Shoppe Keep

A business management game that lets you create your own fantasy retail consortium.

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In a fantasy world where adventurers take on epic quests to slay vicious beasts, you run a shoppe that sells swords, apparel and potions. Shoppe Keep is an Indie Management Simulation game developed by Arvydas Žemaitis, and published by Excalibur Games and Merge Games.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

52%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,058 reviews

gameplay81 positive mentions

stability160 negative mentions

The game has a unique concept of running a shop for adventurers, which is engaging and fun.
The developers are responsive and actively update the game, showing commitment to improving the experience.
The gameplay can be addictive, with a satisfying progression system as players unlock new items and features.

The game feels unfinished and lacks polish, with many bugs and glitches affecting gameplay.
The tutorial is poorly designed, providing little guidance on controls and mechanics, making it difficult for new players to get started.
The gameplay can become repetitive and tedious, with a lot of time spent on menial tasks like sweeping and restocking.

gameplay
318 mentions
25 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title is a mixed bag, with many players finding it simple and addictive, particularly in the context of shop management and RPG elements. However, numerous reviews highlight issues such as repetitiveness, a lack of depth, and various bugs that detract from the overall experience. While some enjoy the unique mechanics and potential for fun, others criticize the game for being shallow and unpolished, suggesting that it may not appeal to everyone.
- “Thanks to the brilliant gameplay and progression, this game can easily give over 100 hours of entertainment, as long as graphics, UI, sound, and spotty performance do not bother you much.”
- “The gameplay is a fresh and fun take on tried and true tycoon elements combined with action elements, creating a tasteful simplicity that could easily be expanded upon in future updates.”
- “The meat of the gameplay is fun; it keeps you on your toes (dang thieves) and presents relative simplicity for newcomers but can definitely become harder late game.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and grindy.”
- “The gameplay is just a repeating circle, sell this, make money, sell even more of it, make more money until you got so much money you just quit because the game does not have a goal at all.”
- “The gameplay gets stale quickly, and the only way to expand it is by grinding for hours.”
graphics
225 mentions
28 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players describing them as simplistic, cartoonish, or even "horrid," often comparing them unfavorably to more polished titles. While some appreciate the quirky art style and find it fitting for the gameplay, others criticize the low-quality textures and performance issues, particularly on lower-end PCs. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the graphics may not be stunning, they can be enjoyable if players are willing to overlook their shortcomings.
- “Nice graphics which I love that are almost cartoon-like.”
- “Cute graphics, easy to play and fun to customize the look of your shop.”
- “The graphics are soft on the eyes, gameplay is solid (minor hiccups, but as I said, early access), and it's just plain fun through and through.”
- “The graphics are horrid, the gameplay is boring, there's barely any point in playing.”
- “The graphics are pretty underwhelming, and you end up with as many physics glitches as Skyrim, but with less excuse.”
- “The strange low-quality graphics of the NPCs is one example, another being the 'afterthought' in-game tutorial.”
stability
164 mentions
2 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
98 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with many users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. While some players find the game enjoyable despite its flaws, others describe it as a "buggy mess" that feels unfinished and lacking polish. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game requires significant improvements in stability before it can be recommended for purchase.
- “It got much better with each update, and the final release is very bug free.”
- “I'm sure the bugs will be fixed in the near future, but I'd rather own a game that I know is 99.9% bug free.”
- “Can't even use a controller hardly at all, and even when using mouse and keyboard, it lags, menus get stuck, it freezes, many of the controls aren't working.”
- “Don't buy this game now as it has become a buggy mess.”
- “There are many bugs and glitches and incomplete content and really still feels like an early access game.”
story
154 mentions
10 % positive mentions
83 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many players noting the absence of a compelling narrative or character development. While there are quests available, they are often described as mundane and repetitive, failing to provide a meaningful plot to drive the gameplay forward. Overall, players express disappointment in the game's storytelling, feeling it lacks the richness and intrigue found in other titles within the genre.
- “It is really fun and has an incredible and very underappreciated idea as the story.”
- “Imo this game needs a story that's going on outside of the shop that you either take part in or contribute to.”
- “The storyline of the game itself is still being developed, so for now it's really a 'store sim' which you can gather from the name.”
- “This game used to have a story mode.”
- “There's no plot driving you onwards, and what quests exist are mundane and simple.”
- “There is no story or plot, no reason to continue.”
music
108 mentions
37 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its catchy and enjoyable soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere. However, a common critique is its repetitiveness, as players often find themselves hearing the same tracks multiple times during gameplay. Overall, while the music is generally well-liked, there is a desire for a more varied and expansive playlist to keep the experience fresh.
- “The soundtrack is also on par with Zelda music; I actually enjoy the music in the game.”
- “The music is calm and relaxing and is definitely a treat when playing the game to relax.”
- “Lovely music and the gameplay is smooth, and even though it is in very early access, I didn’t find that many bugs.”
- “The music is ok the first time you hear it, then it gets boring just like the game.”
- “The soundtrack is awful.”
- “The music is very repetitive and while it fits the setting, there needs to be a much more expansive playlist.”
grinding
96 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with players noting that it often feels like a chore rather than an engaging gameplay element. Many reviews highlight the lack of meaningful rewards for the time invested in grinding activities, leading to frustration and a sense of stagnation. While some players find enjoyment in the grind, the overall sentiment leans towards it being a major drawback that detracts from the game's potential fun.
- “After a certain point, maintaining the furniture, taking inventory, and sending out your champion becomes extremely tedious; this game is very grindy.”
- “The gameplay gets stale quickly, and the only way to expand it is by grinding for hours.”
- “Long story short: lost all, fed up with the grinding, uninstall.”
humor
82 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a strong point, with players enjoying its quirky references, funny names, and amusing scenarios, such as dealing with thieving customers and bizarre unlockables. However, some reviewers noted that the humor can become repetitive and tedious over time, detracting from the overall experience. Despite this, many find the game's lighthearted approach and comedic elements entertaining, especially when played with friends.
- “Not to mention full of its own brand of humor.”
- “It has some funny moments like the unlockables such as putting water in beers, using strange meat for steaks, when people complain about charging a health potion for 12 gold, growing weed in the backyard of the shop.”
- “Doesn’t take itself too seriously which leads to some very hilarious moments.”
optimization
76 mentions
11 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players citing severe performance issues, bugs, and a lack of polish. Despite the engaging gameplay, users report that the game is poorly optimized, causing significant lag and high resource usage even on capable hardware. While some players express hope for future updates, the current state of optimization is seen as a major drawback.
- “The game in my eyes is complete and fun to play and introduced a well thought out concept that is rare these days in the industry, but this game has faults in it as well such as some bugs and very minor optimization issues which are caused by the engine.”
- “If you're getting lag, go to the options and turn down the maximum customers; it helped my performance a lot.”
- “As for the devs, they seem to be quite active at launch: 3 performance/bug updates since launch last week, as well as quite active in the discussion boards should you have any questions or concerns.”
- “Very good indie game with Shoppe Keep 2, but this game has the worst video optimization I have ever seen.”
- “The code is horrible, nothing is optimized, and nothing was written with the intent of expanding.”
- “As it is now, this game has some serious performance issues, and I mean serious.”
monetization
18 mentions
11 % positive mentions
22 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, particularly with the rushed release of "Shoppe Keep 2" following an incomplete alpha build. While some players appreciate the developers' community involvement and the absence of real-world microtransactions, the overall sentiment leans towards disappointment regarding the perceived lack of respect for players and the game's unfinished state.
- “For a long time, I thought I was running it to the champion unlock, which was the most 'expensive' unlock in the game (don't worry, no real-world microtransactions).”
- “Advertisement - it would be nice to feel the grind of letting the world know your shop exists while you try to control what little money you have, also sending adventurers to kill dragons with shop items to make people want that gear.”
- “Instead of finishing this game, the devs rushed a final alpha build, called it complete, and started selling the new beta version with the name Shoppe Keep 2. Total cash grab and disrespect towards the players.”
- “This is an obvious cash grab by the developers.”
- “The game started off in early access and they had something going for them, but now that they have announced Shoppe Keep 2, it just looks like a cash grab.”
replayability
12 mentions
25 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Overall, opinions on replayability are mixed; some users report limited or no replay value, while others see potential for significant replayability if the developers continue to enhance the game. The game's charm is noted as a positive factor, but its current state, particularly in early access, leaves many feeling that it lacks substantial replay content.
- “From what I can see, this game has a lot of replayability.”
- “It has some charm to it that makes it fun, and tons of replay value. If they keep up with people who share good ideas, they can end up with a pretty great game.”
- “Hope the devs stick around and add more replayable content.”
- “There is no replay value.”
- “Limited replayability.”
- “Buggy still, and even for early access, this game lacks serious replay value.”
atmosphere
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its cool vibe and engaging music, creating an enjoyable experience for players. However, some users note that the atmosphere can become repetitive and lead to boredom over time.
- “A very cool game, nice atmosphere and music.”
- “+ great atmosphere”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate how the changing seasons and weather contribute to a vibrant, living world, enhancing the emotional experience by making the environment feel dynamic and immersive rather than merely aesthetic.
- “The changing seasons and weather create a sense of a living world, and the seasonal items made me feel like the game was truly taking advantage of this, rather than just making visual changes.”