What is the purpose of this game?

[Diogo]

I've played the game to completion. I have a lot of issues with the way it conveys the message, but this thread is not for that.

I couldn't get the message, idea, or whatever else this game was trying to communicate to the player. There's no meaning in the branching dialogue, and the worst of it is that the items don't matter in the least -- the stories lack any particular impact, and there's only one item that actually ties in with the story.

I've seen series like Kino's Journey and Bartender, so I do appreciate these kinds of experiences. I just cannot find anything meaningful in The Shopkeeper.

The setting is great, and has a lot of potential, but nothing's ever done with it... Plus, if the game is incomplete, why not putting it in Early Access first? It's the whole point of it!


Now, it's clear I didn't enjoy it. But perhaps I'm missing something crucial here. What were the direct influences for this, if there were any? Why did you set out to make this game?
(I've read the blog, about it being a dream your wife had -- was that all of it?)

Sorry if I'm being to harsh, but the idea sounds right up my alley... and yet, I couldn't find it compelling.
Thanks.

[EvilLost]

You aren't missing anything. This is a project that has good art, decent audio, but zero game.

[_Soj_]

Played a little but decided to set it aside. Don't particularly enjoy listening to some ♥♥♥♥♥ constantly berate her son-in-law...

[Ennuisel]

I have to agree. I think the lack of feedback the game gives the player is meant to create a false difficulty that masks the fact that there's really just not much in it. Of course, that could just be imagining deceit in the face of incompetence, but I cannot think of any more plausible reason for not providing any direction whatsoever.

It would be disgusting if this game hadn't cost pennies.

[Connobar]

Yeah, it's like difficulty through WTFing for an hour just to grind out the random achievements. Eventually I must have googled it because I couldnt figure the last couple out. Cool art, neat premise, but yeah, not really understanding the point either with all the achievements, once through would have been plenty.

[3lives]

I enjoyed it exactly for the reason that it is refreshingly un-gamey. It's unusual for this kind of medium and I thought it worked well except for the rather gamey achievement of getting all the descriptions contradicting what I thought was the original intention.

I remember that one of the reasons i enjoyed Baldur's gate a lot was two situations where you met quarelling adversaries and you could interfere on either behalf or just let them fight it out. the thing was that there was no right choice to side with one of them. It was as interesting as it was frustrating that there was no right way to handle it.
Almost all games give you a good and a bad choice a la Mass Effect.