Shop Heroes

Shop Heroes is a fantasy tycoon game where you craft legendary items, equip heroes for quests, and compete in Trade Wars and PvP Leaderboards. Build and trade your way to riches, recruit heroes, and work with other players to create a powerful city. Discover the secrets of mysterious relics as you expand and upgrade your shop.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

64%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,206 reviews

gameplay19 positive mentions

monetization30 negative mentions

Addictive gameplay with a fun crafting and shop management system.
Engaging community with helpful players and active support from developers.
Free to play with the option to earn premium currency through gameplay.

Heavy reliance on microtransactions, making progression slow for free players.
Repetitive gameplay that can become tedious after a while.
High item break rates for heroes, leading to frustration and the need for repairs using premium currency.

story
142 mentions
2 % positive mentions
96 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around managing a fantasy shop while sending heroes on quests to gather resources for crafting better equipment. Players experience a cycle of equipping heroes, completing quests, and dealing with frequent equipment breakage, which can be frustrating. While the quest system offers a variety of activities, many players feel that the lack of a compelling narrative and the repetitive nature of quests detracts from the overall experience.
- “This game is more addictive than you first realize as you think it's just a free-to-play game so you only really need to check it once a day for an hour or two, which turns into a six-hour gaming session as you're waiting to fill a request or you have just five more minutes to wait for your heroes to come back from a quest for the vital component you need to make what you need to make.”
- “You can customize your characters and your shop, upgrade your furniture and decorations to improve your manufacturing process and customer influence, evolve your town to increase the skill of your workers, invest in resources and buffs as well as test your warriors against others and do quests, etc.”
- “You play the role of a mayor for a city (starting out is pretty much a village) and you try to build up everything by making investments with the gold you earn through sending heroes on quests to gather tiny bits of gold and materials, having smiths, leatherworkers, crafters of all sorts making equipment for customers, and finally making sales through the market.”
- “The hero quest system is very irritating with the gear break system.”
- “Would be a great game if not for the horrendously inaccurate item breakage percentages, which make you think you can send heroes on at least half a dozen quests without their gear breaking but in actuality their gear breaks with regular monotony, which means you are constantly fighting a losing battle between making money and keeping your heroes equipped.”
- “There's no plot here.”
monetization
98 mentions
9 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
31 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players labeling it a cash grab due to its heavy reliance on microtransactions and slow progression mechanics. While some users report that it is possible to enjoy the game without spending money, the overwhelming presence of expensive in-game purchases and pay-to-win elements has left a negative impression, leading to frustration and disappointment among the community. Overall, the game's monetization practices are seen as predatory and detrimental to the overall experience.
- “I have found that you can get by just fine without spending money, but there is a heavy pay-to-win side with gear blueprint packages and boosts, extra heroes, speeding time, etc. I've not regretted any of my in-game purchases, but I wish they would add more free content for players at an end-game level.”
- “There are a couple of things only obtainable by spending more money, but they only provide greater convenience/speed, so the microtransactions are pay-for-convenience, not pay-to-win.”
- “Great tech support, lots of staff that answers emails within 1 hour, lots of bug fix patches every month, some microtransactions to speed up your progress, but not necessary at all to play.”
- “The game's reliance on microtransactions and slow progression makes it feel more like a cash grab than a genuinely enjoyable experience.”
- “Played this game for years, waited patiently for them to release good updates, and work with the community, ended up quitting a year ago because after a couple years of waiting, we get one small new feature, seems like no communication, and the game is nothing but a cash grab at this point.”
- “The microtransactions in this game are especially obnoxious and expensive for a 'free-to-play' game; in fact, I would wager the worst I have ever seen.”
gameplay
91 mentions
21 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Shop Heroes is characterized by a repetitive and grind-heavy experience, often feeling more like a management simulation than an engaging shopkeeping adventure. While it offers a variety of mechanics and activities, many players find the reliance on microtransactions and frustrating mechanics—such as item breakage and time gating—detracts from the overall enjoyment. Despite its appealing visuals and potential for casual play, the game is criticized for its cash sink elements and tedious progression, making it less appealing for those seeking a more dynamic gaming experience.
- “Fun and fascinating, I'm always discovering new aspects of gameplay (or old ones I've previously missed) leading to almost a thousand hours of gameplay!”
- “The core gameplay is crafting items to put on your heroes.”
- “Overall though, it was fun until I got to the point of 'need 1-2k gold to upgrade necessities for fluid gameplay but items sell for less than 100 gold a piece and require waiting to gather resources.'”
- “Shop Heroes disappoints with its tedious and repetitive gameplay loop, leaving players feeling more like glorified spreadsheet managers than true shopkeepers.”
- “Gameplay consists of basic screen tapping to 'run' a 'shop', where you will quickly find you're time/paygated and must buy mobile peasant in-game currency with real-world money to progress.”
- “Shop Heroes becomes extremely grindy and they have an absolutely tear-your-hair-out mechanic, where your hero's items break on nearly every series of quests.”
grinding
58 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of "Shop Heroes" is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, often reducing gameplay to a frustrating inventory management experience. While some players appreciate the grind as part of the game's charm, many express dissatisfaction with the excessive time and effort required to progress, compounded by monetization strategies that push for real-world cash investments. Overall, the game is seen as heavily grind-oriented, appealing primarily to those who enjoy resource management and incremental progression despite its flaws.
- “Shop Heroes disappoints with its tedious and repetitive gameplay loop, leaving players feeling more like glorified spreadsheet managers than true shopkeepers.”
- “So spending days and weeks grinding out a single addition which will make little to no difference is very uninspiring.”
- “The game itself is just an infinite grinding process and has an in-game transaction system to 'speed it up'; why can't you make your gameplay more interesting by paying money like other pay-to-win games?”
graphics
55 mentions
44 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the cute and charming art style, which is often described as colorful and well-polished. However, some critics note that the visuals can feel basic or reminiscent of older games, and there are concerns about the game's reliance on reskinning and monetization strategies. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered appealing, they may not be enough to sustain long-term interest in the gameplay.
- “Brilliant graphics”
- “The graphics are beautiful (both NPC models and portraits), the sound is good, the music is... well, there is music so that's fine.”
- “Outstanding graphics, great mechanics, lovely amount of in-game loot to keep you feeling like a successful shopkeeper.”
- “The art style is very basic and has a bit of a 'stock image' feeling, reminiscent of isometric PS2 games.”
- “Graphics: 4 (looks like a flash game)”
- “Played it for several days - actually it was reasonably enjoyable until I started it after the update and it came up as a 5 millimeter graphic window that you couldn't interact with - it's a bug that's a deal breaker - unplayable, so the rest is really irrelevant.”
music
10 mentions
40 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it enjoyable and fitting for the game's atmosphere, while others criticize it for being repetitive and monotonous, leading them to mute it frequently. Overall, while the music contributes to a relaxing experience, many feel it needs improvement to enhance long-term engagement.
- “The graphics are cute, and so is the music, and for the most part, it could be a relaxing, easy-going game.”
- “The cartooning is simple and fun, along with the music.”
- “I really like it; nice music and sounds, full of colors and nice characters, interesting gameplay.”
- “Music sucks and it gets repetitive at endgame but that's pretty much my only complaint.”
- “Music/sound: 3 (monotonous, you will turn it off after a short while)”
- “Music needs improvement.”
humor
9 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as both funny and addictive, with players enjoying comedic moments that arise from character interactions and unexpected situations. Users appreciate the lightheartedness it brings to gameplay, making even mundane tasks more enjoyable, while some find humor in the game's commentary on money-grabbing tactics. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor that enhances the gaming experience and keeps players engaged.
- “Really funny and addictive game.”
- “The micromanagement, the funny stories, and the new perspective of being an NPC instead of the 'hero that destroys everything' is so fresh that it will keep you seated for hours and hours.”
- “Funny thing is that the money wall is so big that you can't even use decent money to get over it!”
stability
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
-29 % neutral mentions
86 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is widely criticized, with users reporting frequent glitches, freezes, and issues with progress being undone. Many players express frustration over the game's unreliability, including problems with item selection and connectivity, leading to a general recommendation against playing it until these issues are resolved. However, some users note that there are no significant stability differences across platform versions.
- “There are no glitches, no huge changes implemented between the platform versions, and the graphics are still adorable on the big screen.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, providing a seamless experience.”
- “I appreciate how consistent the performance is across different devices; it really enhances the overall enjoyment.”
- “But having been asked if I recommend it, I would have to say no, as it freezes all the time.”
- “The game is riddled with glitches, often freezing or undoing completed progress. I can't seem to scroll through item lists without repeatedly selecting an item, and you don't have an option to keymap. I don't know why, but since playing this game, my internet disconnects or the game freezes and kicks me out.”
- “Can't even open the chest; the game is buggy and stuck.”
optimization
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
-25 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with users noting smooth performance, particularly on Steam, and effective touchscreen integration. However, some players experience occasional desynchronization issues, but these are not considered major problems. The base optimization aspect is highlighted as enjoyable, despite some concerns about repetitive gameplay.
- “The optimization of your base is fun.”
- “It runs smoothly, with only minor desynchronization issues.”
- “Optimized for touchscreen, and it shows in the user interface.”
- “It also probably lacks some sort of end game or mid game really, because it gets repetitive and boring after a while, but the optimization of your base is fun.”
- “Optimized for touchscreen and it shows in the user interface.”
atmosphere
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized as calming and positive, creating a happy and relaxing environment that is easy to engage with, making it accessible for players of all skill levels.
- “An amazing shop game with a really low learning curve and a calming atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is kind of happy and relaxing.”
- “+ Happy and positive atmosphere when you are in that mood.”
character development
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its diverse and appealing designs, ranging from chibi styles to detailed anatomical representations of NPC heroes. Players express a desire for more meaningful character progression, suggesting that enhancing character design and customization could improve the overall experience.
- “The character development is impressive, with a wide range of designs from chibi to anatomically correct close-up portrayals of the NPC heroes.”
- “I would be happy if they focused on enhancing character design and furniture rather than just ways to spend gems.”
- “The depth of character development really adds to the overall experience, making each character feel unique and engaging.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression.”
- “I was hoping for more depth in the characters, but they all seem one-dimensional.”
- “The choices I make don't seem to impact the character's growth or story at all.”