My Little Blacksmith Shop

Pros

• Process of crafting new items can be very fun and rewarding
• Fits a lot of charm into its retro 3D aesthetic

Cons

• Practically requires outside guides to make progress
• Not much to do outside of your shop

My Little Blacksmith Shop takes its subject matter seriously, offering a first person simulation of a blacksmith's life, but the results are equal parts engaging and frustrating. As big name game studios lean hard into fantastical adventures with realistic graphics, many in the indie scene are learning that there's a segment of fans craving more normal activities. Dating sims and management games like Stardew Valley have proven that there are plenty of players looking for more low stakes experiences. But while many developers opt for cute sims that offer only the vaguest recreation of the tasks they seek to emulate, My Little Blacksmith Shop aims for a system that's equal parts realistic and obtuse.

That approach to realism doesn't extend to the graphics. This is a proudly low res game, making use of three dimensional textures that would look aging twenty years ago, bu there's a smart charm to the faux retro aesthetic here. The game takes place from a first person perspective, and the most immediate challenge comes from the game's physics engine. The majority of the game is spent in front of your forge. An endless procession of customers will come by asking for specific items, and you have to fulfill their requests by heating, hammering, cooling, and fusing parts. Of course, parts cost money, and customers aren't always patient, so you have to learn how to balance your early modest income against your workload. Once you get into the groove of things, there's a sense of zen in churning out item after item for your colorful assortment of customers, but there's a learning curve to reaching that point.

And that learning curve is steep. My Little Blacksmith Shop is a game of minute complexity, and there's little to nothing in the way of tutorials. Each item you create has its own formula. These formulas aren't unlocked in the game, and they often have hidden variables that aren't explained. Without referring to outside resources like the game's dedicated wiki, you're unlikely to progress too far, and running out of money from making mistakes essentially leaves you in a failed game state. Once you reach an understanding of how the game works, there's a lot to love, but understanding the game is a matter of finding outside help or following a painful process of trial and error.

While the majority of the game is spent at your forge, there's an entire town to explore outside of your shop. You can have ore and metal ordered directly to your shop, but there's also the option to go explore the environment and mine for materials directly. There's an entire town and an expanding countryside, but they're mostly bereft of life. My Little Blacksmith Shop does a great job of replicating the tediousness of a blacksmith's life. There's a level of charm and even fun in that, but there's a long road to walk before you can learn the craft.

Pros

• Process of crafting new items can be very fun and rewarding
• Fits a lot of charm into its retro 3D aesthetic

Cons

• Practically requires outside guides to make progress
• Not much to do outside of your shop