Pixel Shopkeeper
- July 20, 2017
- Pixel Prototype
- 3h median play time
Get on SteamIn Pixel Shopkeeper, players become the owner of a fantasy shop, buying and selling items to customers while managing inventory and finances. The game features procedurally generated dungeons to explore, providing materials and resources to craft and sell. With each decision impacting the player's progress, Pixel Shopkeeper offers a unique blend of management and adventure.
Mac OS
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Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Unique concept and well executed, providing a fun shopkeeping experience.
- Engaging gameplay loop that combines dungeon crawling with shop management, offering strategic depth.
- Charming pixel art and humorous dialogue that adds to the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Game can feel tedious and grindy, especially with repetitive tasks and constant clicking.
- Lack of quality of life features and intuitive UI design makes navigation and management cumbersome.
- The game has been abandoned by the developer, leading to concerns about future updates and content.
- gameplay80 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of shop management and dungeon exploration, with players enjoying the cute aesthetics and engaging mechanics, though some find the core loop repetitive and lacking depth. While the game features addictive elements and a charming art style, it could benefit from clearer mechanics and more varied content. Overall, players appreciate the simplicity and humor, but opinions vary on the game's long-term engagement and complexity.
“The gameplay is enjoyable, it's very cute, I like the dialogue, the NPCs make me giggle sometimes.”
“The progression feels good and there's always a goal, and it has surprises and new gameplay elements that open up later on.”
“Charming art, good balance of sim and puzzle gameplay, and the game never really seems to slow down; there is always something to do!”
“However, the gameplay loop is just boring.”
“Considering the dungeons move extremely fast, this is just a pretty awful-feeling mechanic overall, and I'd personally have made it so that the items have to either be discarded, time out, or all in your bag before the dungeon ends.”
“There's a little bit of shop design strategy and min-maxing going on, but far too little to really call it a core gameplay loop.”
- music34 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, featuring catchy chiptune melodies that enhance the gameplay experience. However, many players note that the tracks can become repetitive and grating, especially during extended play sessions. Despite this, there are multiple songs available, and players appreciate the option to turn the music off if desired.
“Catchy chiptune music with super addictive clicker gameplay.”
“First thing you'll notice is nice chiptune music with a catchy melody!”
“Contrary to what another reviewer might tell you, there's more than one song in the game and all the songs are quite good and catchy, and if you really want to, you can even turn it off if it doesn't fit your tastes!”
“Only other thing is that the music can get really annoying after a while... might be because I've been playing for 4 hours straight though.”
“While I'm a little put off by its repetition (and grating music), I see how often the game is updated, and I'm very excited to play it again when they've added more to it.”
“No matter what you do, where you are, who you are interacting with, this music repeats over and over like it wants to brainwash you into seeing the world in pixels.”
- grinding30 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and repetitive, particularly as the game progresses and shop expansions increase the number of tasks. While some enjoy the humor and mechanics, many express frustration with the monotonous nature of grinding for resources and the cumbersome navigation and menu management. Overall, the grind is seen as a barrier to longer play sessions and diminishes the fun factor.
“I wanted to give a neutral rating to this game, since I enjoy this type of games and the humor is quite cute, but this game in particular is so grindy and the grind is extremely boring.”
“Unfortunately, it's simply very tedious and repetitive rather than any kind of fun.”
“My biggest problem is that I can't play it for longer sessions as there are too many tedious tasks and they get more the larger your shop gets.”
- story26 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is perceived as lacking depth and progression, with many players expressing a desire for a more engaging narrative, particularly a "rookie to hero" arc. While some enjoy the initial story elements and the variety of quests, there is a consensus that late-game content is sparse and that the developers are aware of these shortcomings, promising future updates to enhance the storytelling experience. Overall, the potential for a richer narrative exists, but it currently feels underdeveloped.
“The story is nice so far, and I still get new items, unlock different bags, discover more blueprints for crafting, and explore more dungeons.”
“In any good game, this game truly shows that every click you make makes a difference in the quest of paying off your debt.”
“I do feel, however, with some patchwork and more storytelling from the very helpful developer, this will become a great game.”
“Story-wise, I really wish there were something more; there is so much potential here. Where’s the rookie to hero progression?”
“There is a story afterwards, but I didn't feel as motivated.”
“- no sense of story or pace”
- humor26 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cuteness and hilarity, with many players enjoying the funny dialogue and quirky concepts, such as the amusing shopkeeper mechanics. The game features engaging text bubbles and a charming pixel art style that enhances the comedic experience, making it both entertaining and addictive despite some criticisms about grindiness. Overall, the humor is a standout aspect that keeps players engaged and entertained.
“Pretty funny way to make a shopkeeper game.”
“The game is riddled with humor and great pixel art.”
“The humor is great and the sound of coins overflowing into your purse is pure bliss!”
- graphics26 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are primarily described as simplistic and pixelated, which some players find charming and fitting for the game's theme. While opinions vary, with some praising the art style and aesthetic, others criticize the graphics as either poor or lacking originality. Overall, the pixel art is seen as a defining feature that complements the gameplay, despite its limitations.
“Graphics: 10/10”
“The art style is pixel and fits the game quite well.”
“The pixel aesthetic is amusing as well.”
“The art style is simplistic and the music can get a little repetitive, but the gameplay is very addictive.”
“Its graphics are either bad or asset-flipped and poorly executed.”
“Plain, bad graphics.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users consistently report that the game feels stable, with no significant glitches or issues encountered.
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The introduction of easy mode and sandbox features has significantly enhanced the game's replayability, making it more accessible and enjoyable for new players. This flexibility allows for varied gameplay experiences, encouraging players to revisit the game.
“Ever since easy mode and sandbox were released recently, this game has become much more accessible for newcomers like me.”
“The addition of easy mode and sandbox has significantly increased the game's replayability, making it enjoyable for players of all skill levels.”
“With the new easy mode and sandbox features, I find myself coming back to the game again and again, exploring different strategies and playstyles.”
