The Shopkeeper Review

“The more narrative-focussed gamers amongst us will probably enjoy the prospect of the multiple storylines with multiple outcomes. Those looking for any kind of action whatsoever however will have found themselves in very much the wrong place.”

The Shopkeeper is a point and click game which tries to lead you through a short story about a man trying to find a gift for his difficult and wealthy mother-in-law. He knows where to look, the local antique shop, but does not know what to buy. The Shopkeeper however knows the story behind each of his items, and the outcome of choosing incorrectly turns out the same way each time; with a dismissal from the mother-in-law and a deja-vu style repetition of these events.

The story then, and by extension the aim of the game, is quite simple and clear. All you need to do is find the right gift. This, however, is not so simple. After trying almost every item in the shop and leading the conversation which followed with my mother-in-law in almost every possible way to try and alter the story, I was banging my head on the desk. Sometimes subtle differences would occur; a change in tone of voice or a different camera angle, even a slight change in script. Never it seemed was I actually going to get to the bottom of what was going on though, and this frustrated me. Even the game’s notes option was not particularly fruitful in leading me in the right direction. The Shopkeeper, then, is tricky, and at times even a little aggravating.

The storyline and the offshoots of this in the descriptions of items in the characters’ thoughts are well thought out. The scripting of the game is like it has been read aloud from a book. There is a positive and a negative side to this in The Shopkeeper however. On the up side, there is a level of detail to the game which normally you would not experience. It is a game closer to a book than a film, and thus there is descriptive language in every aspect that can make you see beyond just the simplicity of illustrations. The downside is the lack of emotion and depth in some of the voice acting. It sounds like an audio book, or rather like when you read a book to a small child and try to emulate negative emotion in a positive way so as not to upset them. What it certainly doesn’t sound is very real, which was disappointing given that the game attempts to sell its voice acting as a key selling point…

The art style of the game however is very unique indeed. Everything is drawn, in a slightly warped kind of way. There is colour, but it is used sparingly, and where it is used it is blander shades of green, purple or yellow for example. There is certainly not an overwhelmingly positive feel to the way things look in The Shopkeeper, and given the backgrounds of the characters, the story and the props which feature within it, this is a very fitting theme to the game. It does not quite suggest any peril, but does suggest a dampened mood, which is a strong representation of the events playing out. In terms of illustrating what is predominantly an interactive story in The Shopkeeper then, the visual style of the game is spot on.

After some time playing, you will likely resign yourself to the fact that there is no perfect, positive ending in this game. There are a number of possible outcomes, the rarer of which to come across will merit you with comical achievements as a reward. Indeed, if you are a bit of an achievement hunter then you will enjoy The Shopkeeper for the few and yet challenging to obtain ones which are on offer. The nature of the story each time you run it through is short and sweet, but replayability is key and can even become something of a minor obsession as you try and figure out the right way to go in the game. Indeed, even if you find this then the knowledge of multiple outcomes will likely drive you to keep playing that little bit more still.

As a whole, The Shopkeeper may appeal to some, but others may find it a repetitive, unfulfilling and even frustrating title to play. The more narrative-focussed gamers amongst us will probably enjoy the prospect of the multiple storylines with multiple outcomes. Those looking for any kind of action whatsoever however will have found themselves in very much the wrong place. The Shopkeeper is slow and by no means uplifting, but it is full of intrigue and offers a puzzle to which the solution is never truly clear, and the right way of doing which is maybe not a set outcome at all. If this sounds like something which would entertain you then pick this game up. If it does not then be advised to give this one a miss.

The Good:

• An intriguing puzzle with no clear “correct” way of solving it.
• Easily replayable with multiple possible endings.
• A game which will very much make you think.
• A perfect art style to accompany the nature of the story, characters and props.

The Bad:

• The game sounds like an audiobook with little emotion or meaning going into character’s speeches.
• Repetitive and in many ways aggravating due to the repetition of the game.
• A game which is by no means uplifting or meaningful; expect plenty of gloom throughout.
• For an interactive story, it is very difficult to understand what to do and how to reach certain outcomes.
• Catering to a very niche group of gamers, The Shopkeeper may lack appeal to the wider market.

Disclaimer:All scores given within our reviews are based on the artist’s personal opinion; this should in no way impede your decision to purchase the game.