentation with various ingredients and recipes. - Relaxing and engaging gameplay (weight 0.91): The game offers a relaxing yet engaging experience, perfect for unwinding. Its non-stressful and meditative gameplay style is appreciated by players. - Customization and creativity (weight 0.71): Players appreciate the high level of customization available, particularly in potion-making. This includes customizable potion names, bottle shapes, and labels, which add a layer of creativity and personalization. - Charming and beautiful art style (weight 0.43): The art style is widely praised for being adorable, cute, and charming. Players enjoy the hand-drawn textures and detailed visuals that contribute to the game's unique atmosphere. - Simple and easy to understand (weight 0.2): The game is praised for its simplicity and ease of understanding, making it accessible to a wide range of players. - References to other games and media (weight 0.12): The game includes multiple references to other popular games and media, which players find enjoyable and humorous. - Pleasant and relaxing music (weight 0.1): The music in the game is noted for being pleasant and appropriate, contributing to the overall relaxing atmosphere. - Unique and innovative gameplay (weight 0.1): The game is appreciated for its unique and innovative gameplay mechanics, which set it apart from other games. Common complaints: - Repetitive gameplay in late stages (weight 0.78): Many players find the gameplay becomes repetitive, particularly in the mid to late stages of the game. This includes repetitive tasks, grinding, and a general sense of tedium that sets in after a certain point. - Lack of music variety (weight 0.29): The game's music is noted for being repetitive and lacking variety. This can contribute to the overall sense of monotony and boredom. - Lack of storyline (weight 0.21): The game is criticized for its lack of a compelling storyline. This includes both the main narrative and the absence of storylines for customers. - Grinding is excessive (weight 0.17): The game involves a significant amount of grinding, which many players find tedious and repetitive. This is particularly noted in the late-game content. - Poor late-game experience (weight 0.15): The late-game experience is often described as boring, slow, and repetitive. Players feel that the endgame lacks challenging content and becomes monotonous. - Unclear game mechanics (weight 0.13): Players find that the game mechanics and instructions are not well explained, leading to confusion, especially at the beginning. - Game is too long (weight 0.09): Some players feel that the game is too long, which contributes to the tedium and repetitiveness. - Performance issues (weight 0.09): The game experiences performance drops and slowdowns, particularly towards the end. - Map navigation issues (weight 0.08): The game's map is criticized for being frustrating to navigate and overly complicated. - Customer requests become repetitive (weight 0.07): The requests from customers are noted to be repetitive and predictable, adding to the overall sense of monotony. - Lack of content (weight 0.05): The game is criticized for having a limited amount of content and things to do. - Traders can be exploitative (weight 0.05): Some traders in the game are seen as greedy and exploitative, which can be frustrating for players. - Frustration with merchant upgrades (weight 0.05): Players express frustration with waiting for specific merchants to arrive and for merchant upgrades. - Limited alchemy and farming (weight 0.05): Players express a desire for more alchemy and farming options, noting that the current offerings are limited. - Save file issues (weight 0.05): There are issues with the game's save system, including accidental overwrites of previous save files. - Incomplete features (weight 0.05): Some features in the game feel incomplete, contributing to a sense of disappointment. - Garden expansion needed (weight 0.05): Players express a desire for more garden space and expansion options. - Bargaining lacks variety (weight 0.05): The bargaining system in the game is noted for lacking variety and becoming irrelevant due to excess money. - Recipe book organization is poor (weight 0.05): The recipe book in the game is criticized for being poorly organized and overloaded with sheets. - Translation issues (weight 0.04): There are some issues with the game's translation, particularly in Russian, which can be slightly inaccurate or odd. - Some potions become obsolete (weight 0.04): Certain potions in the game become obsolete and unnecessary as players progress. Gameplay feedback: - Complex potion crafting system (weight 0.56): The game features a detailed and intricate potion-making system where players can experiment with various ingredients to create different types of potions. This includes discovering recipes, mixing ingredients, and customizing potions with unique effects. - Alchemy and exploration mechanics (weight 0.33): The game combines alchemy with exploration, allowing players to navigate a large map to find ingredients and unlock new abilities. This blend of mechanics creates a unique and engaging gameplay experience. - Garden management and upgrades (weight 0.22): Players can manage and upgrade their gardens, cultivating various plants and herbs. This aspect of the game adds a layer of resource management and customization. - Variety in customers and ingredients (weight 0.19): Players encounter a diverse range of customers and ingredients, adding depth and complexity to the gameplay. This variety enhances the overall experience and provides numerous options for potion crafting. - Reputation and progression systems (weight 0.18): The game features a reputation system that affects customer interactions and dialogues. Additionally, there is a progression system that includes leveling up and character upgrades, adding depth to the gameplay. - Recipe management and development (weight 0.17): The game includes a comprehensive recipe system where players can research, modify, and save various recipes. This system allows for the creation of legendary recipes and adds a layer of strategy to the gameplay. - Customer interaction and requests (weight 0.11): Players interact with customers by fulfilling their requests and chatting with them. This adds a social element to the game and enhances the overall gameplay experience. - Puzzle-solving mechanics (weight 0.1): The game includes puzzle-like mechanics that players need to solve. These puzzles add an additional layer of challenge and engagement to the gameplay. - Continuous upgrades and improvements (weight 0.1): The game offers continuous upgrades and improvements, allowing players to enhance their characters and abilities. This system provides a sense of progression and achievement. Performance notes: - Performance issues on PC (weight 0.4): Players report various performance issues on PC, including framerate drops, lag spikes, and stuttering. These issues are noted across different hardware setups, including high-end hardware. - Smooth performance on Steam (weight 0.08): Players on Steam report smooth performance, indicating that the game runs well on this platform. This includes positive experiences on the Steam Deck. Recommendations: - Recommended for simulation and management fans (weight 0.21): The game is highly recommended for players who enjoy relaxing simulators, crafting games, and management simulations. It is often compared to games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing. - General recommendations (weight 0.19): Many players recommend the game to a wide audience, highlighting its appeal and quality. - Worth buying on sale (weight 0.18): Several reviews suggest that the game is worth purchasing, especially when it is on sale, indicating good value for money at a discounted price. - Suggestions for gameplay improvements (weight 0.11): Players have suggested various improvements such as adding more books for recipes, balancing the garden update, adding more spaces for decorations, and optimizing repetitive late-game content. - Technical and quality-of-life suggestions (weight 0.09): Suggestions include using a mouse for better control, adding more music options, providing better descriptions of hotkeys, and improving the appearance of notes. - Recommendations for specific player types (weight 0.07): The game is recommended for patient and curious players, as well as those who enjoy achievement hunting and immersive experiences. - Gameplay tips and strategies (weight 0.07): Tips such as hoarding ingredients, saving up for Enchanted Paper, and upgrading various parts of the game like the Garden, Pond, and Underground are mentioned. - Requests for additional content (weight 0.07): Players have requested more content, including additional chapters in Alchemist's Path and more variety in customer requests. - Miscellaneous suggestions (weight 0.06): Various other suggestions include adding adventure combat gameplay, allowing potions to be used by the player, and providing more useful items for purchase. Other player notes: - Family-friendly entertainment (weight 0.04): Players find the game entertaining and educational, making it a great activity to enjoy with grandchildren. - Memory improvement benefits (weight 0.04): The game is noted for helping players with memory problems, providing a beneficial cognitive exercise. - Expand garden size (weight 0.03): Players want a larger garden area to cultivate more plants and have greater flexibility in their gardening activities. - Custom potion icon options (weight 0.03): Users suggest adding custom icons and bottle shapes for potions to enhance personalization and visual appeal in the game. Emotions: - Enjoyment (weight 0.17): Players enjoy the variety of engaging activities such as tending to the garden, brewing potions, and fulfilling customer requests. The game's addictive and relaxing mechanics, along with its interesting map system and variety of ingredients, contribute to a satisfying and enjoyable experience. - Frustration (weight 0.16): Players experience frustration due to repetitive tasks, such as potion making and grinding for ingredients. Performance issues, lack of guidance, and complex potion recipes also contribute to this frustration. - Joy (weight 0.13): Players find joy in the fun and cozy gameplay, as well as the unique mechanics and art style. The game's relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere, along with its engaging gameplay and beautiful visual design, contribute to a positive experience. - Satisfaction (weight 0.09): Players feel satisfied with the engaging gameplay mechanics, progression system, and unique art style. The precise and meticulous potion-making process, along with the game's achievements and progression, contribute to a sense of accomplishment. - Excitement (weight 0.05): Players are excited about the game's unique alchemy map system, customization features, and new updates. The variety in potion-making and garden management, along with the game's innovative mechanics, contribute to an engaging and enjoyable experience. - Relaxation (weight 0.03): Players find the game relaxing due to its meditative and non-stressful gameplay. The game's calming nature and consistent progression provide a perfect way to unwind and enjoy a peaceful experience. - Disappointment (weight 0.03): Players feel disappointed due to the game's underdeveloped concepts and grindy, repetitive nature. The lack of storyline and inadequate price contribute to a sense of monotony and boredom. - Satisfied (weight 0.03): Players are satisfied with the game's improvements, updates, and customization options. The good graphics, value for money, and satisfying potion-making system contribute to a positive overall experience. - Boredom (weight 0.03): Players experience boredom due to the repetitive tasks and lack of challenge in the late game. The repetitive gameplay and micro-management aspects contribute to a sense of monotony. - Excited (weight 0.03): Players are excited about the game's unique and fresh style of gameplay, along with its depth and creativity. The anticipation of new content and the game's innovative mechanics contribute to an engaging experience. - Frustrated (weight 0.03): Players feel frustrated due to the game's accessibility issues, grindy nature, and performance problems. The complex potion-making process and lack of guidance contribute to a sense of tedium and repetitive tasks. - Relaxed (weight 0.02): Players find the game relaxing due to its slow and simple gameplay loop. The calming and peaceful nature of the game provides a relaxing experience, perfect for winding down from a stressful day. - Engaged (weight 0.02): Players are engaged by the variety of tasks, crafting, and collecting activities. The game's depth of customization, complexity, and thoughtful ingredient mechanics contribute to an immersive experience. - Amusement (weight 0.01): Players find amusement in the humorous trader interactions and dialogue. The funny requests and creative potion mixing contribute to an entertaining and enjoyable experience. - Love (weight 0.01): Players love the game's unique customers, easter eggs, and the mixture of different gameplay elements. The enchanted garden and the ability to grow magical ingredients contribute to a favorite gaming experience. - Appreciation (weight 0.01): Players appreciate the game's great aesthetics, simple gameplay, and medieval art style. The charming NPCs and amazing art style, along with the game's humor, contribute to a positive overall experience. - Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Players are enthusiastic about the game's fun and tactile potion-making mechanics. The positive experience with the game's updates, new content, and addictive gameplay contribute to an engaging and enjoyable experience. - Addiction (weight 0.01): Players find the game addictive due to its enjoyable potion brewing mechanics and engaging gameplay experience. The fun and tactile nature of the game contributes to a sense of addiction. - Happy (weight 0.01): Players are happy with the game's creative potion making and fun, engaging gameplay. The enjoyable gameplay and achievement hunting contribute to a positive and satisfying experience. - Bored (weight 0.01): Players feel bored due to the repetitive tasks and gameplay. The repetitive late game and lack of challenge contribute to a sense of monotony and boredom.}