Ever wanted to manage your own potion shop? Play the part of village alchemist with niceplay games’ newest project, Potion Craft! 

Founded in 2014 and based out of Saint Petersburg, Russia, niceplay games is the brainchild of solo developer Mikhail Chuprakov. Cutting his teeth on game design for both Playkot and Social Quantum studios, Chuprakov ultimately struck out on his own with titles like Sushi Ride, Wizard Swipe, and Potion Craft’s spiritual predecessor, Potionous. Now niceplay games have cooked up something truly special with Potion Craft, an alchemical crafting simulator published by tinyBuild.

Harvest ingredients and brew elixirs to satisfy the myriad needs of the townsfolk.

Crafting a potion in this game is like plotting your course on a map. How you get from A to B depends on the ingredients you have on hand and the order in which you combine them. Each ingredient can only take you so far in a certain direction, so choose your mixture wisely! The closer you align your empty bottle with the desired potion’s silhouette, the more powerful your concoction will be. Plan the shortest route with the fewest reagents possible—just be sure to avoid the bones, or your potion will lose its potency!

Customers will tell you what they’re willing to pay or how powerful a potion they’re looking to buy. Lend an ear to learn what ails them, then suggest the right elixir for the job. Offer up the wrong solution too many times, though, and they’ll take their business elsewhere. Your shop’s reputation fluctuates depending on the kind of customer you supply, so be mindful of your patrons’ motives. Will you dabble in the darker side of your trade or keep things kosher? The answer could have a surprising impact on your coffers!

Playing this game is like leafing through a time-worn manuscript from the Middle Ages.

Potion Craft’s medieval music and parchment-like appearance are charming and immersive. Mastering the subtle art of alchemy is challenging yet rewarding. But the real genius of this game is found in the freedom to experiment. It really does make you feel like an apothecary on the cusp of revolutionary new recipes. I can’t wait to fire up the shop’s mysterious Alchemy Machine and see what other magical tinctures I can create! 

The full version of Potion Craft drops for PC sometime in 2021, but until then you can check out the free demo on Steam, join niceplay games’ Discord channel, and follow the studio’s devlog for the latest updates.