Alchemy Garden

About

Alchemy Garden is a single player casual management game. It was developed by MadSushi and was released on December 12, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Alchemy Garden" is a game that combines shop keeping, gardening, and alchemy mechanics, allowing players to run their own alchemy lab, brew potions, and create magical plants. Players can also explore and be creative with their own garden design and decorate the interior of their house. The game features a day/night cycle and crafting tools mechanics.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 630 reviews

graphics40 positive mentions

story20 negative mentions

The game has a charming and relaxing atmosphere, making it enjoyable for casual play.
The graphics are colorful and appealing, contributing to a pleasant gaming experience.
There is potential for growth and improvement, with players expressing excitement for future updates.

The game currently lacks content, with many players finishing all available tasks in a short amount of time.
There are numerous bugs and gameplay issues, such as tools breaking too quickly and items disappearing.
The gameplay can feel repetitive and grindy, with limited interactions and a small map to explore.

story
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
75%
19%
The game currently lacks a substantial story or driving narrative, with players describing it as more of a wandering simulation than a cohesive experience. While there are some tutorial quests and minimal interactions with NPCs, the overall content feels repetitive and underdeveloped, leaving players without a clear goal or engaging storyline. Many reviewers express a desire for a more robust narrative and character development to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “I love the environment and the non-linear storyline and gameplay style!”
- “Yes, there is a story, but it is more of a tutorial to show you how to do all the exciting things.”
- “In the beginning, there's a sort of tutorial/storyline that guides you along; at this stage, it ends a bit suddenly, but I liked what I saw of it.”
- “It feels like a shell of a game with zero story and more like a wandering sim in all 4 of the areas you can access.”
- “There's no story or driving narrative, so as a result, gameplay was boring at best and frustrating at worst.”
- “There is no story, no real goal, very few plants and areas, nothing to keep your interest peaked for more than an hour or so.”
gameplay
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
64%
19%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its relaxing, exploration-focused nature reminiscent of titles like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing. However, criticisms highlight a lack of depth, repetitive mechanics, and insufficient narrative or progression, leading to a feeling of monotony and frustration. While some mechanics are praised for their simplicity and functionality, the overall experience is described as unpolished and lacking in engaging content, leaving players wanting more variety and challenge.
- “I played this back in early 2019 and since the new update it's been a huge improvement in gameplay, bugs, and general detail.”
- “The functional and mechanical aspects are smooth and seamless with very little in the way of 'bugs' or 'blockages' in the flow of actually playing the game.”
- “Laid back gameplay that allows you to explore the small world at your own pace.”
- “There's no story or driving narrative, so as a result, gameplay was boring at best and frustrating at worst.”
- “It's an overall incomplete gameplay experience that leaves the player utterly disappointed.”
- “Gameplay doesn't change from season to season, making it quite tedious, and if you are trying for 100% achievements... the last one that requires you to get 1,000,000 coins is just masochistic.”
graphics
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
46%
5%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the cute, low-poly, and cell-shaded art style, while others criticize it for being flat and lacking depth. Performance issues have led some to play on lower settings, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, many find the graphics charming and suitable for a casual gaming experience, though there are calls for improvements in animations and UI design.
- “The graphics and overall vibe of the game is super cute.”
- “It's cozy, I love the aesthetic the game has, the scenery is just amazing.”
- “The game presents its content with colorful stylized graphics that are very nice to look at.”
- “The art style is just... really flat, feeding into the lifeless feeling of everything.”
- “The graphics are low poly, which is cute on the one hand, but on the other hand, it fits the overall 'less effort in development' impression the game makes.”
- “For crying out loud, I could have ignored the weird new color scheme of neons and bright lights, but the downgrade of the quality of the graphics, and the potato people?”
grinding
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is often described as tedious and repetitive, with many players finding the farming mechanics unintuitive and time-consuming. While some enjoy the cute art style and the relaxing nature of the gameplay, others feel that the lack of progression and the necessity to constantly gather resources make it a frustrating experience. Overall, it appeals to fans of cozy farming games, but may not satisfy those looking for a more dynamic or engaging gameplay loop.
- “Farming is unintuitive and does not feel good to do.”
- “If you don't have an abundance of ingredients, which is extremely hard to do, making money is tedious and slow. If your hoe breaks and you don't have the money for a new one, there's no more gardening for you until you get money.”
- “Gameplay doesn't change from season to season, making it quite tedious. If you are trying for 100% achievements, the last one that requires you to get 1,000,000 coins is just masochistic.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
43%
19%
The music in the game is described as cute, calming, and relaxing, complementing the beautiful graphics and overall charming atmosphere. However, players have noted issues with sound control, as there are no volume sliders and the same background track repeats, which can be distracting. Despite these drawbacks, the soundtrack contributes to a soothing experience that enhances gameplay.
- “The design is beautiful, the music is calming.”
- “The artwork is beautiful, the music is relaxing, and the player's movement is overall smooth.”
- “This game is very relaxing and charming; the soundtrack is lowkey and puts you at ease, and the graphics are bright and cheerful.”
- “I've got the sound and music all the way down and I can still hear it over whatever else I listen to, and I can't go back to the menu if I wanted to play a different save; you have to exit the game and restart it.”
- “There are no volume sliders yet, with the same background song on repeat.”
- “Sound works in every other game, watching movies or listening to music.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game is widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and rough interactions that make gameplay feel unfinished, akin to an alpha version. Many players find the controls and targeting system particularly frustrating, leading to a gameplay experience that is often described as both boring and simplistic despite some fun elements. Overall, the game appears to be in need of significant improvements to its stability and content.
- “The movement and interacting with anything is buggy and rough.”
- “It still feels like an alpha, and I don't know why it ever left alpha. It's lacking content, it's extremely simple, but still buggy, and the controls/targeting are hands down horrible.”
- “Gameplay is buggy and boring.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game suffers from significant performance issues, forcing players to lower graphic settings for a smoother experience, which detracts from the visual quality. While some users find the gameplay satisfying enough to overlook these shortcomings, there is a clear demand for better optimization and visual enhancements.
- “There are some performance issues making me play on low graphic settings, which wasn't the case back then, but it's worth it. I don't mind low graphics as long as the game is satisfying.”
- “The only thing I would want is some visual optimizations.”
- “The second is that it is currently very poorly optimized.”
- “Only thing I would want would be some visual optimizations.”
- “There are some performance issues making me have to play on low graphic settings, which wasn't the case back then.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to be a heartwarming and cozy experience, filled with wholesome elements and charming activities that evoke a sense of comfort and joy. The emotional appeal lies in its ability to create a delightful atmosphere that resonates with fans of cozy and witchy themes.
- “I'm a sucker for cozy, witchy, wholesome games, and this fits all my requirements.”
- “This is a wholesome game with lots of cute things to do and more to come!”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game features a quaint and upbeat atmosphere that encourages both relaxation and engagement, with opportunities for players to earn and spend money on various items. However, the presence of a day/night cycle and time-sensitive crafting orders introduces a subtle sense of urgency.
- “With a quaint atmosphere, there is money to be made and spent on items ranging from everyday useful to decorative and fun.”
- “It generally has a very upbeat and relaxing atmosphere, though there is a bit of time pressure due to a day/night cycle, the need to sleep to regain energy, and the fact that some crafting orders need to be ready by a certain date.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a potential cash grab, with users expressing disappointment over the lack of meaningful updates and deeming it not worth the $9 price tag.
- “Wouldn't even recommend at $9... coupled with the lack of any real updates, it's sad to say that this was most likely a quick cash grab and will not be updated.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely derived from the quirky design of NPC characters, described as "ovals on twigs," which evokes a playful and amusing visual that some players find endearing. This unique aesthetic has sparked mixed feelings, with players unsure if it should be viewed as a flaw or a charming feature, ultimately contributing to the game's comedic appeal.
- “The NPC characters look like ovals on twigs; it gave a new meaning to the term 'toothpick legs/arms'! I wasn't sure if that was a con or a pro, as they do look funny enough to be seen as a pro.”