Potion Craft Early Access Preview - Intoxicating!
With over 100k sales in the first three days of release, niceplay games and tinyBuild must be revelling in the success that is Potion Craft Early Access. Potion making hasn’t been this popular since distilling love potions at school. They never worked.
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In a medieval setting, you’re a nomad alchemist on their quest to become an alchemy master. Settling on a rundown building, you snap it up and turn it into a potion shop, servicing the needs of the peasants with all their ailments. But there’s no snake oil here; it’s all holistically legit.
It’s fair to say that a potion crafting game shackled to one location might be a bit crap, but Potion Craft Early Access is far from it. It’s engaging, entertaining and somewhat therapeutic (I should have picked a word beginning with ‘e’). But is that all you do – just make potions?
Potion Craft Early Access Preview
Just making potions shouldn’t be sneered at as these folk are relying on you. Aside from the satisfaction of helping people, you’ll make some money too, which can be invested in new, exotic ingredients and even growing your own supply.
Initially, the potions available to you are limited, and to unlock them is through exploration and experimentation. That exploration isn’t about jumping on a horse and raiding chests, but take your concoction on its journey through perilous combinations; that is your alchemy map/blueprint.
Chuck – no, delicately place each ingredient into the melting pot, then give it a little stir to send it on its journey. Other equipment includes a pestle and mortar for infusing resources together and a bellow to blow the coals and heat to the desired temperature to make something that meets demand.
Eye Of Bat, Wart Of A Hog
Potion Craft Early Access gameplay is an interesting one as each manual rotation of the stirrer, a potion icon is displayed on the screen, seemingly sailing along an ocean of recipes. When at the desired destination, you cease your mixing skills, bottle it, give it a name and sell it to Johnny Public. Ideally for a nice tidy profit.
Labelling isn’t the only customisation available, as you can literally change the label itself, bottle shape and more. This sounds very nerdy, but seriously, it’s soooo good and immersive – you’ll be heading down the local supermarket trying to make your own little fusions. Good luck with that…
At the end of the day, well, at the beginning of the working day, you’ll be visited by customers with their requests for a potion – they’ve had a dodgy curry, walked through nettles, or want to feel a little more… adequate. The crafty buggers will try to knock you down in price, so you’ll have to employ some haggling skills to ensure you have enough dosh for the next batch.
Infused With Love
You can then revisit the garden to check in on your stock, head to the basement to conjure up something new and exciting, earning talent points along the way to reinvest in your skills. Besides the general running of the business and creativity, you’ll also have some shady customers asking you to make poisons. That’s your call. As for everything else? Lovely.
niceplay games have managed to create their own love potion without us digesting a single drop of mud mixed with berries – as was the secret ingredients of our own playground elixirs. Potion Craft Early Access is oozing with charm, and that’s helped by the pace at which you play, warm visuals and the intoxicating crafting element.
It’s worth noting that this game is currently in the Early Access stage. That’s surprising as there never appears to be that unwanted ‘Thanks for playing’ title screen, listing the upcoming features. Potion Craft Early Access is a sandbox experience that you can continue to play until the eventual updates with new potions are released.
And on that note, it’s well worth checking out. A demo is still up on Steam so you can try it before you buy it.