Crossroads Inn

I was on the fence about getting this game, mainly due to the many reviews stating it was an unplayable mess of bugs, crashes and glitches. Now, its definately playable, but you will encounter your fair share of bugs and glitches, possibly even crashes. But for me the game only (!) crashed twice over 60 hours. Even with its faults this has still been the best tavern management game Ive ever played and I absolutely recommend it.

I bought this game on a very steep sale after reading some mixed/leaning negative reviews. I have played 20-ish hours of the campaign and have had a lot of fun. I can see some of the buggy-ness but nothing has been game breaking for me at this point. I really enjoy the mix of daily tasks, larger goals and story line. I like the freedom of choices within the story line as well. I had to google some game play mechanics because I didn't feel like some aspects of it were ever explained.
As a frequent life-sim player, I had to let go of my expectations of being able to actually control anyone's actions directly. I felt frustrated at times when I just needed someone to put wood in the goddamn oven but there wasn't actually any control to make anyone do it... but at the same time... my kitchen hand was stumbling around drunk and petting the stray cats outside so it gave me a laugh despite the frustration.
I think being annoyed I can't control everyone's actions is a personal preference and also a topic for my therapist.
So, for spending $10 for 20 hours of engaging gameplay was worth it.

Great concept, good visuals, and a fun experience when it all works, but the bugs have been a major issue since Early Access, and they've only added more since then.
Since early access, the game has also become hornier over time. Prostitution was always part of the game, but at some point over the years it seemed to become much more of a focus. I suspect the game-breaking bugs were driving more serious players away, while gooners are able to look past a lot more flaws in the games they play, so long as they can achieve their quest for polygonal debauchery. So the devs catered to the audience that stuck around. But that's just a theory.
It's a shame, because (despite the salacious shift in tone) if they'd only fix the bugs it would be an easy recommendation for fans of tavern sims and farming games. It has enough going for it that it's worth trying if you can find it on sale for $5 or less, but you will inevitably encounter the same frustrating bugs that eventually drive everyone away.

its fine i just play a little when im bored but usually i uninstall it after playing. its not worth the $15 so just wait for a sale otherwise its a fun game to play if you dont mind some bugs here and there.

Its hard to talk about this game. Because its an amazing management sim.
The good:
Food is highly realized and even has real recipes
the inn mechanics too and there is tons to decorate from
You can even hire different "heroes" that offer different services
The bad:
Buggy, unpolished, and at times kinda ugly
The bones of this game is a masterpiece, but the wrapping around it is falling apart and needs more time squashing bugs. I recommand it only on deep sales.

I really like the game as it's a nice relaxing game to play when I'm in the mood. However, the game does have it's problems it is plagued with bugs and the dev's have stopped trying to fix it. I haven't personally run into any game breaking bugs but that doesn't mean the game doesn't have any. So take that for what you will.

I recommend this game so much that after years using Steam, this is the first time I've felt compelled to write a review. Especially as I find many of these more recent reviews unfair. City building/management games are my favorite genre with Sierra's Pharaoh being my all-time favorite game and Frostpunk my favorite modern game. Crossroads Inn has leaped high into my favorite recent games, scratching just that right itch. Especially because it is not just largely a sandbox builder like Going Medieval or Banished, but rather the game has a very legit and enjoyable character-focused campaign that is reminiscent of Pharoah, AoE, and Frostpunk.
Also notable, one of the things I love most is something that I see hated on in negative reviews here, this game does not hold your hand. For example, there is a review here that complains about servers not serving. I had this problem twice. First time, took a bit to realize you need to routinely order fresh plates and mugs as even with a dishwasher, they wear down and need replacement. There is no wiki or any "?" in-game tip that explains this. Second time I had servers not serving, I looked at them and realized they had a -100 buff for not being paid (oops). Once I took out a loan to get them paid, they were happy as a clam and people were buying beer and dishes from them once again. In other words, this is not just plug and play.
There are also connections you have to learn, such as bards will cause you to earn tons of money (nothing really explains this in-game, you just see it happen), but in order to get bards, you need to upgrade influence in a variety of cities. Also not explicitly written anywhere. You likewise may find yourself needing to close your inn in order to advance certain things, or to find people as your place can get busy. There is some real balancing and tinkering to play around with here, which seems to annoy some people like crazy, but hey, journey not destination!
In the end, I am very happy I bought this guy. I will most certainly be buying Crossroads Inn 2 when it comes out. Developers, if you're reading this, while I enjoyed the trial and error of things here, you might find reviews to be more favorable if you hire on a writer to go through and build a more explicit guide.