Potionomics

honestly, i adored this game. i had fun with this in a way i haven't for quite awhile. it scratched all the little things i love: crafting, tycoon, management, amazing characters, cool world building, and so much more. the card based haggling system is so so so much fun, it took me by surprise how much i ended up enjoying it. the romances (i romanced everyone, because of course i did, they let you do that!) are so so so sweet, all the characters stories are so in depth, you can't help but fall in love with everyone, at least a lil. a lot of people say this game is hard, though - i really didn't find it to be, but i have a lot of experience in these kind of games. if you have experience in this genre (specifically management games with tight constraints), you'll be fine, however i know there is an easier mode now too. there are also tons of resources with tips online if you're stuck. the early game is hardest - after that it wasn't a challenge at all for me, so WHEN i play it again, i'll probably play on the new hard mode. and i'll probably play it again someday, i am utterly enchanted by this beautiful world, i want moreeeeeeeee ahhh one small tip: write down your recipes. there is no in game way of doing so, and it is the game's greatest flaw, in my opinion. i would be utterly overwhelmed and frustrated if i didn't have actual notes next to me where i wrote down all my recipes. it makes it a breeze. the crafting system is fun and dynamic, allows a lot of freedom, but sometimes you just gotta slap together a potion and call it a day, or don't want to play a guessing game when buying ingredients, esp if money is tight. just write it down. and also, make friends with saffron. not only is she literally the best ever, she also is key to stress management mid to late game.

普通难度把所有角色的剧情开完了。玩下来的感想是越穷越没法升级，越不升级就要耗费更多时间卖魔药，越没时间就越没更多策略卡卖更多钱！Sylvia每个晚上睡沙发居然能减10%压力，我在屏幕外配魔药卖魔药都压力爆表了······ 玩法上的问题一是配魔药界面没法筛选库存，只能去布置魔药那里看；二是不能保存材料配比，要是能一键炼药游戏流程就可以缩短一点时间了。 角色剧情很细腻，随着关系提升能参与或看到她们的改变非常暖心······就是有些剧情点文本太少了，为了给策略卡牌而设的剧情。

遊戲核心玩法： 做藥水＞跟客人進行卡牌策略遊戲＞提高藥水售價 會給好評 優點： 1.主體有10位NPC，對話與劇情量豐富，且有後宮模式可以開，不用殘酷十選一。 2.結合藥物配比與卡牌策略，玩法層次多，整體不單調。 3.美術表現很漂亮，看得出用心。 缺點： 1.最核心的問題是「遊戲進度會被強制推進」。每十天就必須參加一次比賽，輸了就要重來當天紀錄，直到贏為止。這導致玩家必須一路趕主線。以普通難度玩下來，金錢與時間都被壓得非常緊：一有錢就得升級鍋爐、買材料；一有空就要趕快煮藥、賣藥賺錢，順便只挑高CP值的NPC（像材料商、鍋爐商人）培養感情，完全沒辦法好好享受經營遊戲那種悠閒慢慢成長的感覺。 2.趕進度衍生出很多問題，其中之一就是卡牌獲得方式。卡牌需要透過與NPC培養感情取得，但前期幾乎沒有多餘時間經營關係，往往是主線跑完後才開始補感情。結果就是NPC在高好感度時給的強力卡牌，幾乎已經沒有用武之地。 3.另一個趕進度帶來的壞處，是主線劇情本身有不少資訊需要透過與NPC相處才能得知（除了叔叔會在主線中主動說明）。例如島嶼的歷史、地方標誌建築與其意義等。如果一路只顧著衝主線，最後打到最終BOSS會有一種「突然看到結局」的唐突感，反而是在事後培養NPC感情時，才把故事慢慢補齊。 4.卡牌與NPC折扣在自由模式還能不能用？當然可以用，但實際上已經不需要用了。因為比賽結束、主線跑完後，後續升級更多只是體驗「登頂感」，並沒有明確目標。錢的用途幾乎只剩下買禮物送NPC，時間也全部聚焦在培養感情上，表面上獎勵還在，但玩家已經沒有實際需求。 5.從頭到尾幾乎沒有使用過Buff商人，但這類商人卻多到有點過頭。商人賣的Buff會隨比賽階段漲價，還只能加成到特定藥物種類。對於一邊缺錢、一邊急著衝比賽的狀態下，根本不會想花錢買這種只維持一天的Buff，整體CP值偏低，建議可以再調整。 6.部分NPC的故事相對扁平，尤其是初始友好度高、形象本來就很正向的角色，人物飽和度明顯不足。相較之下，比賽中遇到的對手或材料商反而更有趣，可能是因為本身形象較差，劇情上有「反轉感」。但這種公式沒辦法套用在本來就設定為好人的NPC身上，缺乏反轉時就顯得比較無聊。 雖然說了很多缺點，但整體我其實還是很喜歡這款遊戲，甚至把所有NPC都攻略完了。只是還是會希望官方能推出「不強制日期比賽」的模式，應該能讓遊戲體驗加分不少。

Yet another example why deckbuilders that aren't roguelikes fundamentally don't work. Being able to build your deck freely means that with clever deckbuilding, experimentation, or just looking at a guide, the game is quickly trivial because of how overpowered your deck is. For me, this made the game largely tedious from the first contest onwards, since each fight had less and less tension. If there's one good thing about this game though, it's that the characters are really fun and well written, if somewhat one-note at times.

An absolutely incredible game. Reccettear but updated, with dating, and cursing, and fantastic comedic moments throughout. Each layer of gameplay, potion-making, haggling, ingredient gathering, and relationship building, mesh so well together. Each feels rewarding on its own, and feeds into the others making them all the more fun. Extremely strong recommend, if you're even considering it!

I kinda just bumbled around making potions , without having any idea if I was in anyway playing correctly or progressing toward my goal. The first hour of the game is it blasting mechanics at me without showing the impact of anything you do. I'm extremely confused as to how the relationships and the questing work, but I still seem to be succeeding at both. It feels less like a game and more something to do with my hands.

The devs for this game are amazing. They added a bunch of new stuff (including voice acting and endless mode, namely) FOR FREE!!! Characters and the story are masterfully done and the gameplay is addictive. Plus you can romance a hot demon lady.

Should be Amazingly Positive

The potion crafting / deckbuilder / dating sim / ingredient shopping gameplay loop had me fully hooked until the last 25% of the game, where I had made so much money it no longer made sense to do anything but advance relationships -- but I played through on medium difficulty. Put it on "Capitalist" if you autistically optimize everything like me and want a challenge all the way to the end. Be warned there is a they/them character among the cast of 10 vendors you can't ignore, in case you identify as non-buy-nary. It's not a plot point or ever mentioned in dialogue, because the writers are actually talented and they don't call attention to it, it's simply there as the pronouns people use to refer to this girl. The game's quality is super well worth the cringe and occasional eyeroll. Roxanne best girl