Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale

96%
Game Brain Score Based on 5,255 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • humor
Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale Game Cover
A shining indie gem, yours for a throat-cuttingly reasonable price. Buy now and well throw in this lovely score for free.
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In "Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale," players run an item shop to pay off a loan, guided by a bossy fairy. Stock the shop through town markets or dungeon diving, set prices, and decorate the store. Multiple adventurers offer unique dungeon experiences in this charming, management-focused RPG.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

96%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,255 reviews
gameplay309 positive mentions
grinding159 negative mentions
  • Charming and engaging gameplay that combines shop management with dungeon crawling.
  • Unique haggling mechanics that add depth to the selling process.
  • Cute characters and humorous dialogue that enhance the overall experience.
  • Dungeon crawling can become repetitive and lacks depth compared to the shop management aspect.
  • The game can feel punishing with its increasing debt payments and the need to restart if you fail.
  • Controls can be clunky, especially with no mouse support and limited key bindings.
  • gameplay862 mentions

    The gameplay in Recettear is a unique blend of shop management and dungeon crawling, offering a satisfying loop of buying low and selling high while exploring dungeons for items. Players appreciate the charming characters and engaging mechanics, though some find the gameplay repetitive and the dungeon elements less compelling. Overall, the game is praised for its addictive nature and depth, despite some hidden mechanics that may require external guidance to fully understand.

    • “The battle mechanics are simple yet challenging enough to keep me engaged.”
    • “The gameplay loop is easy to understand and even has rogue-like elements on both its two main ways of playing: buying and selling things in your store, and dungeon crawling similar to old 2D Zelda titles, finding treasure to sell in your store.”
    • “The gameplay is simple but quite addictive.”
    • “The gameplay is surprisingly deep, and the story, while a bit simple, is pretty good.”
    • “The gameplay can be roughly divided into two parts: store management and dungeon crawling.”
    • “The gameplay is pretty stale, since the most you'll ever do is buy, sell, and spelunk in a dungeon or two, but it's worth the buy if you think you like anime-styled shop simulators and dungeon crawlers.”
  • story853 mentions

    The story of "Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale" revolves around a young girl, Recette, who must manage an item shop to pay off her father's substantial debt, with the help of a fairy named Tear. While the main narrative is relatively straightforward and light-hearted, featuring charming characters and humorous dialogue, it also offers depth through various side stories and character interactions that unfold as players progress. Although some find the story simplistic and the gameplay repetitive, many appreciate its nostalgic feel and the engaging blend of shop management and dungeon crawling, with additional content available in post-game modes.

    • “The story is cute and endearing in a way, the characters are a little simple but endearing and the overall feel of the game is cute, fun, and engaging.”
    • “As she purchases and sells various goods, the player is treated to a richly woven tale of friendship, betrayal, and adventure, complete with lovable characters and unexpected plot twists.”
    • “The story never takes itself seriously and doesn’t shy away from doing jokes on bad situations, also has a big and colorful cast of characters, most of them playable in the dungeon section of the game, which adds a lot to the charm.”
    • “The story is very light and the atmosphere is comfy.”
    • “The story itself is really short; it ends the moment you pay off your last debt.”
    • “The story is lacking to the point where it loses the spotlight to the shop keeping and dungeon diving.”
  • humor349 mentions

    The humor in "Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale" is widely praised for its charming and witty dialogue, often blending cute character interactions with sharp, satirical commentary on capitalism. Players appreciate the game's lighthearted tone, filled with laugh-out-loud moments and quirky humor that enhances the overall experience, making it both engaging and entertaining. The localization is noted for its excellence, contributing to the game's memorable and humorous narrative.

    • “With its addictive gameplay, charming graphics, and hilarious humor, it's a must-play for anyone who loves a good capitalist adventure.”
    • “The writing is funny and the characters are charming, so the game has a fun, lighthearted feeling all the way through.”
    • “The humor flows quite well in the story.”
  • graphics310 mentions

    The graphics of "Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale" are often described as charming yet dated, with a distinct anime-inspired aesthetic that appeals to fans of retro gaming. While some players appreciate the cute pixel art and vibrant colors, others note that the visuals can feel inconsistent, particularly in the dungeon environments where 3D models clash with 2D sprites. Overall, the game's art style is seen as a nostalgic nod to earlier RPGs, contributing to its unique charm despite its graphical limitations.

    • “The charming, anime-inspired graphics are a breath of fresh air in a medium that is often overly preoccupied with hyper-realism, and the lovingly crafted pixel art adds a sense of nostalgia that is sure to delight any connoisseur of the retro-gaming scene.”
    • “The graphics are adorable, with bright colors and cute character designs that are sure to put a smile on your face.”
    • “The graphics may show less appeal to most compared to Moonlighter, but at the end of the day, the cute retro graphics and larger-than-life cast make this game a joy to play.”
    • “Graphics are a little dated.”
    • “The graphics are not great, honestly speaking.”
    • “The graphics may be dated, but it still holds up as the best item shop game currently available.”
  • grinding163 mentions

    Grinding in this game is a mixed experience; while some players appreciate the charm and simplicity of the shop management and dungeon crawling, many find the repetitive nature of both aspects tedious and unfulfilling. The dungeon exploration can become monotonous, especially when seeking rare items or completing crafting requirements, leading to a sense of grind that may deter those who dislike such gameplay. Overall, the game appeals to fans of grinding mechanics, but its repetitiveness and lack of depth in certain areas can be off-putting for others.

    • “Very addictive (in a positive way, not grindy).”
    • “+ Merchant levels make you feel like you're accomplishing something when not grinding dungeons.”
    • “- Leveling is not grindy and happens naturally for the most part.”
    • “The dungeon crawling/grinding gets tedious, fusion is a tedious mechanic (that you can ignore), the story is basic as hell, the characters are annoying, but if you ignore all that the core shop gameplay is good.”
    • “The dungeon grind is tedious and boring, not difficult or challenging in any other way.”
    • “Unfortunately, after a while you notice there is a lot of repetition/grinding.”
  • music144 mentions

    The music in the game is generally described as cheerful, catchy, and fitting for its whimsical atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience. However, many players note that it becomes repetitive quickly, leading some to prefer listening to their own playlists instead. While the soundtrack is enjoyable and complements the game's cute visuals and engaging mechanics, its lack of variety can detract from long play sessions.

    • “And the soundtrack is just as charming, with catchy tunes that will have you humming along.”
    • “The music is fitting as well, being upbeat pretty much all of the time.”
    • “The music is charming.”
    • “The music gets repetitive very fast and can even annoy you at times.”
    • “The music is terrible.”
    • “The only bad thing about the game is the music--it's repetitious, so I play with my computer muted.”
  • replayability126 mentions

    The game offers a high level of replayability, with various modes such as New Game+ and survival options that encourage players to explore different strategies and character interactions. Many reviewers highlight the addictive nature of the gameplay and the extensive content available post-completion, making it appealing for completionists. However, some players note that certain titles in the genre may lack significant replay value, suggesting a mixed experience depending on individual preferences.

    • “The best shopkeep game with high replayability and just the right amount of challenge.”
    • “This game has serious replayability... in fact, if you only beat it once, then you haven't really beaten it at all.”
    • “Recettear is a great 2.5D dungeon crawler/shopkeeper simulator with a quirky storyline and huge replayability.”
    • “Sure, Potionomics was a nice little treat while it lasted, but its replay value is nonexistent compared to Recettear.”
    • “The game has close to no replayability even with 'new game plus' because the management system is very basic.”
    • “I'd recommend buying it, but definitely on sale for $9.99 or less simply because of how short the game is, and how little replay value it offers in my opinion.”
  • atmosphere47 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a charming and cozy environment, enhanced by customizable shop aesthetics that influence customer interactions. Players appreciate the lighthearted and humorous vibe, complemented by cheerful music and endearing characters, while also noting the underlying tension from gameplay mechanics like debt management. Overall, the game successfully balances a nostalgic, inviting atmosphere with engaging challenges, making it both enjoyable and addictive.

    • “The story is very light and the atmosphere is comfy.”
    • “Charming is a good way to describe the game itself - the characters are adorable and endearing, the gameplay is like a neat mini-game, and the overall atmosphere is comfortable and relaxing.”
    • “Fusing witty humor, easy-to-understand gameplay with surprising hidden depths and an utterly charming atmosphere, it's hard not to love it.”
    • “For a game with such an easygoing atmosphere and a core gameplay loop about optimizing a routine over the course of weeks, Recettear gets ridiculously harsh when it wants to be.”
    • “Sometimes to get the right store atmosphere you have to make some very ugly looking combinations.”
    • “Despite having the shiny atmosphere, the game is also quite challenging with the debts you must pay for the item shop, and you will have to push yourself to ensure your income makes it in time.”
  • emotional43 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming and wholesome storytelling, featuring quirky characters and touching moments that resonate with players. While some elements may feel superficial or overly cute, the overall experience is described as fun and engaging, often evoking laughter and genuine emotional responses. Players appreciate the balance between humor and heartfelt interactions, making it a memorable and addictive adventure.

    • “The main story cutscenes are fine, but the optional little scenes you can find in-game range from funny to genuinely cute and heartwarming.”
    • “Combine with its heartwarming story scenes, and lovable cast of characters, and it's quite simply a fantastic game.”
    • “Eight years on, I can still recall how profoundly that game gripped me, and I am not an overly emotional person.”
  • character development19 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the depth and growth of individual characters, particularly in post-game modes, others feel that the main storyline lacks significant character progression and leaves many mysteries unresolved. The charming character designs and anime aesthetic are frequently praised, but some reviews highlight that despite the appealing visuals, the overall character development can feel stagnant or underwhelming. Ultimately, the game offers opportunities for deeper character exploration, especially in side stories and endless mode, but this is often overshadowed by repetitive gameplay and unresolved plot elements.

    • “Other than that, it's a fun game with plenty of story and character development, closer to experiencing an ever-growing fantasy world rather than going through a 2D storyline.”
    • “The credits rolling after the beginning stage can be deceiving, as there are at least two complete storylines that can be played through afterwards, with plenty of character development in-between.”
    • “While there aren't many of these side stories in your first run through the game, there are plenty of opportunities to see all the extra side scenes once you complete the game and enter endless mode, where there's a lot more character development and story to unlock.”
    • “While the game has a story, it didn't really do a whole lot of character development and there were some mysteries that seemed to be unresolved by the end.”
    • “The story, on the other hand, feels somewhat original (as original as any story can be nowadays), but there's literally no character development, as everyone ends up remaining exactly the same, while also there seem to be lots of plot holes.”
    • “Long term, however, a lot of the character development and lore-story is unfortunately bound up in this boring gameplay, as unlocking new adventurers and learning most of their backstory requires going through this tedious loop.”
  • stability10 mentions

    The stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting a smooth experience free of glitches and bugs, while others encounter significant issues such as crashes, broken graphics, and audio glitches. Overall, while some players praise its performance, others highlight persistent bugs that detract from gameplay.

    • “It's bug free and really well made.”
    • “The game runs very smoothly and works great while using a controller.”
    • “It has a really good balance of ease and difficulty, and runs great.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game is rather buggy and crashes quite consistently. Twice I have had to reset my computer from this game, even though my PC can run all other games just fine; this one seems to have issues.”
    • “1 is terrible overall: buggy, broken graphics, choppy gameplay, no story, and a steep or non-existent difficulty curve.”
    • “- kind of buggy, mostly in NG+.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game's optimization is generally well-received, as it runs smoothly even on less powerful hardware, making it accessible for players with lower-end systems. However, the gameplay involves a challenging optimization element where player performance directly impacts customer satisfaction and game progression. While the graphics are not particularly impressive, they are deemed acceptable for the game's requirements.

    • “A charming 12-hour optimization problem.”
    • “A fairy 'helps' her and grades her performance as an item shop owner, only to kick her out on the curb if one of the absurd payments isn't met.”
    • “Customer expectations and frequency change based on your performance with them.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization model of the game is likened to that of a mobile idle game, but it notably lacks advertisements. Players engage in a simplistic haggling mechanic that revolves solely around adjusting numbers, without any additional elements such as competition or offers, which may limit the depth of the experience.

    • “This is an idle game you'd find on mobile but without the ads, and it's not an idle game.”
    • “Haggling consists entirely of raising or lowering a number; there's no rhetoric, advertising, personal relationships, competition, or offers.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

83% average critic score

Buy Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale

Play time

17hMedian play time
39hAverage play time
8-35hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 30 analyzed playthroughs

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