Alchemy Emporium

About

"Alchemy Emporium is a fantasy management game where you play as an alchemist creating procedurally generated potions for profit. Hire and level up companions, upgrade your character with over 228 skills, and complete milestones to earn skill points. A dynamic events, quests, and weather system create a unique experience each playthrough."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

47%

Audience ScoreBased on 17 reviews

humor3 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game has an interesting concept and unique approach to potion-making and shop management.
The artwork and medieval setting are visually appealing, contributing to an immersive experience.
There is potential for depth in gameplay mechanics, which could be enjoyable for players who appreciate trial and error.

The game feels unfinished, with numerous bugs, incomplete translations, and a lack of clear tutorials, making it difficult for new players to understand mechanics.
Progression can be tedious and unsatisfying, with many mechanics not properly explained, leading to confusion and frustration.
The game lacks a clear end goal or rewarding progression, resulting in a sense of aimlessness after initial play.

gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
Gameplay is characterized by a steep learning curve and poorly explained mechanics, making it challenging for new players to fully enjoy the experience. While some players appreciate the depth and complexity that comes with discovering game systems, many feel that the lack of clear tutorials and guidance detracts from overall enjoyment. Despite these issues, the game's graphics and music are well-received, suggesting that improvements in gameplay instruction could significantly enhance player satisfaction.
- “After several lost playthroughs, I’ve found a system that worked best for me and I figured out the mechanics behind the ingredients. However, I believe those discoveries are the core part of the game.”
- “I love the graphics and mechanics of the game.”
- “Yes, there is a learning curve and some of the mechanics are not explained well, or at all.”
- “Lots of game mechanics don't make any sense.”
- “As a new player, it can be even harder as you don’t know the game mechanics, making it difficult to choose.”
- “It makes it quite challenging to just enjoy the game with so many hidden or poorly shown mechanics.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The graphics of the game are praised for their fascinating medieval artwork and overall quality, despite not introducing anything particularly new. While some users express concerns about certain type choices, the performance is solid, benefiting from the bidimensional design. Overall, the visuals and music contribute positively to the experience, enhancing the enjoyment of the text-based adventure.
- “Fascinating setting and artwork.”
- “The artwork looks very medieval and does a great job, even if it doesn’t bring anything new to the table.”
- “Ignoring the gameplay, the graphics and music hold merit; they aren't just basic assets but actually well-made images and sound to a degree.”
- “Additionally, from a graphical point of view, I'm a bit horrified by some type choices.”
- “Performance-wise, I have nothing to complain about, to be expected given the bidimensionality of the graphics.”
- “Ignoring the gameplay, the graphics and music hold merit; they aren't all just basic assets but actually well-made images and sound to a degree.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players who enjoy grinding may find some satisfaction in progressing through the game, but many express frustration with the lack of clear rewards and abrupt endings after significant effort. The experience can feel tedious, especially when fundamental mechanics remain unclear, leading to a sense of futility in the grinding process. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a double-edged sword, offering potential enjoyment for some while leaving others feeling unfulfilled.
- “I just wanted to leave the review for players like me, who don't mind grinding a bit and can have fun playing without understanding all game mechanics, but will not have fun if, even after finishing the game, they can't understand fundamental mechanics like client satisfaction and will have no reward for their efforts (grinding money until you can buy tier 3 tools, then the game finishes abruptly).”
- “The experience is tedious, and I did not find it in myself to repeat it; with random generation, all the data would have been useless.”
- “Instead of tediously double-clicking to delete it and then dragging it down from the task list each time you want to make any changes.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find it plain and repetitive, contributing to mental fatigue, others appreciate its quality and the interesting art style that accompanies it. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a well-crafted element, despite its limitations.
- “Interesting art style, very nice music.”
- “The soundtrack is plain and repetitive, with a single tune on loop, adding to the mental fatigue of this game.”
- “Ignoring the gameplay, the graphics and music hold merit; they aren't just basic assets but actually well-made images and sound to a degree.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The game's story is minimal and lacks depth, presenting players with a basic scenario rather than a rich narrative. Critics note the implausibility of an experienced apprentice managing a shop without any prior knowledge, highlighting a disconnect in the storytelling.
- “The game presents a unique scenario that challenges traditional storytelling.”
- “The story takes an interesting turn when an experienced apprentice unexpectedly finds themselves running a shop with no prior knowledge.”
- “Nobody ever seemed to think about how odd the story is when an experienced apprentice ends up running a shop and has zero knowledge.”
- “The plot twists felt forced and didn't add any real depth to the characters or the overall narrative.”
- “The story was predictable and lacked any meaningful character development, making it hard to stay engaged.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Overall, users report that the game's optimization is solid, with no performance issues noted, likely due to its simple 2D graphics.
- “Performance-wise, I have nothing to complain about; it's to be expected given the bidimensionality of the graphics.”
- “The game runs smoothly on my system, and I appreciate the optimization that allows for a seamless experience.”
- “I love how well-optimized the game is; it maintains a steady frame rate even during intense moments.”
- “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
- “Despite the interesting mechanics, the lack of proper optimization makes it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
- “I was disappointed to find that even on high-end hardware, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game has moments of humor that users find enjoyable, though it seems to lack consistency in delivering comedic elements throughout.
- “The game is genuinely hilarious and keeps you laughing throughout.”
- “I love the witty dialogue and clever puns that make every interaction enjoyable.”
- “The humor is perfectly timed, adding a delightful twist to the gameplay.”