Tiny Bookshop Review

In a sea of fast-paced shooters and action titles, numbing both the fingers and the brain, a slow surge of cosy, relaxing titles has begun to make its presence known. As the years catch up with this reviewer, the thought of engaging the reflexes and focusing becomes less and less desirable, whereas a quaint jaunt appeals more and more. That is where Tiny Bookshop comes in. After playing through to the satisfying conclusion, it is easily in the running for cosy game of the year.

With a simple premise, Tiny Bookshop allows players to jump straight into the world of a budding bibliophile with ease and begin spreading the word to the local town they have just rocked up in. Simply, you own a mobile bookshop with the intention of building the business from scratch in Bookstonbury-by-the-Sea (the game is great; the town names, not so much). Progression is made not from the number of books sold (although hugely important) but by the connections made with the locals. A multitude of characters will become repeat customers, setting you tasks or just checking in on your wellbeing from the outset, instantly making the player feel part of the community and giving that cosy feeling titles like this shoot for.

Throughout the storyline the majority of characters are interesting and a genuine pleasure to see strolling up the ramp into your book shanty. From aspiring musicians to struggling cafe owners, all tell their own individual story and reasoning for doing what they do and why an escape into the world of literature is needed. One or two do grate (well, just one actually, known by her more than irritating way of walking), but on the whole all bring a smile to the face with their love for their small town and community.

When it comes down to it, however, all want the same thing: a good book to get their teeth into. At the start of the morning a location must be selected to set up shop, which will be locked in for the day, and choosing the right selection to adorn the shelves is essential. Days take around 3-4 minutes each, so it can be quite easy to fall into the trap of “just one more” – an essential part of the success of a game like this. Notes can be looked at on the location and clientele beforehand to ensure the right inventory is selected, and once the stock is full, it’s off to the races.

While selling takes place, the local environment can also be interacted with, picking up items to complete side quests set by other villagers, and unlocking new items and decorations for the bookshop itself. Other items can also be bought at various times to improve the selling of a certain genre or increase bonus statistics, for example. As time progresses and tasks are completed, more locations are then unlocked, allowing new customers and objectives to meet. It is a simple way of progression, but in a game as cosy as this, simplicity is key. Simply rock up, open the doors, and enjoy the smell of commerce in the morning.

Occasionally, a customer will be unable to make a decision and ask for help on a recommendation. It is here where Tiny Bookshop shines. All books in-game are real-world examples, with publishing dates, page counts and blurbs. A customer may, for example, ask for a Victorian detective novel with a small page count, so all factors need to be taken into consideration. Successful recommendations will then lead to bonuses when selling for a short period of time. It is a simple premise (as with most of the game itself), but one that keeps you fully invested at all times. With all books being available in reality, it’s also easy to pick up some ideas for your next nook escape, and provides a lot more replayability to the title as you scour your collection looking for something new to read while the Switch charges.