Overview: The Shopkeeper is a non-traditional point-and-click game which uses a repetitive narrative (variations of the same story/game) as its primary game mechanic.
20151105:
Today I sat through this awful game for 82 minutes, slowly but surely (and painfully) achieving all of its Steam achievements.
Thoughts:
Pro:
+ The game lets you know what you have or haven't clicked on by turning the cursor green or red, respectively*
Neutral:
~ Steam achievements are easy to obtain
Cons:
- Repetitive and boring
- Has a bit of a story, but fails to form a bigger picture
*Note that the color may be green for the short description, but red for the long description, or vice versa. See #1a of the Tips/Walkthrough section.
Recommendation:
When I first started this game, I was confused and just continued clicking until I slowly figured out what was happening. Unfortunately, the game didn't reveal information fast enough to ever become interesting and never revealed any surprises. As such, I'd much rather play a more traditional point-and-click game such as Samarost 2 (PC) (2005) or Botanicula (PC) (2012).
The Shopkeeper (PC) (2014)
Relevant Links:
The Shopkeeper (Steam Store Page)
Tips/Walkthrough:*, **
1a) Arguably the hardest achievement is the Shop Conquistador (with the Shop Scout being slightly easier because you will more than likely listen to the short descriptions (before the businessman enters the shop) more often than the long stories (after the businessmaan enters the shop). In any case, for consistency, always listen to the long story after listening to the short story and you should be set.
1b) The achievement of listening to the story 10 times comes automatically with the above.
2) While there are some sequences which are required for achievements, most of the time you'll want to click past conversation you've already heard (just click to continue). When the businessman enters his mother-in-law's office, the player can initiate conversation the quickest by clicking on two or three items in the room (without needing to hear their dialogue).
4) Don't click on anything in the antique shop to obtain the Ignorance is Bliss achievement. This is also useful to occasionally proc the other side of the shop when the items on one side have been exhausted.
*With adaptations from the Steam guide: The Shopkeeper Achievement Guide
**Except for Shop Conquistador, I achieved every other achievement without the guide (mainly by random clicking). Though I had clicked all the items and heard their short descriptions, I couldn't figure out which item I had yet to click for its long description.
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| The shopkeeper. |
20151105:
Today I sat through this awful game for 82 minutes, slowly but surely (and painfully) achieving all of its Steam achievements.
Thoughts:
Pro:
+ The game lets you know what you have or haven't clicked on by turning the cursor green or red, respectively*
Neutral:
~ Steam achievements are easy to obtain
Cons:
- Repetitive and boring
- Has a bit of a story, but fails to form a bigger picture
*Note that the color may be green for the short description, but red for the long description, or vice versa. See #1a of the Tips/Walkthrough section.
Recommendation:
When I first started this game, I was confused and just continued clicking until I slowly figured out what was happening. Unfortunately, the game didn't reveal information fast enough to ever become interesting and never revealed any surprises. As such, I'd much rather play a more traditional point-and-click game such as Samarost 2 (PC) (2005) or Botanicula (PC) (2012).
 |
| Talking with the florist. |
The Shopkeeper (PC) (2014)
Relevant Links:
The Shopkeeper (Steam Store Page)
Tips/Walkthrough:*, **
1a) Arguably the hardest achievement is the Shop Conquistador (with the Shop Scout being slightly easier because you will more than likely listen to the short descriptions (before the businessman enters the shop) more often than the long stories (after the businessmaan enters the shop). In any case, for consistency, always listen to the long story after listening to the short story and you should be set.
Wall to the shopkeeper's left: necklace, box, box on bookshelf, gun/cane on bookshelf; Down the center: chess set, silver spoon, flask on table, stuffed owl in a jar; Wall to the shopkeeper's right: rug behind desk, clock, bust, painting of a ship
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| Achieving the Shop Dream. |
1b) The achievement of listening to the story 10 times comes automatically with the above.
2) While there are some sequences which are required for achievements, most of the time you'll want to click past conversation you've already heard (just click to continue). When the businessman enters his mother-in-law's office, the player can initiate conversation the quickest by clicking on two or three items in the room (without needing to hear their dialogue).
Shop Dream: Clock > Anything > Anything > "This didn't involve anyone else."; Do You Even Work here?: Bust > Anything > Anything > "This didn't involve anyone else."; Close, But No Cigar: Clock > Anything > Anything > "He only cared about his family."; Dial M for Meh: Nothing > Anything > Anything > Anything3) Achieve the Smell the Flowers achievement by listening to both of the florist's conversations (left tray of flowers and right tray of flowers). Every other time the player can just click on the antique shop window to go straight to the antique shop.
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| The shopkeeper and businessman converse. |
4) Don't click on anything in the antique shop to obtain the Ignorance is Bliss achievement. This is also useful to occasionally proc the other side of the shop when the items on one side have been exhausted.
*With adaptations from the Steam guide: The Shopkeeper Achievement Guide
**Except for Shop Conquistador, I achieved every other achievement without the guide (mainly by random clicking). Though I had clicked all the items and heard their short descriptions, I couldn't figure out which item I had yet to click for its long description.
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