Merchants of Kaidan
- October 1, 2014
- Forever Entertainment S. A.
- 6h median play time
Get on SteamMerchants of Kaidan is a medieval fantasy trading simulation game. You play as a merchant traveling through the dangerous city of Kaidan, buying and selling goods while avoiding thieves and other obstacles. The game features a dynamic economy, day/night cycle, and a variety of characters to interact with. Your goal is to become the wealthiest merchant in Kaidan.
iPad
iPhone
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Phone
Windows
Linux
Mobile Platform
Reviews
- The narrative and worldbuilding are creative and engaging, providing a unique fantasy setting.
- The game offers a variety of trading mechanics and random events that can make gameplay interesting.
- The artwork and music are well done, contributing to a relaxing atmosphere.
- The trading mechanics are often frustrating due to unpredictable prices and random events that hinder progress.
- The user interface is confusing and lacks clarity, making navigation and understanding mechanics difficult.
- The game feels unfinished and repetitive, with many players experiencing bugs and a lack of meaningful content.
- story58 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around themes of betrayal and vengeance, as players take on the role of a young merchant seeking to avenge their father's death. While the main storyline is considered decent and integrates well with gameplay, many players find it lacks depth and can feel stagnant, often requiring exploration to trigger advancements. The inclusion of numerous side quests adds variety and replayability, but some players feel that the overall narrative experience is hindered by repetitive quest structures and occasional bugs.
“I love the background story and the side quests.”
“As for the gameplay: a unique mix of trading with some RPG elements thrown in as a story develops around your character of treachery, vengeance, and secret societies.”
“If you play the story mode, you start as a youth trying to avenge your father's death/betrayal brought on by his business partner who is never really mentioned after first hearing about him.”
“The story looks boring and side quests are similar to every other.”
“It just feels hollow and empty, with no real semblance of world-building or story.”
“The only good thing are the merchant rank progression quests which require some skill; otherwise, the main storyline progresses apparently randomly and without skill, and all other quests are usually meaningless.”
- gameplay54 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by simple trading mechanics that can feel repetitive and frustrating due to poorly explained systems and arbitrary restrictions. While some players find the experience rewarding and enjoyable, especially with its relaxing atmosphere and exploration elements, others criticize the lack of depth and clarity in mechanics, leading to a sense of tedium. Overall, the game offers a casual trading experience that may appeal to some, but it requires patience and perseverance to navigate its shortcomings.
“Excellent, colorful merchant simulator; mechanics are relatively simple; there are always many possible actions available.”
“While it's not as complex a game as some other trading sims, this game plays to its strengths with the relaxing music and gameplay.”
“A very fun, slow trading game with a surprisingly rich world and mechanics.”
“Every time you're about to have some fun, it feels like there is some arbitrary mechanic preventing you from actually progressing.”
“The gameplay doesn't have much to it mechanically, so don't go in expecting too much.”
“The mechanics are so simple that they become tedious and repetitive, and finally, the RPG-story part adds nothing to the game.”
- music21 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and calming qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Many players appreciate the inclusion of a soundtrack that fits the game's tone, although some suggest that additional variety or emotional depth in the music could improve moments of tension or loss. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong asset, contributing to the game's beautiful visuals and world-building.
“The music is very relaxing, the artwork is very nice and comes with seasonal changes as well.”
“The world building, artwork, and music are all beautifully done and very evocative.”
“The soundtrack is pretty relaxing and fits the tone pretty well.”
“Might want to mute the music after a while.”
“The music is ridiculously calming all the time. Don't get me wrong, it's good music, but maybe a 5-second long 'tragic' tune when you get sprayed by a stinkbeaver, or when you get robbed would be nice. Give me something here, devs? I want some music to help me feel sorry for myself for those 5 seconds.”
“This is an excellent trading game with a bit of a storyline and inspiring (albeit somewhat repetitive - only 5 tracks) music.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the imaginative artwork, seasonal changes, and smooth performance even on lower-end systems. However, some users criticize certain elements as outdated or lacking depth, particularly pointing out a specific minigame with poor graphics. Overall, while the visuals are generally appreciated for their charm and individuality, there are notable concerns regarding consistency and modernity.
“The world building, artwork, and music are all beautifully done and very evocative.”
“A true trading game with beautiful graphics.”
“The music and visuals are very pleasing and the game runs smoothly, the character portraits are a welcome touch as they give every character a sense of individuality.”
“I also have no need at all for the terrible hand-stabbing minigame at the tavern - super laggy and outdated graphics, not fun, always the same bad minigame wherever you go. I would remove this entirely or replace it with a completely different minigame.”
“Graphics are a bit poor for the likes of today, with fixed 2D pictures of places with link points, but are correct for the playing purposes.”
“- the graphics are pretty low so it should work on any old crappy computer or device, whatever.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly as they progress and unlock new features that fail to enhance the experience meaningfully. The mechanics are simple, leading to a lack of engagement, especially for those not interested in completing quests. Overall, the grind can feel daunting and may deter some players from enjoying the game fully.
“I never bothered playing until more things opened up for sale because it was way too tedious to get there.”
“Later in the game you'll unlock a boat that can travel between ports and an airship that can travel pretty much anywhere, but managing this is tedious as you'll be constantly having to meet up to trade goods and coin between them to reach the next merchant tier.”
“As you move up through the ranks, though, this becomes increasingly tedious, and none of the new features you unlock add anything meaningful.”
- stability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting frequent glitches and crashes, particularly during specific actions like save scumming or item duplication. While some players experience minimal issues, others find it too buggy and inconsistent. However, there is a sense of optimism regarding the developers' responsiveness to major problems.
“Runs great even on PCs with integrated graphics and has a surprising amount of depth if you devote some time to it.”
“The game likely won't be bug-free, but it seems that major problems will be met with a fast response, and for that I'll give it a thumbs up.”
“It's got too many glitches and crashes, especially if you save scum or item dupe.”
“As a fan of casual games like this, this one is too buggy and internally inconsistent, at least so far.”
“This game is still really buggy.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is a captivating blend of medieval and alien sci-fi elements, creating a calming yet tense environment enhanced by soothing music. Players appreciate the rich, immersive setting that evokes a sense of adventure in distant, mystical places, making it particularly appealing for fans of trading games.
“This is a fun and atmospheric trading game set in the mystical world of Kaidan.”
“What an atmosphere to have a medieval feel smashed up with alien sci-fi culture.”
“The atmosphere and sound are very relaxing while still adding a sense of tension surrounding turning a profit.”
“If you like trading games and the atmosphere of far-off places, you should buy this.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers significant replayability through various modes and story options that encourage different approaches. However, some players feel that after extensive playtime, the limited map and initial restrictions diminish the incentive to start over.
“I can see a lot of replay value in this.”
“Has tons of replayability and is really fun as you advance through the story.”
“Once your empire is huge and you've played for 10-20 hours, you've pretty much seen it all, although the other story/quest options allow for some replayability.”
“The different modes set different end goals and make you take a different approach, adding replay value.”
“I tried starting over, but since there is only one small map and you are limited in what you are allowed to do to begin with, there is no actual replay value.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game features appealing music and visuals, contributing to a smooth performance overall; however, it suffers from poor optimization and a lack of refinement, with several half-baked features.
“The music and visuals are very pleasing, and the game runs smoothly. The character portraits are a welcome touch as they give every character a sense of individuality.”
“It's full of half-baked features, poor optimization, and a general lack of refinement.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game features extensive side quests and activities that contribute to basic character development, allowing players to explore and enhance their characters' abilities. Additionally, the inclusion of two extra playable trading characters adds depth to the overall experience. Overall, the game effectively unfolds its potential as players progress.
“The game offers a ton of side quests and activities to earn extra cash, which imply basic character development. With two extra playable trading characters, it truly develops its full potential as you play.”
“Character development is rich and engaging, allowing players to see their characters grow and evolve throughout the game.”
“The depth of character development keeps players invested, as each decision impacts the storyline and the characters' relationships.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that impact character growth throughout the game.”
“The characters seem one-dimensional, and their development is predictable and uninspired.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its humor, providing an entertaining distraction for players, though many feel it requires significant improvements to fully realize its potential.
“The game is a hilarious time sink right now, but it definitely needs a lot of work.”
“The humor in this game is spot on, making every moment enjoyable.”
“I can't stop laughing at the witty dialogue and clever puns throughout the game.”
