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So, I’ve done something I haven’t done in quite a while. I’ve played a computer game! (*Gasp!*, *Shocked!*) And it is horribly addictive, but wonderfully fun.
Recettear is an item-shop-focused role-playing game. It was independently produced by a small software company in Japan North America by another small company in the USA
In this game, you play a girl named Recette who runs an item shop with the help of a fairy named Tear. She’s trying to pay off a massive debt that her father racked up just before he went off adventuring. If she can’t pay off the debt, she’ll lose the item shop, which is also her house. The characters are very appealing, the game has quite a bit of story in it, and the artwork is fantastic.
Game play revolves around to activities. The first one is managing your store. You can buy some items at wholesale prices from the local merchants guild and marketplace and then resell them at a profit in your store. As your profits grow you can even expand and remodel your shop. Do you hate how, in most RPGs, shop owners only pay you 50% of an item’s value when you sell it to them, and then turn around and sell it at full price? In Recettear you can be that shop owner! Yay! I love that the adorable Recette’s catchphrase is “Capitalism, ho!”
The second main activity in Recettear is dungeon delving. Recette is just a simple girl who runs an item shop, and wouldn’t stand a chance against dangerous monsters, but she can hire adventurers to go into dungeons for her and collect items. When she does, you take control of the adventurer and explore the dungeon. There are no random battles in Recette, at least not in the typical sense. Dungeon delving plays like a classic Zelda or Mana game. Fighting monsters requires skill and timing in addition to strategy. The great thing about dungeons is that any items you pick up here can be sold at 100% profit in your store (though you may have to spend some money on your adventurer to make sure he is well equipped).
In addition to these two main aspects of game play, there are also plenty of colorful characters that you can meet and interact with in town. The loan payments that you have to make each week keep you challenged. Overall, it’s a fun and rewarding game with lots of personality.
I enjoyed the free demo so much, that I purchased the full game for $20 and am waiting right now while it downloads. ^_^
You can learn more about Recettear, and download the free demo, by visiting their website here.
Have you played any new computer or video games recently? Please tell me about them by leaving a comment on this post!
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This one sounds fun. I like the idea fo the two different parts - the shop and dungeon delving - that seems to give a broader playing ability to the game. I also like that there aren't the random battles that can plague games. Perhaps, after this weekend is over, I will download the demo and check it out for myself. I'll let you know.
Ladyquilt said...
September 16, 2010 at 6:16 AM
WARNING!!! Do not download the full version of this game unless you have absolutely no obligations for the next 2 or 3 days. This game will take control of your life. I haven't pulled an all-nighter to play a computer/video game since I was a teenager - until last night. That's really an endorsement of how fun and engaging this game is, I suppose, but beware! @_@
Catalyst said...
September 16, 2010 at 4:42 PM
Hows the game? Still playing or have you finished it yet?
Ladyquilt said...
September 22, 2010 at 8:36 PM
Well, technically, I've beaten the game by paying off the dept you start out with. However, a cool thing about this game is that there is still plenty to do after you've beaten it.
First, you unlock "Endless Mode", which basically allows you to continue playing without any debt to worry about. This is good, because the game contains a lot more areas to explore and plot lines to pursue than you have time for while under the pressure to pay off your debt.
In addition, beating the game also unlocks a "Survival Mode", where you start over from the beginning. This time, instead of paying off your debt over a period of 5 weeks, you have an infinite debt that you must continue making higher and higher payments towards each week. The goal is to see how many weeks you can keep going before you're unable to make the required payments. Personally, while this sounds like an interesting challenge, it isn't really my cup of tea. They should have called it "Real Life Mode". ^_^
Catalyst said...
September 22, 2010 at 9:10 PM
Sounds like a fun game. I'm still trying to finish Tales of Symphonia though so it will have to wait. Your warning is duly noted. :)
Mairead said...
October 17, 2010 at 11:40 AM