Game: CraftCraft: Fantasy Merchant Simulator
Genre: Crafting sim, Visual Novel
System: Steam (Windows, SteamOS, Linux, MacOS)
Developers | Publishers: Placeholder Gameworks, Pineapple Works | Placeholder Gameworks, Hawthorn Games
Controller Support: No
Steam Deck: Unknown
Price: US $15.99 | UK £13.49 | EU € 15,99
Release Date: May 29th, 2025
A review code was provided; many thanks to Pineapple Works.
CraftCraft: Fantasy Merchant Simulator is a 2025 RPG crafting sim developed by Placeholder Gameworks and Pineapple Works and released by Placeholder Gameworks and Hawthorn Games.
The Premise of CraftCraft: Fantasy Merchant Simulator
In CraftCraft, we play as a newly minted member of the Crafter Guild, who has been sent to the mysterious port town of Windspell to set up shop crafting items for the locals.
Gameplay
As a true RPG, CraftCraft begins with a character creator. Here, we can create our character, choosing from a variety of fantasy races, including a moth and an elf, as well as hairstyles, facial features, clothes, and even a backstory.
Once we get to Windspell, we will start crafting items for clients immediately. There are three clients a day, each with different items for us to craft or repair. There’s a good variety of things to create – everything from an ordinary dagger to a necklace for a mermaid or a sword made of dragon blood. We can develop tools, jewelry, armor, and weapons, all from a variety of materials and with different decorative elements.
It is essential to listen to and note what our clients want, as getting the order as close as they wish earns us a higher wage. Depending on what we are forging, we are given scores in three categories. For example, if we are making a dagger, we’ll be scored on metal forging, blade sharpening, and how closely we adhere to the actual request.
One thing I didn’t find and missed was a description of what the client said they wanted while we were already at the crafting stage. For simple requests, such as daggers, it wasn’t a problem, but if the request involved more complex elements, then reading carefully and noting things down is crucial if you want a higher score.
Crafting items is done in the forge or on the workbench. We choose a metal, heat it, and then use a hammer to forge the desired element. The forging is a rhythm mini-game where we need to hit with the hammer at specific times. The better we do it, the higher the score. If it’s not going well, we can start over. There’s a handy trash chute on the workbench for failed experiments.
Some items are crafted or repaired on the workbench. We have tools to help us disassemble items and assemble things if needed. We also have a catalog of patterns for tiaras and necklaces. Some of the items we create make use of things we’ve foraged around Windspell. The workbench has several drawers where we can store everything from pebbles to mushrooms and flowers while waiting for the best moment to use them. Using some of the tools, for example, the screwdriver, can feel like a hassle, but it’s still doable. Hopefully, it will be addressed in further updates.
Besides tools and crafting materials, the workbench is also where we can find the map of the al map, which lists locations we can visit, as well as our cute owlcat, which we can even pet.
CraftCraft features fully voiced dialogues, an original soundtrack, and a short branching story with multiple endings.
Some Other Things
CraftCraft has basic audio and graphics settings. It currently lacks Steam achievements and trading cards. There may be some confusion with the save system – the game saves progress automatically, but there is also a manual save option. When I was playing it, I was confused that when I loaded it up after a pause, I didn’t see anywhere a “continue” button, only “new game.” However, if you go to “Save and Load,” you can load your last save without any problems. This issue may be addressed in subsequent game builds.
Conclusion
CraftCraft: Fantasy Merchant Simulator is a gorgeous visual novel fantasy RPG with crafting elements. Currently, the game feels brief, with approximately 4 hours of gameplay time required to complete the story. There is no endless mode, and some of the controls are slightly annoying. However, the game feels like a terrific fantasy novel, and the developers have been updating it since day one, so I have high hopes for how it will look in a couple of months. If you are in the mood for some light-hearted and cozy fantasy fun, give CraftCraft a chance, if not now, then in a few weeks.
Final Verdict: I Like it a Lot. 
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