Xbox
Review

Tiny Bookshop

by
on

A cozy story about selling books and helping a community...

7

You decide to get away from it all and open a mobile bookstore in the coastal town of Bookstonbury.

On your way to a more peaceful life...?

A geeky-looking man visits the shop and introduces himself as Fern Estrada, a writer for the local paper–the Bookstonbury Review. The paper carries classified ads and you can buy pre-owned books from it to improve your shop's stock.

As you play you unlock further sites to pitch your trailer at, and each site will have its own separate set of clientele and tastes in reading matter.

More locations become available as you progress.

The game keeps excellent records on what genre of books sells at which location, but it's probably a good idea to make notes of your own if you want to keep the locals happy and achieve the best sales.

Clockwise: A day at the beach/You can adopt a stray dog!/A cruise ship arrives/ Even the hospital needs a bookstore!

Various gadgets, nicknacks and objets d'art can be unlocked to decorate your trailer with which add RPG-like buffs, and these can either be gifts from happy customers or purchased from various places. Probably the most important are the three large bookshelves, while other objects (including a stray dog!) can add appeal to your bookshop.

Busy Busy! It might look hectic, but it's really not.

A strangely relaxing yet addictive game, Tiny Bookshop is the epitome of the "gentle" or "cozy" genre that has become so popular with games developers and gamers alike, and if you're new to it then this is the perfect place to start. Finally here's a shop simulator where the customers ask for recommendations rather than refunds!

Many thanks to Neoludic, Skystone Games & PressEngine