Potionomics: Masterwork Edition

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition Review

Game: Potionomics: Masterwork Edition
Genre: Simulation, Card game, Management
System: Nintendo Switch (Also available on Steam (Windows) Xbox Series X|S & PS5)
Developers | Publishers: Voracious Games | XSEED Games, Marvelous
Age Rating: US 10+ | EU 16+
Price: US  $29.99 | UK £24.99 | EU € 29,99
Release Date: October 22nd, 2024

A review code was used, with many thanks to Decibel PR.

Potionomics was released on Steam last year; now, the magical shop sim is released to consoles with exciting new features and released as a masterworks edition.

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition brings the quirky world of potion brewing to life with its blend of strategy, shop management, and RPG elements. Set on the magical island of Rafta, the game puts you in the shoes of Sylvia, a novice witch who inherits a potion shop and a mountain of debt after her uncle’s untimely death. To save herself from financial ruin, Sylvia must brew potions, haggle with customers, and outsell her competitors, all while forming bonds with Rafta’s colourful residents.

Potionomics Gameplay and Mechanics

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition Uncle's letter to Sylvia
Uncle’s Letter to Sylvia

Potionomics uses a unique card-based negotiation system for haggling with customers in the shop to determine how much Sylvia can mark up her potions. Selling potions isn’t just about setting a price and hoping for the best; Sylvia uses her deck of cards to charm, pressure, or outwit customers, maximising profits while managing her stress levels.

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition Haggle with a deck of cards to get the best price
Haggle with a deck of cards to get the best price

As you progress in the game, you receive more cards to add to your haggling deck. This card mechanic makes every sale feel like a mini-game, requiring careful planning and adapting to the different personalities of the NPCs. It’s a fun system, and I like the strategy element of choosing the correct cards to increase profits.

Brew Potions

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition brew potions to sell in your shop
Brew potions to sell in your shop

However, potion-making alone won’t be enough to pay off Sylvia’s massive seven-figure debt. So, every 10 days, Rafta hosts a potion competition with an increasingly larger prize pool. These competitions allow you to chip away at Syliva’s debt, creating a game structure that adds challenge to the gameplay and mixes it up a bit. However, here’s the kicker: if you fail a competition, it’s game over, and you start the game again from a save a few days previous to have another try at winning the competition.

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition Compete in competitions every 10 days
Compete in competitions every 10 days

To me, this would feel like a punishment to be put back days and lose some progress when you fail the competition. However, the game saves automatically every day, meaning you can restart from a save from one, two or three days previously. I like this option of being able to choose a save to begin again; otherwise, not winning a competition would be a major pain.

Source Ingredients

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition Dispatch adventurers to collect resources
Dispatch adventurers to collect resources

Between competitions, you won’t be relaxing as you must manage and customise the shop, source ingredients, brew potions, build relationships with vendors and heroes, and make sales. Potionomics is not just about crafting potions; it’s about running a business. The game blends several systems to keep you on your toes.

Potion crafting is a fun element. However, it is more than just mixing ingredients. You must consider the balance of potion attributes, like taste and aroma, to satisfy the picky customers. Crafting the perfect potion is rewarding, but mistakes can lead to some unpleasant and also amusing results. Customisation also plays a role in the game, as upgrading your equipment and shop decor improves potion quality and pricing.

Romance or Not

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition Potion recipe book
Potion recipe book

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition also features friendship-building with Rafta’s adventurers and shopkeepers, some of whom you will probably like more than others, looking at you, Roxanne!

As Sylvia forges relationships, she learns new tactics and gains valuable perks. These interactions are woven into the game’s narrative and help develop a world full of engaging characters….mostly.

Overall, Potionomics mixes genres; there is the time management simulator where you have only 6 time slots each day to brew potions, make sales, or visit vendors and heroes. It’s also part puzzle game, as brewing requires calculating ingredient combinations based on their coloured magimins.

Additionally, Sylvia’s interactions with local vendors and heroes create a visual novel element. You would think that all these different genres would not mix well together, but they do; Potionomics has a nice gameplay loop that keeps you from getting bored, as there is always something to do.

Visuals and Sounds

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition Customise your shop
Customise your shop

The art style of Potionomics is lovely, with its hand-drawn aesthetic giving the world of Rafta a storybook quality. Characters are full of personality, and the potion-making process is brought to life with colourful visuals. The shop’s design, which you can customise, adds a personal touch and allows you to put your flair into your business.

The soundtrack is pleasant to listen to; it fits the whimsical and sometimes tense atmosphere of the game. The music shifts between lighthearted and intense as you go from chatting with friendly adventurers to facing tough negotiations, adding depth to the gameplay experience.

New Features in the Potionomics: Masterwork Edition

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition Endless, Cozy and Capitalism difficulty modes offer tailored experiences for casual or more competitive players.
Endless, Cozy and Capitalism difficulty modes offer tailored experiences for casual or more competitive players.

The Masterwork Edition includes several new features that enhance the experience for returning and new players alike. Voice acting adds personality to the already vibrant cast, while the new Cozy and Capitalism difficulty modes offer tailored experiences for casual or more competitive players. Additionally, Endless Mode is a welcome addition for those who want to keep brewing potions and haggling without the pressure of a time-limited story. Plus, the inclusion of additional languages opens the game up to a wider audience.

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition runs well on the Nintendo Switch, though the load times could be much shorter. The game didn’t experience any framerate issues and ran smoothly.

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition Your view of your shop
Your view of your shop

Conclusion

Potionomics: Masterwork Edition combines creative mechanics with an engaging story. It’s a game that rewards thoughtful strategy, whether you’re perfecting a potion recipe, negotiating with a tough customer, or deciding which relationships to cultivate.

The new features in the Masterwork Edition, like voice acting and Endless Mode, enhance an already great game, making this the definitive version.

Final Verdict: I Like it a Lot  I like it a lot

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2 comments

  1. Received my physical edition today. So far I am enjoying it and the physical edition is loaded with goodies for a standard game price!

    1. Thanks for commenting, I’m glad you are enjoying Potionomics Masterworks Edition, it’s a bargain for that price with all you get in it.

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