Amber Isle

Game Title: Amber Isle
Released: October 10, 2024
Game Length: N/A
Grade: B+

Inside

Shopkeeper: The main aspect of the game is crafting and selling objects. You setup a number of different tables in the store, place whatever non-resource item you might have available on each pedestal, and then open the shop for business. Various effects like friendship, store placement, perk items, and how well you haggle can all determine the final price. While crafting something can increase its base value, sometimes it is better just manually increasing the base cost of an item on display. You can increase or decrease the cost of an item from the digit and not the overall value. You are not able to move the camera by touching the edge of the screen (have to use the right mouse button), you can't select anything on the screen unless you are under the appropriate subcategory menu, an item must be selected each time you want to place one in the shop, removing objects require you to first select the item and then hit the escape button, and you must purchase a cosmetic before trying it out in your shop. You do get to name your shop. Increasing the size of a shop can get expensive but required to advance the main storyline.

Customers: You may open the store continuously to accumulate bonuses through different phases of the day or individually if you wish to spend time in other portions of the game. A database of customers will show what times of the day they will appear in your shop. You unlock more customers as you open more regions and build them homes. A number of things can happen like someone accidentally destroying something to which you need to forgive or force payment, a discreditable person may very rarely try to steal something, or someone might find your store too cramped and leave. A villager can pick up an item from a display, ask for an item type such as size or craft but not what the item is made from (you will not be able to check the database), sell you an item, trade you, or place an order of a few items in advance (regardless if you have them available or not). You will receive a 50% bonus if you keep your place clean with the broom at 80% or more. 

Outside

Exploration: Each region has a number of sites that you can spend money on. There is a quick sell box if you are desperate for more inventory, storage units, cosmetic improvements, pathway unlocks to new areas, and mostly resource nodes that provide you material each day. There are messy dirt piles that you must clean up to improve a region's status and resources you can pick up randomly scattered about each day. What you can collect or tear down depends entirely on your tier of tools. Occasionally, you will find new people wandering around or visiting your island. Gain friendships by conversing with them or gifting them items, and they may just want to follow you around as you do chores. Simply having someone by your side will give you a bonus in gathering resources. Going outside of town will automatically advance the time of day. So, make sure you clear out your inventory beforehand. Red pins on the map will allow you to fast travel without running there. The music melody that plays in the background shifts to a new tone with new instruments as you explore different regions.

Decorating: This part was a big surprise to me as you also have the responsibility in decorating each region you open up before finding more people or new territories. There will be a list of objects that you can place down anywhere in any region. Beware that withdrawing landscape before you have them available will permanently delete them. You will need the right amount of currency for each item you place down. There is no limit on how many or which region you place them down. You can also place down any items you craft! A value is then given to determine whether more regions become available in the main questline. Another aspect is building homes for people. They can be placed down anywhere that they can fit and moved afterwards if you don't like the spot. Advancing your friendship, completing quests, and donating to their cause can open up new things that can assist your endeavors. Upgrades will pull resources you may have from your inventory or directly from your storage unit.

Other

Miscellaneous: There is a lot of customization available from your character to the inside of your shop to what you can place in each region. Dinosaur prints appear to show you your destination. A line is drawn on your mini-map. There is a huge number of people to meet with their own dialogue and stories. Though, the one big thing that bothered me was how you were unable to turn the camera around the island. Inventory can be tight when resources only stack up to 64, but there doesn't seem to be any sort of time restriction on how long it takes for you to pay off your mortgage. You can upgrade certain perks like the ability to sell things at night. The number of items you have are listed in storage but a tad hard to read with white text on a white background. Custom orders are displayed on the calendar and has their own storage unit if you want to keep them separated from your main chest. There is a photo mode that allows you to manipulate the camera more for screenshots. There is a giant craft system that you can use your experience to unlock new items, but be careful as anything unlocked can then be requested by the paleofolk. The game will not save until the morning of the next day. If you quit the game after a cutscene, you will have to replay them.

Summary

Review: My initial impressions of the game were pretty decent. Moving about the region to collect materials, craft a number of objects, and sell them to customers would have been substantial by itself. To my surprise, there was an entire other half of the game where you decorate the regions you unlock, meet new people, and build them homes. Although the system is flooded with various mechanics and conveniences, there were still a number of things that kept me from fully enjoying the game. The rigid camera and controls should have not been a hindrance on something that had great potential. In the end, I do recommend giving this game a try for the more casual type of player.