A Closer Look at “Shoppe Keep” (Indie PC)

Recently, I got the urge to take a closer look at Shoppe Keep a neat little indie Medieval fantasy shop-running simulator – to see what all the game might have to offer if I focused and dug a bit deeper into it. I have to say, I was very glad that I did this!

On the surface, Shoppe Keep might look like an overly simplistic game, but the longer you spend with it the more you will learn how to do. One thing I learned in this session though is that this game isn’t for the impatient or the feint of heart. You’ll really have to spend a lot of time figuring out the nuances of the game, understanding what customers want, learning how to get better things to sell in the store, and building up your store to really attract customers. In the beginning, money-making is very slow (just like in the real world), but time and perseverance will help you get through.

One important lesson learned here: always sift through the trash! Yep, I found some very valuable items in the trash cans around the town, and I even found a rather expensive sword just laying in the street! Weird, don’t you think?

Shoppe Keep is currently in “Early Access Phase 2” on Steam, and it may not be for everyone, but I personally think this one has a lot to offer. Both the developer, Arvydas Žemaitis, and Excalibur Games (the publisher) have put a lot of work into this one and I can only see it continuing to improve as time goes on!

Jessica Brown

Retro Games and Technology Editor. She'll beat pretty much every Mega Man game without breaking a sweat.