Tavern Master

As of 6 hours of playtime: An excellent management sim. A lot of fun, and not too complicated. I am really enjoying it so far. But it does suffer the same issue as most management games, and that is that progress really slows down when you get closer to the end.
As of 10.9 hours of playtime: Was a fun game overall (the first two-thirds), but the end game (especially if you want to 100% Achievements) is just a waiting game and is boring and tedius. I don't recommend continuing after you get the king and queen to visit, just count that as the end game, anything after that isn't worth it. Everything get's done automatically after a certain point, so all you do is just wait. I'm going to stop playing after getting 14/17 of the achievements, and only 3 starts (out of like 60) to get the 5 stars on all foods, but it was just taking for ever. Literarily took 5 in game days to go from 0 stars to 3 stars on the food for the prince. Just not a fun back third of the game.

You're the owner of the tavern the adventurers go to at the end of the day. Build your dream fantasy tavern from the ground up (literally). Research progression feels kind of slow, but the default tavern isn't hard to be successful with. The winter tavern is a fun challenge. I haven't noticed many bugs, just slow progression. Overall I'd recommend if you're a fan of resource management.

I de-stress and degauss with this soothing resource management/building/business sim game. The best part is the music and sound effects! Weirdly, the game started out with music only, which I liked but it got on my nerves after a while. It was too loud. So I went into the settings, to turn down the music, and discovered that there was something else I could turn on which was muted by default: the sounds of pub patrons talking.

This was the best-kept secret ever, and I wish I could somehow buy that sound, so I could fall asleep to it every night because it's different from stock sounds of "pub chatter" or "cafe chatter" one can find online.

For one thing, it seems to be generated by the virtual patrons themselves, so that the more patrons and the larger the space, the more it *sounds* like a large space, and the more boisterous and numerous the voices are. In my upstairs pub area, the space is smaller and there are fewer patrons, and it has a distinctly different, quiet vibe, no echoes or clatters, muted voices, as people naturally tend to do when there are fewer people and a smaller space.

So I have an upstairs which sounds like a happy intimate gathering at a coffeeshop bookstore, and a downstairs which has the echoes, dish clatter, and boisterous voices of a busy restaurant where everyone's happy.

The game itself is mildly engaging, a great distraction from stress and worries, but the sound! That sound can take away my stress and lull me to sleep like nothing else.

Game loop is so good that you want to play it non-stop. Not too complicated not too simple. It's sweet but at some point it is kinda repetitive. More variety is needed but content is enough for the price I think. I'm 16 hours in and close to %100. Low poly graphics are not bad to look at. If you like the good old Banished this game might scratch the same spot.

Mixed. More idler than management sim. What you see in the demo is mostly what you get in the full game, with a few added complications. You cannot import your demo progress into the full game for some reason.

Recommended at a discount if you like the concept of a management simulation which heavily leans into casual gameplay.

Additional Details


Operating System
Ubuntu Linux 22.04 x64


CPU
Ryzen 7 5800h


GPU
RX 6700m


Game Saves
Automatically, manually whenever you want


Notes
Worked on Steam Deck reasonably well with touchpad and touchscreen input (keyboard and mouse are best though)


Technical Notes
Unity game engine, no major problems beyond being slow to load

This game offers a calm,enjoyable experience that's both fun and relaxing.

This game is is chill, relaxing and can be played with a slow pace. It needs minimal supervision once you've set up everything. I usually have this on while working or doing something else.

It would be better if they add more decoration options, more furniture, more wall and floor decorations.