You never forget, as a fresh faced adolescent, when set out all on your own. Whether that was leaving for college, moving out of your parents house, or even just getting that first job and making your own way in the world. That’s exactly what our red-headed main character is going through as you dive into the world of Potionomics from Voracious Games.
Sylvia is fresh out of her potion focused secondary education and on her own for the very first time. What’s unusual about her circumstance is that she’s inherited her wayward uncle’s potion shop! A perfect way to get her feet wet in the industry! Or it would have been if her inheritance hadn’t also come bundled with a mountain of debt, not to mention a suspiciously grumpy and garrulous owl. Luckily, there just so happens to be a competition going on in town, spread across 5 different days, with just enough prize money overall to poof that debt out of existence. But with shady competitors on the roster, trouble is definitely brewing on the small island of Rafta, but now so is Sylvia! She’s ready and willing to take them down one potion at a time!
My first impression of Potionomics was, “What the actual heck? Is this a game or a Disney movie!!??”. The animation is undeniably a cut above absolutely anything I’ve ever seen before. And I’ve seen a lot of stuff… maybe too much… anyway, Potionomics grabbed my attention and promptly smashed my face into my computer screen and I was in no way mad about it. That alone was enough to make me crack open my Steam wallet.
I watched a few trailers and I’m not gonna lie, I was fairly confused by the premise I was shown within those videos. It seemed like either they were being intentionally vague as to how to play the game or there were just that many moving parts. I was concerned that upon booting up this game I would find it to be none other than a Joey Tribiani situation. You know, “When the package is this pretty no one cares what’s inside” type of deal, but there was really only one way to find out.
As it turns out my assumptions were correct. Not the pretty package thing but the many moving parts assumption. Potionomics has a lot going on and I have to admit that finding my feet with it took some time. So, the whole idea is that you run a potion shop where you make and sell various potions to the townsfolk. You’ll also be given a list of potions with basic requirements that you’ll need to make and submit to the potion contest held every 10 days. A part of this, which includes selling potions in your shop as well as hyping up your potions at the contest, involves haggling and that requires a deck of ability cards. You are given a few basic cards to begin with but as you speak with Owl and make friends with the other NPCs you will gain newer and much better cards to haggle with. During haggling Sylvia will also accumulate stress points. The more stress she’s under the more alternate bad cards will get swapped into your hand until eventually she will just collapse and give up from too much stress. Sleeping is the easiest way to eliminate stress but the best way to knock those numbers down is to hang out with your friends. Each friend will unlock better and more stress reducing activities the more you build your relationship. You can even blossom a romantic relationship with one of them if you like.
And that’s not even half of it honestly. You have to buy ingredients, brew potions, send out heroes on adventures (to help gather ingredients), upgrade your shop, upgrade your equipment, manage a slime garden, all while prioritizing your time since everything you do requires a certain amount of time slots each day. WHEW! If it sounds overwhelming it's because it absolutely is...or at least it can be. But it’s not terribly difficult to find your groove either. Plus you’ve got all those gorgeous animations and artwork to soothe your weary brain.
I’ll outright say it. I loved this game. My heart broke when it ended. It’s been about a week since I finished and I’m still thinking about it! I love the hustle and bustle of games like these and the fact that I encountered no bugs, not a single glitch, not even a blip in the graphics just breathed new life into my lungs let me tell you! This is one heck of a well built game and though it’s not without its challenging gameplay mechanics, I’m more than happy to take the time to figure out how to play a game like this as opposed to sitting and feeling confused or defeated with a game only to find out that it’s just broken. Been down that road one too many times lately and Potionomics brought me back from the brink.
Two overworked thumbs ALL…THE…WAY…UP! If you are a sim games fan this is one for the books. The gameplay is fun and challenging. The characters are all so terribly lovable and inclusive. The art and music is absolutely chef kiss. I’ve never regretted anything less than taking a chance on this game. Now please sir may I have some more?
Such a good game! I'm watching a fellow on Twitch go through it and it's been a heck of a fun time. I love the brewing mechanics, and the adventure mechanic is really fun.
I agree! Its absolutely a fantastic game! I really enjoyed having to manage the many moving parts, it added a nice bit of challenge and strategy I wasn't expecting.
It's definitely an interesting game. I like this kind of games, you have to do things in many different areas and there's a lot to explore. It might sound complicated to do it all at the same time, but that's what makes it fun.
It's true! That's why I love these types of games!
This game looks well crafted and interesting.
Such games should have more quests to be done and shouldn't be ended in a week especially when you like it too much. Did you search for a later version?
The version I played was the most current one, but it does have a great deal of replayability at least.
I see. Thanks for the clarification.
Haha too bad you finished the game and now you feel like you're missing it haha. It's a shame that good things are short lived.
The truth is that if it looks like a pretty good game, it looks very nice, and if it looks like a movie made by Disney!
Cheers XD
It was really well done in all aspects and I definitely enjoyed my time with it. I'll be back for a second round in the future for sure, especially if it gets dlc or updates!
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