The Outlast Trials
The Outlast Trials
Game
Game2022
Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator
Developer niceplay games
Potion Craft (also titled as Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator) is a video game created by Russian independent developer niceplay games and published by tinyBuild in 2022. Described as an "atmospheric management simulator set in a medieval fantasy world", Potion Craft is a management simulation game in which players operate a store producing and selling potions using alchemical ingredients. Upon release, Potion… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
484 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
92
LovedLoved
320 positive · 28 negative
95% range 89–94%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 320 | 28 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 45 | 1 | 64 |
| Mastodon * | 9 | 0 | 14 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 3 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
18,147 of 19,448 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
91% recommend · 247 yes, 25 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 272 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (41,802 of 44,960 positive).
Players praise the game's unique alchemy map and tactile mechanics. [1][2][3] Many find the game relaxing with beautiful art and music. [4][5][6] Some reviewers note the game becomes repetitive and grindy in the late game. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [8]
It's a cute game and I enjoyed making the potions, but I REALLY wish it built towards something meaningful. Making the late game materials was exciting until I realized that the game was basically over, and that I'd never use them. Also, the late game gets super tedious and grindy. I cannot recommend that most people buy the game. Or if they do, they should understand that the best part is the first ~8 hours. Again, …
- [4]
The other day I was thinking of what kind of game I'd always come back to, and this one kept on coming to mind. Even though it does get a bit repetitive upon completion, the art style is so pretty and the music so relaxing that I can't help but just play it over and over. To spice things up, I turned my alchemist (myself?) into an evil witch who extorts the poor and sells botched potions (especially the libido ones) …
- [1]
Potion Craft has one of those mechanics that immediately feels different from almost anything else in the genre. Instead of simply selecting ingredients from a recipe, you physically navigate around an alchemy map. Different ingredients, grinding levels, paths, bases, and combinations give you different ways of reaching the same effect, which creates a surprising amount of freedom despite how simple the basic system …
- [6]
This is a cozy game with beautiful artwork and calming music. Gameplay is relaxing. I like that we can keep the customers waiting and make new potions without rush. We also have the option to turn down any client with mild consequences. The last two chapters get a bit cumbersome, but that's what the crystals and salts are for.
- [2]
100% completion. This game is incredibly creative. It maps the linear progression of potion recipes onto a 2D adventure map, turning the potions themselves into the main characters explore and challenge through the map. Exploring and discovering each recipe feels like going on a grand adventure, and there are seemingly tons of possibilities to flip, twist, and maneuver the way around. And I absolutely love the art …
Summarised from 34 of the 381 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator sits at 92% positive across 348 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Potion Craft received a positive reception from critics, with praise directed to the intuitive and in-depth alchemy crafting mechanics. Writing for PC Gamer, Fraser Brown describe the game as a "clever, abstract alchemy sim", writing that it "captures the magic of invention and creation in a way more 'realistic' crafting systems often don't." Jordan Devore of Destructoid described the mechanics as "easy enough to grasp", whilst noting the game features "depth", with "operating (the) shop in a sustainable way" amounting to a "satisfying gameplay loop". Describing the mechanics as "the best crafting system ever concocted", Rachel Watts of Rock Paper Shotgun praised the gameplay as "tactile…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 484 · most liked firstInstead of drawing, I picked up the Potion Craft game! It’s cute but I am so bad at it😭😂 being efficient and being good at haggling is not my thing
neutral · AI labelView post →It's a cute game and I enjoyed making the potions, but I REALLY wish it built towards something meaningful. Making the late game materials was exciting until I realized that the game was basically over, and that I'd never use them. Also, the late game gets super tedious and grindy. I cannot recommend that most people buy the game. Or if they do, they should understand that the best part is the first ~8 hours. Again, it's a really cute game and I love the idea of making crafting…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was looking forward to playing this after having it on my wishlist for a while and seeing it on sale. At first I really enjoyed it. Unlocking new potion recipes and finding new ingredients was fun. Unfortunately, the game got extremely repetitive pretty quickly. Making the final things with the alchemy machine was not fun, just a tedious chore. The customer interactions also got very boring, and there were so many I turned down because there was no way I was going to make a potion I already…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tonight I experimented with making all sorts of potions to sell. The fun part is having to find them first on this giant map using ingredients as your pathway (they allow you to move in different directions). Game: Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator Platforms: PC, Nintendo, Xbox, PlayStation
positive · AI labelView post →This game starts off very well. The UI is very physical. You pick things up, drag them, press them, you physically stir the cauldron by moving the mouse around - everything just feels tactile and neat. The art style and the music really add to the nice, calm vibe. The initial progression feels really good. You get to explore the in-game map of different potion effects. You discover new effects, try different ingredients, and slowly discover more efficient ways to do it. You find out that if…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was playing Potion Craft and wondered why all my customers were criminals and thieves 🤣 Turns out you have reputation and I just didn't pay attention so I had to do a lot of damage control by kicking out ruffians for a few days! Game: Potion Craft Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox
positive · AI labelView post →Going to jump back into Potion Craft today to finish off the game. We just have one (very very complicated) recipe left that will take a few hours to mix up. After that we will jump into the usual flex friday indie stuff! Imagine finishing a game....
neutral · AI labelView post →btw I started playing Potion Craft and apparently, they just updated the game with a massive overhaul. And wow this game is a fucking crack I love capitalism.
positive · AI labelView post →Do you like: 🧴Spending all day researching new potions? 🧴Serving customers from all sides of the law? 🧴Mashing ingredients in a mortar and pestle? If the answer is "yes", "maybe", or "wow, I didn't consider it but actually I might", this Potion Craft might be the game for you! youtu.be/8sPCDkMo4EI
neutral · AI labelView post →When I started playing this game, I got incredibly hooked, clocking in 8 hours on my first day. I enjoyed expanding my shop and unlocking new potions. However, as I played more and got used to the potion-making system, the fun started to wear off and making potions started to feel monotonous. Also, it quickly became frustrating trying to upgrade my shop. One of the most fun parts about upgrading in games is saving up for the upgrade and getting that little boost of dopamine once you have enough…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'd like to recommend this game, but I can't, the endgame is unfinished. There is no reason to make the philosopher’s stone (the ultimate goal of the game) because all you can use it for is making Life Salt & Philosopher’s Salt. However, Life Salt & Philosopher’s Salt are useless, by the time you are able to make them, you don’t need them. The gameplay is fun, but the non-ending is a huge letdown.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →At the start the game is quite fun, but as it goes on and you need to venture further and further out, it just becomes tedious. Grinding the same ingredient 15 times to go left a bit is just not very enjoyable. I may give this another shot some day, but for now I don't recommend.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Why you should or should not play Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator What is Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator? Potion Craft is an adorable point and click style potion making game. Grow your garden to mix and sell your potions. Quick Pros ✔ Runs well on lower-end PCs ✔ Beautiful environments ✔ Strong visual style ✔ Detailed world design ✔ Memorable characters ✔ High replay-ability ✔ Lots of content to explore ✔ Addictive gameplay loop ✔ Satisfying progression system ✔ Unique mechanics…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The other day I was thinking of what kind of game I'd always come back to, and this one kept on coming to mind. Even though it does get a bit repetitive upon completion, the art style is so pretty and the music so relaxing that I can't help but just play it over and over. To spice things up, I turned my alchemist (myself?) into an evil witch who extorts the poor and sells botched potions (especially the libido ones) to the rich. She also flaunts her collection of crystals, jewels and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Our game is obviously inspired by: - Sticky Business 📦 - Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer 🏠 - Inkulinati 🐰 - Potion Craft ⚗️
neutral · AI labelView post →our next published game is OUT NOW!!! FROG BREEDING SIM - Mudborne - think A Link to the Past meets Potion Craft… with frogs - loads of menus, systems, secrets to figure out!! - 20-30h long - be a frog - befriend frogs - part of sales go to real frogs! pls reply for review codes
neutral · AI labelView post →Extremely relaxing and an amazing art-style, but it get's tedious and boring after a short while. But man the art-style is just great! I recommend it only on sale though.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →after a long day of putting ♥♥♥♥ into containers for people to drink, i like to come home and relax and play this game where i put ♥♥♥♥ into containers for people to drink. very very fun i love doing tasks
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Potion Craft is a charming little simulator - there's a bit of a grind but it's not too difficult to figure your path to progression out, the puzzle aspect of understanding your customer's request is fun, and navigating through the paths and how to best utilize the ingredients is engaging. One of my favorite aspects of Potion Craft is its artwork, and how unabashed it is on bringing cameos from other (popular or not as popular) from other games. My only and biggest gripe with this game -…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I give it a solid 7.0 (Good) rating Potion Craft excels most where it matters: the alchemical craft itself. The game absolutely nails the tactile joy of experimentation; charting new potion paths, refining techniques, and gradually building a library of perfected recipes gives a genuine sense of apprenticeship maturing into mastery. In those moments, the game feels like a cozy place. You buy ingredients, you mull over how to improve your recipes, and you lose yourself in the quiet art of potion…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Anyway, I finished putting the kiddo’s Potion Craft gift together yesterday and I hope he’ll like it! He loves playing the game with me so I put ingredients for the experiments with thematic names. 😂
positive · AI labelView post →Once you unlock everything the game starts to lose its charm, but there's still a good bit of content that's enjoyable until that point.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →You're trying to brew potions when all of a sudden your chat spawns customers, takes money from you and even clears your inventory... Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator is in Crowd Control Early Access NOW! ✨ 🧙♀️ crowdcontrol.live/game/potion-craft-alchemist-simulator
neutral · AI labelView post →You loved Potion Craft and you like cute art and Cozy Games ?? Wishlist Magical Greenhouse, the Cozy Potion Shop Game 🌿✨🎉 ↓↓↓ #indiegames #indiedev
neutral · AI labelView post →This is one of those games where I wish there was a "meh" option instead of just yes or no. It IS a good game - The atmosphere is great and the idea is really fun. Getting a nice big garden and a lush cave full of crystals is a cool thing to accomplish, but the main meat and potatoes of making potions is VERY repetative. Pick, mash, mix. Pick, mash, mix. Pick, mash, mix. Its just really not that exciting past the 5th potion you discover.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So many other works about wizards or games where you can be wizards: -The Owl House -Little Witch Academia -The Magicka games -Any Final Fantasy game -Any Dragon Quest game -Potion Craft, where you make potions Feel free to mention any others and add to this list!
neutral · AI labelView post →#MalAgenda Hot fresh schedule, coming up! 🍳 Mon 1.06, 11am-3pm* Art stream: general queue Sat 1.11, 5pm-9pm Artconomy Showcase: sketch slots for sale Fri 1.17, 5pm-9pm Art stream: general queue Mon 1.20, 10am-1pm Subscriber stream: details TBD Sun 1.26, 9am 12pm Game stream: Potion Craft
neutral · AI labelView post →Potion Craft has one of those mechanics that immediately feels different from almost anything else in the genre. Instead of simply selecting ingredients from a recipe, you physically navigate around an alchemy map. Different ingredients, grinding levels, paths, bases, and combinations give you different ways of reaching the same effect, which creates a surprising amount of freedom despite how simple the basic system looks. The shopkeeping side is much more straightforward, and overall I would…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Brilliant game. Quite simple as you just have a few rooms where you move around, collect ingredients from your garden, maintain them and then attempt to find recipes from a brewing map where different ingredients move the end result accordingly. Needless to say this part of the game is really challenging and later on getting the salts and crystals not to mention a large stack of ingredients of all sorts is a challenge itself. Customer always have their weird demands too and merchants like to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Potion Craft is on SALE for 60% off. Cozy resource management, shopfront, growing game with no existential pressure. It's a game that just keeps going, and I always learn something new every time I fire it back up. Endless fun.
positive · AI labelView post →How people describe our game: - APICO but frogs - A Link to the Past meets Potion Craft - wait... is this maths?
neutral · AI labelView post →Tis done. The 2.0 update took Potion Craft from a good game with a great crafting system to a great game full stop. Less grindy, less frustration, and more fun. I cannot recommend it enough both for enjoyment and to experience the best discovery and crafting system out in games right now.
positive · AI labelView post →A relaxing mostly simple puzzle-shop game with no minimum quota for game failure. No time pressure, you are free to experiment and explore the "alchemy-map" as you see it, on the caveat that you can maintain your reputation by completing orders to attract good-aligned characters. It's a decently fun game, although price-wise, I'd say wait for a discount. Bonus points for the fact I can chuck the watering can once I'm done watering the plants. Although a few criticisms: - Shop upgrade npcs, at…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →some mechanics (potion tiers, whirlpools) could use some better explaining in the tutorial, but once you have enough plants unlocked and a firm grasp on the brewing it's really impressive how fluid and artistic it feels to drag a 2d sprite around a map, as if you're actually cooking something also you can sell dave the diver a libido potion
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Its a neat cozy game, but holy hell would I rather play this in bed on my macbook than in front of my PC I like it, its super unique and neat, but in no way do I feel like it gets me going enough to retain me after I boot it up. I genuinely feel like this game suffers from me not being able to enjoy it in a cozy state, and thus I am enjoying it far less than I would have.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Short and sweet, ruins your wrist. Stylistically fantastic, and the gameplay is engaging. It is ultimately a grind-it-out sort of game. (No pun intended)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →💚STREAM TONIGHT💚 INDIE GAME NIGHT PART 2: Giving Potion Craft a try (and giving away 2 codes!!) & if there's time we'll see what the latest Trash Goblin update has to offer! Live at 8pm GMT+8 #juuniLIVE twitch.tv/juuniperbunny
neutral · AI labelView post →It's a good game to turn your brain off and make potions. The art is beautiful and the dialogue of some notable npc is lively. But once you reach the middle mark of the game and start working towards the salts and the crystals, the repetitive gameplay slowly creeps on you. But for that I suggest taking breaks between sessions.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →*Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon* is like Skyrim but with better combat and dar King Arthur themed. *Potion Craft* is a game where you run an alchemist shop, entirely stylized to look like medieval paintings. *Buddy Simulator 1984* is a game about a digital companion that likes you too much. I could give more, but I never see anyone recommend those, and you have a lot of recommendations in this thread already.
neutral · AI labelView post →Its cute, its fun, its relaxing. Grow your garden, cultivate your mushroom cave, make weird potions for weird customers (some of these guys are literally just horny and its kinda hilarious) Its basically a puzzle game, you have to navigate the potion crafting map (a maze) using your ingredients (set shape paths)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a cozy game with beautiful artwork and calming music. Gameplay is relaxing. I like that we can keep the customers waiting and make new potions without rush. We also have the option to turn down any client with mild consequences. The last two chapters get a bit cumbersome, but that's what the crystals and salts are for.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →#MalaHype #Streaming #PotionCraft Streaming! Going for 2 hours while I play craft some potions for the first time in over a month (what??). I did paperwork all day so my brain is goo, sorry in advance X3 Game [Potion Craft] | Mic [On] | Audio [On] picarto.tv/Malachyte
neutral · AI labelView post →A friend bought me “Potion Craft” recently and I’m hooked. It’s a chill, Steam Deck friendly game with an incredibly cool potion crafting mechanic using a map and various ingredients. It’s overall giving me loads of inspiration for both video game and TTRPG mechanics around alchemy.
positive · AI labelView post →Art is great, concept is the top tier of top tier Has so much potential to be insanely good but it's way too casual, yes outside of casual mode. Whole game is grindy and harder difficulties advertise as grindy and they mean it. It's the equivalent of making a game where every small enemy has 400000 hp, Brainless late-game gameplay design, No fail state, shopkeepers who hold the one item you need to continue the story are random. Spamming sleep to get the right result is bad design. An…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cons: * not enough content to be worth its current price * doesn't explain explain much like efficiently getting to the outer regions of the alchemical map * very repetitive gameplay Pros: * very well designed and optimized, hard to believe it was made in Unity If those vortexes move the cursor toward higher tier effects it'd save having to navigate tight coridoors which is quite resource and time consuming, and stressful. Also please explain how to rotate the cursor so we can get…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Living my dream as a potion shop owner, growing ingredients and making my own potions to sell. I LOVE the differences in sound and how hard the ingredient is to crunch up with mortar and pestle. It gives each ingredient a unique and satisfying feel. (especially the rocks and crystals!! <3)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →To start: this is a NEUTRAL review. Especially for my fellow achievement hogs. But I'm putting it as negative to be as helpful to potential buyers as possible. I wish you could review things in the middle. Given the uniqueness of the gameplay, the art, and the variety of material mechanics, i do believe there are positives to this game. However: It's a simple concept, there isn't much of a storyline, and getting all the achievements can be incredibly aggravating, especially when you're tasked…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Lunch break in the field. Meet Steffa in the game Witch's Potion - Craft of Lust! PLAY GAME: Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/2957880/... Patreon: patreon.com/c/WitchPotio... #anime #lewd #nsfw #rule34 #furry #milf
neutral · AI labelView post →NO IM NOT GIVING YOU A DAMN SLEEPING DRAUGHT LADY.10/10 game i would sell poison to ppl again
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →the Potion Craft update is up and it made the game so much better WOAH
positive · AI labelView post →100% completion. This game is incredibly creative. It maps the linear progression of potion recipes onto a 2D adventure map, turning the potions themselves into the main characters explore and challenge through the map. Exploring and discovering each recipe feels like going on a grand adventure, and there are seemingly tons of possibilities to flip, twist, and maneuver the way around. And I absolutely love the art style. Every game asset and animation is wonderfully designed and full of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun mechanics, great to unwind. Finished the game on Steamdeck thanks to the touchscreen compability. Mixing the potions with your finger just hits the right buttons in my brain.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Alright It's more or less safe to say I've done everything in the game. I beat Grandmaster difficulty. I reached twenty million coins, popularity level of 35, talent points over a thousand and one million units of each salt on Classic (~330 day save). Got all achievements. Got max ranked trading card badge. All I have left is Suffering difficulty but to be honest it lives up to the name, and I mainly play the game to soothe my brain. I think this is one of my favourite games I've…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not my type but it's crafted with care I see passion in every detail and it feels almost sad that due to the genre and set of features my ADHD mind can't enjoy Potion Craft properly. If you like slow pacing, cute backyards, medieval aesthetics, and board games, try it out.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I seriously slept on this game for quite a while, had it in my library for a good few months. This game is really fun, very unique mechanics, fun characters, and really nice art style.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been playing the cozy game Potion Craft lately, and the medieval illuminated manuscript art style is so awesome. It's such a simple, beautiful game that I recommend everyone play. It's almost all art. www.potioncraft.com
positive · AI labelView post →Tuesday's stream has been moved to THURSDAY! Instead of Potion Craft, we are having our 100 Follower Special by playing a community game called PAPER PIRATES! 🏴☠️ Like Jackbox, chat will get the chance to play with me on stream!! 🎮 All times are shown in Eastern Daylight Time ⏰ twitch.tv/jotato_chip
neutral · AI labelView post →I'm really into souls games so I'm going to focus my recommendations to games with little combat and also tailor the list based on what you tried and didn't like so far. Optional or minimal combat - [Green Hell](https://store.steampowered.com/app/815370/Green_Hell/) - [My Summer Car](https://store.steampowered.com/app/516750/My_Summer_Car/) [AI generated paintings] - [Potion Craft](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1210320/Potion_Craft_Alchemist_Simulator/) - [Bomb Rush…
neutral · AI labelView post →Hmm... I really wanted to like this game. I've been looking forward to trying it out every time I pass it in my library. So, I'm disappointed to say that I generally wouldn't recommend it after a few hours of playing it. I found the actual gameplay loop interesting at first but then kinda grew bored of it. I started out just using up as many of my ingredients as I could after serving all the customers so that I could explore the map. Then, I realized for the last hour of my game I just…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Alchemist Simulator has got an excellent core gameplay loop for a game designed to let you dress up your potions and roleplay as an alchemist. Slowly decorate and build your magical cottage as you grow your herbs, brew your potions, and concoct mystic ingredients. Sell cure-alls, wonder-drugs, or vicious poisons. This game lets you fulfil the exact role a shut-in alchemist from Skyrim or WoW might live. No deadly enemies, just stubborn merchants trying to rip you off. Instead of grinding…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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