Sheryl ~The Alchemist of the Island Ruins~

86%
Game Brain Score Based on 47 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Sheryl ~The Alchemist of the Island Ruins~ Game Cover
Starting at $17.99Buy now
Get on Steam

"Sheryl ~The Alchemist of the Island Ruins~" is a game where players explore the ruins of Abyss, an island chasm, to gather ingredients for alchemy and make a living. As the titular character, Sheryl, players will encounter various intelligent species, monsters, and ancient civilizations. The game combines low-stakes slice-of-life exploration with high-stakes drama as Sheryl uncovers a conspiracy and becomes entangled in a web of deception.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 47 reviews
story9 positive mentions
graphics3 negative mentions
  • Engaging gameplay that combines real-time combat with a deep crafting system, providing a fun and immersive experience.
  • The art style is charming, featuring high-quality CGs and pixel art animations that enhance the overall aesthetic of the game.
  • The game offers a variety of quests and multiple endings, encouraging exploration and replayability.
  • The gameplay can feel repetitive, with many fetch quests and a basic crafting menu that may frustrate some players.
  • Technical issues such as lag during combat and a poorly implemented fullscreen mode can detract from the experience.
  • The requirement to download an external patch for adult content can be inconvenient and may lead to confusion for some players.
  • story58 mentions

    The game's story is a blend of adventure and crafting, centered around the protagonist, Sheryl, who must manage an alchemy store while navigating a world filled with quests and moral dilemmas. While some players find the narrative engaging and the characters memorable, others criticize it for being simplistic and overshadowed by gameplay mechanics, with a mix of lighthearted and darker themes. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop for the gameplay, offering a mix of quests and character interactions that enhance the experience, despite some inconsistencies in translation and pacing.

    • “The overall design, ambiance, music, and story bring out the mystery of the island ruins.”
    • “Set against the backdrop of Altona, a quaint town perilously perched on the rim of an enigmatic chasm known as the Abyss, the game combines elements of adventure, crafting, and a slice-of-life narrative with a dash of mature content that enriches the storytelling experience.”
    • “The game's innovative mechanics, coupled with a compelling storyline and well-designed world, make it a standout title.”
    • “The quest can be rather mundane as it is mostly just delivering alchemy-made items.”
    • “Unfortunately, there isn't much of a story, and a lot of the content is non-consensual, involving trickery or defeats and traps.”
    • “Due to the approach of the story, the game mainly consists of completing quests for everyone, instead of only having to complete quests for the adventurer's guild.”
  • gameplay32 mentions

    The gameplay of "Sheryl the Alchemist of the Island Ruins" features a blend of engaging real-time combat and deep crafting systems, allowing for a variety of strategies and character customization. While some players find the experience repetitive due to unskippable cut-scenes and grindy elements, others appreciate the innovative mechanics and rich narrative that enhance the overall adventure. Technical issues like lag have been reported, but the game remains a solid choice for RPG enthusiasts seeking a mix of action and alchemy.

    • “Overall, a solid 10 hours of mostly enjoyable gameplay.”
    • “This unique approach to gameplay is complemented by real-time combat mechanics that are both engaging and challenging, requiring players to deftly maneuver between using a staff, bow, and magic against a variety of foes.”
    • “The game's innovative mechanics, coupled with a compelling storyline and well-designed world, make it a standout title.”
    • “In terms of gameplay, it feels repetitive and has some repeating unskippable cut-scenes, which gets old pretty fast for me.”
    • “Some players have reported technical issues such as lag, especially when closing menus or during complex scenes, which can disrupt gameplay.”
    • “Grindy gameplay, lame characters, and a 'thanks for playing' ending.”
  • graphics9 mentions

    The game's graphics are highly praised for their adorable Japanese anime art style, featuring polished character profiles and vibrant sprites. The visuals blend traditional anime aesthetics with charming pixel art, particularly in defeat scenes, while maintaining a focus on cute, non-lewd character designs. Overall, the graphics are considered attractive and well-executed, enhancing the game's appeal.

    • “The screenshots you see on the store page showcase the main art style used in all of the game's CGs.”
    • “Graphically, the game is quite attractive, with anime-style art and characters that are 'cute' with small bodies and slim builds, avoiding the lewd designs found in other games.”
    • “The visuals don't disappoint either, as they feature vivid and highly polished character profiles and still shots, eye-catching sprites, and nicely animated pixel art defeat scenes.”
    • “Other scenes, especially those from falling in battle or getting caught in a trap, use a pixel art style.”
    • “Cg art style is more towards moe rather than lewd as well.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game effectively enhances the mysterious ambiance of the island ruins, with a well-curated selection that complements the environments and story. Players appreciate the variety of background music, sound effects, and voice acting, which together enrich the overall experience and add depth to the protagonist's character.

    • “The overall design, ambiance, music, and story bring out the mystery of the island ruins.”
    • “Great story, music, and ambiance; it fulfills your inspiration to become an adventurer like Sheryl.”
    • “The music was chosen to suit the environments.”
    • “The music was chosen to suit the environments, but it often feels repetitive and uninspired.”
    • “While the game has a variety of background music and sound effects, the overall soundtrack lacks depth and fails to engage the player.”
    • “The collectible music feature is a nice idea, but the tracks themselves are forgettable and do not enhance the gaming experience.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The game features a blend of humor that includes quirky quests, such as selling seeds to a character humorously named Baron Gay, and a lighthearted tone throughout its atelier and alchemy gameplay. Players appreciate the funny dialogue and cute aesthetics, which contribute to an overall entertaining experience filled with laughter.

    • “I was expecting a cute and funny game.”
    • “I like the humorous quests (selling 'seed' of various species to a totally not closeted homosexual individual called Baron Gay, for example), the slightly 'cute and funny' looks of our lovely protagonist, and the feeling of mowing down hordes of enemies (as it is easy to become OP).”
    • “An atelier-like game with a cute UI, funny dialogue, cool mechanics, and pretty fun gameplay.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some initially feel it can be tedious, others enjoy the farming mechanics and the ability to purchase materials to alleviate the grind. Overall, the grinding is seen as a necessary part of the gameplay, with varying levels of enjoyment depending on individual preferences.

    • “Grindy gameplay, lame characters, and a 'thanks for playing' ending.”
    • “If you're tired from grinding, just buy the necessary materials to clear any quests you have.”
    • “Pretty fun RPG overall, a bit grindy at first but then it gets better.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability due to its extensive content, featuring over 180 quests and a wide variety of items to create, along with a new game plus (ng+) mode that encourages players to revisit the experience.

    • “Some replayable values with New Game Plus (NG+).”
    • “Replay value: extensive content, including over 180 quests and a vast array of items to create, ensuring high replayability.”
    • “Some replayable values with New Game Plus.”
    • “[Replay value:]”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its depth and maturity, enhancing the narrative and providing a unique experience in each playthrough. However, the mature content may not resonate with all players.

    • “This multifaceted approach to character development enriches the game, making each playthrough uniquely compelling.”
    • “The mature content, while handled with care to add depth to the narrative and character development, may not appeal to all players.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is predominantly peaceful, creating a serene environment for players, but this tranquility shifts dramatically when taking a tram, introducing a contrasting element to the overall experience.

    • “It's a game with a peaceful atmosphere until you take a tram.”
    • “The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
    • “Despite the beautiful graphics, the atmosphere lacks any real tension or excitement.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Sheryl ~The Alchemist of the Island Ruins~

Videos

Similar Games

Game News