Tiny Bookshop

Tiny Bookshop delivers exactly what it offers, which is likely why it has a 96% approval score. You already know whether you want to play this or not. The variety in real life books and the accessories add some variety, but there isn't much to this, mechanically. It's mostly just a chill sim where you buy and then sell books.

Tiny Bookshop is everything I love about a casual style game. Nothing feels rushed or overly stress inducing, so I can take the game at my pace and soak in the warm and cozy atmosphere the game provides through a beautiful art style, music, and ambient sounds that all blend together to create a calm and relaxing feeling. I like that I don't have to overthink or feel compelled to lookup a walkthrough, if a customer doesn't like my book recommendation then there is really no penalty other than them not buying a book. I can decorate my bookshop with different themed items, and can even paint my bookshop inside and out as well as many of the items. I absolutely love that the books are real life books, sometimes when I am recommending a book I get lost for a while just looking at the different books and reading the synopses, noting which books I have read and which books I now want to read. What I especially love is that the game includes some positive queer representation that does not feel forced nor out of place, and it warms my heart to see this inclusion instead of not just pretending these books don't exist in real life. No one is outraged or demanding certain books they don't like be removed from my shelves, if they do not want a book they will simply move on and get back to their lives. Tiny Bookshop is quickly becoming one of my favorite go to games for when I just want to not dwell on life's problems and be immersed in a relaxing game and I know I will continue to enjoy it for a long time. If you are looking for a feel-good casual game to play, either as a way to wind down from a more competitive/action packed game or you just prefer the more casual cozy vibes like me these days, I can not recommend this game enough.