Merchants of Rosewall Review

Merchants of Rosewall

Release: March 4, 2025
Publisher: Big Blue Sky Games
Developer: Big Blue Sky Games
Genre: Reviews
PEGI: 7
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Merchants of Rosewall presents itself as a cute, pixel-drawn trading and management simulation, a blend of economic strategy and personality-based storytelling. And for a substantial portion of what it is, it succeeds in doing so. But even so, in the end, it doesn’t quite live up to its potential, leaving a lingering sense of disappointment unsatisfied.

The appearance of the game is certainly pleasing. The pixel art is richly detailed and gives a cozy, medieval-sounding world that you wish to step into. The bustling marketplace, the serene countryside, and the warm interior of buildings are all depicted with a loving attention to detail. The visuals and music are well combined, creating a calming, folk-inspired score that is ideally relaxing. The initial impression is sound, and it’s not hard to get drawn into the inviting presentation of the game.

The core gameplay loop is trading goods from one town or region to another, dealing with your inventory, and investing in trading business upgrades. You begin with a small cart and limited capital, then grow your company by finding new trade routes, haggling over prices, and completing contracts. The economy is fairly basic but intricate enough to be engaging. You must consider factors like supply and demand, seasonal variations, and regional preferences to maximize your profits.

But the model’s elegance is also its largest flaw. Although at first persuasive, the gameplay mechanics quickly become repetitive. There are no dynamic events or emergent play scenarios, so in effect, you’re repeating the same exercise repeatedly. The challenge is mostly in streamlining your routes and maintaining your inventory, but there’s minimal deviation in the fundamental gameplay experience.

The storytelling aspects of “Merchants of Rosewall” are where the game falters. Though the developers tried to include a story in the trading game, the story is poorly developed and disconnected. The characters are one-dimensional, and their interactions are shallow. The dialogue is good but shallow, not evoking any emotional response.

The quests and contracts you complete are usually generic fetch quests or simple delivery missions that don’t add much to the story. They feel more like random tasks added to fill out the game rather than as components of an actual story. The possibility of character-based storytelling, with the setting and the character profiles available, is wasted.

One of the biggest problems is the absence of meaningful choice and consequence. Although the game is marketed as a simulation with narrative, your actions never really have any real effect on the world or characters. You can do quests and sell things, but the overall progression is linear and set in advance. The feeling of agency, a major part of any simulation or RPG, is not present.

Furthermore, the game pacing in “Merchants of Rosewall” is unbalanced. The early game is engaging when you’re visiting new locations and finding out trade routes. The middle game is a grind with constant repetitions of tasks and not much of a feeling of progress. The end-game doesn’t assist much, either, as there isn’t much motivation to keep playing once you have made enough money.

The potential of “Merchants of Rosewall” is there. The good graphical design, the soothing environment, and the hiding beneath the surface trading system are all good foundations. But the game doesn’t build upon these elements, and the final result is a shallow, monotonous experience.

Overall, “Merchants of Rosewall” is a pretty and interesting-at-first trading simulation that never reaches its full potential. The repetitive game, underdeveloped narrative, and absence of significant choices and outcomes take away from the game. Although it will be appealing to casual gamers who wish for a calm and unobtrusive experience, gamers who wish for a profound and immersive simulation or rich storytelling will be let down. The game is a solid idea that required additional development time to reach its full potential. Though not a bad game, it is an opportunity missed.

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