Ever dreamed of being an alchemist in a fantasy town full of anthropomorphic villagers, slightly dangerous monsters, and a wealth of ingredients for your potion-crafting needs? Alchemist: The Potion Monger is all of those things and more, and provides a heaping dose of things to do in a casual setting that allows for you to grow your knowledge and skills at your own speed. Even after spending numerous hours with the game, there’s still more for me to find and do. Though it takes some time to craft the more funny potions in the game, the journey to get there can be a rewarding one, even if it takes a little longer to get there than I expected.
What’s a Potion Monger to do? Well, gather ingredients to craft potions, of course! There are way more potions available to discover and craft than I expected to see in the game. The gameplay loop consists of exploring the folksy countryside to discover, gather, and earn ingredients for various potions, all of which are crafted by processing the ingredients through various means. This includes grinding them up, drying them out, combining them, and lots more methods of revealing the specific alchemical elements that are used to make up potions. You’re given a huge wheel of various “traits” that you are able to reveal by letting one of four helpful animal pets identify their properties for you when they’re presented with the ingredients. I enjoyed looking for new ways to explore the world, including doing quests for the many anthro NPC shopkeepers and residents that inhabit the towns. Each has their own specific needs and attitudes, which was entertaining to witness. I did find myself running out of new things to do after about 4 hours of gameplay, and I struggled a bit to find out how to make more money when I couldn’t access new areas or potion recipes. I found myself doing the potion selling quests over and over (which refresh every few days) to earn reputation and gold so that I could then purchase new methods of processing ingredients to make newer and more exciting potions.
Speaking of potions, each one has varying effects on the world and people around you. These can include making objects grow, people fall in love, turn into sheep, increase weight, or many other wild outcomes. However, I didn’t get to experience many of these effects yet because of the amount of game time it takes to discover and unlock many of the ingredients necessary to craft them. But! That does mean there’s a TON to scour the lands for and a lot to look forward to as you quest and gather for the many tasks you’re set out to complete for everyone. I always had something to do, and I could see the potential that was set out in front of me. This includes the creative capabilities afforded by having a cute little crafting cabin to deck out with furniture and other goodies, along with a garden and farm to harvest crops and livestock. There was so much to do for such an, on the surface, simple game. While you’re in your house, you brew each potion with a little minigame that involves either pressing specific buttons or drawing symbols. It’s easy enough, and you can also unlock automatic potion crafting that makes the process snappier, if desired.
On the graphical side of things, Alchemist has a certain charm to it which harkens back to a simpler gaming time. It’s got quirky, charming designs for different ingredients and potions, and lots of personality in its use of a worn book for potions, info, and more that’s always a button press away. The animal folks you interact with and that walk around the paths are brimming with unique species and designs that feel at home in the world, and always have something interesting to say. At first glance, you may think it’s a bit basic, but dig deeper and there’s a love shown in each sprite and design choice. Our audience will especially enjoy the inclusion of such anthros throughout, and having a doggie and other pet buddies always nearby is an extra treat.
Finally, the background music and sound effects throughout the game are well-intentioned and fit in with the style of the game. They help with combat and discovering new ingredients, like with the dog barking or an NPC making a noise to indicate they want to talk. It’s nothing too distracting or ground-breaking, but it’s serviceable and works well. Additionally, I sometimes like a game where I don’t feel completely lost if I decide to put on some lo-fi beats or something chill while I have the game audio running as well.
Alchemist: The Potion Monger, at a retail price of $13.99, is set at a perfect price for continued gameplay sessions that will scratch a certain type of itch that some simulation game players haven’t been able to with other potion-crafting experiences. It doesn’t hurt that the world is inhabited by lots of intriguing animal models, along with plenty of fun ways to hurl potions and make things go awry at your leisure…once you spend the time to brew them.
Thanks to the developer for providing a review copy
