A Not-So-Tiny "Tiny Bookshop" Review From A Writer, Bookworm, And Gamer

via Steam

Like many writers out there, I'm also a gamer. And like a lot of folks, I got really into Animal Crossing during the pandemic lockdown. Checking on my island was a daily ritual and became my favorite way to unwind once I'd started at a new job after being laid off following a furlough.

That said, I'm not what you'd call a cozy gamer. My idea of cozy gaming is putting on my comfiest pajama pants, making some cocoa, curling up under a throw blanket, and listening to an audiobook or a podcast while aimlessly riding around the wilderness in Red Dead Redemption II, trying to finally fill out the compendium and hoping I don't have a run-in with the O'Driscolls.

Cozy games just aren't my usual vibe. Defined by warm and cute aesthetics, low stakes, and ease of gameplay, they're a branch of lifestyle sims with a focus on relaxation and building friendships with NPCs. The central plotline may revolve around rebuilding a run-down town or operating a coffee shop, with no finite end once the main storyline itself is complete. Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley are the most well-known, but you've also got newer favorites like Dreamlight Valley, Disney's contribution to the genre.

They have an audience. It just doesn't usually include me.

However, when I saw a few writer friends posting about an indie cozy game where you manage a secondhand bookshop, I knew I needed to try it for myself.

Tiny Bookshop, developed by Neoludic Games, is set in a seaside town (which actually reminds me a lot of my visit to York, Maine, last October), in which you open up a mobile secondhand bookshop. There's a focus on getting to know the townsfolk and, of course, helping them find their next favorite reads. There's an impressive catalogue of real books ranging from the classic works of Jane Austen and Emily Dickinson to contemporary titles like Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston and They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvia; I actually picked up the latter at a Free Little Library a couple of weeks ago and it's next on my TBR! It was neat to see so many reads I recognized and new ones I've even made a note to check out IRL!

*On a slight tangent, if you're ever in the York area, stop by The Booktenders! They were an unexpected find and a highlight of the trip.

The game has a seasons mechanic like Stardew Valley, so I planned to play through summer and write my review based on that but, well, you know a game is good when it takes you longer to write your review of it because you can't stop playing the game. At the time of writing, I'm roughly halfway through Autumn and I'm having a lovely time!

So crack that spine, dust off those covers, and brew some tea because it's time to get into my Tiny Bookshop review!

Gameplay

Let's start with one of the most crucial elements of a game review: the gameplay. For context, I'm playing on the Switch, but Tiny Bookshop is also available on PC.

Overall, the controls were easy to pick up, though there was a slight learning curve to some of the mechanics and understanding how different buffs impact your store. Some genres are also merged in ways that can be at times confusing, like horror novels being listed under Crime and sci-fi works like Divergent being classified under Fantasy. After a while, though, you'll get the hang of things and know where to look for specific titles.

Tiny Bookshop operates similarly to Stardew Valley, as it's broken into seasons with dates being written out as Summer 1, Summer 2, etc. Each in-game day cycle begins with the delivery of the newspaper, which allows you to purchase more stock. Then, you'll select your location for the day. You'll get a chance to fill your bookcase with your wares, adjusting the number of books in each genre based on what's popular at that location and the effects of your shop's decor. From there, it's time to open shop!

The main mechanic here is offering book recommendations. As NPCs wander through, they may not be able to find what they're looking for and ask for your help. You'll be given a brief description of what they're interested in, such as genre and length, and it's up to you to select an appropriate book. The game provides plenty of information on the books in your shop's inventory, so you're not going in totally blind, and there's thankfully no time limit when it comes to making your selection.

If they love what you've offered, they'll take it and continue browsing, which will also generate a bonus for a brief period of time. But since Tiny Bookshop is a cozy game, there aren't any major repercussions if you get it wrong. They just won't buy the book, it remains in your store's inventory, and the customer leaves without much fuss.

The day ends when the last customer is gone. All in all, the selling period lasts a couple of minutes, minus pauses for recommendations.

There's also plenty to explore in each location. It's reminiscent of those Living Books games on the PC back in the day, where so much of the background could be interacted with. You can find new decor for your bookshop by poking around, and it may even open up new storylines!

Speaking of which, one aspect I wasn't expecting when picking up Tiny Bookshop was the side missions. Each location has its own small challenges, as do the characters. It might be as simple as talking to someone three times or a little harder like selling every single book on hand. It's adding another layer of gameplay that keeps it interesting. One of the reasons cozy games don't tend to work for me is the repetition; with Animal Crossing, the routine of picking up weeds and having the same conversation with two different villagers because they both happen to be Lazy got tedious. Having these challenges in Tiny Bookshop keeps it from getting stale.

I do wish there were a way to put specific books on your shelves rather than plunking down an assortment based on genres, even if it's limited to only three for simplicity's sake. It could be treated like a Manager's Special or the employee recommendation cards on the shelves at B&N, and maybe come with an additional buff if you're able to successfully recommend them to a patron.

While there doesn't appear to be a romance mechanic as there is in Stardew Valley from the portion I've played, I think it'd be a nice addition.

All in all, Tiny Bookshop's gameplay is easy to grasp and has a nice variety that keeps it from getting too monotonous the that way a lot of cozy games are for me.

Aesthetics

My first thought when seeing the trailer for Tiny Bookshop was the similarities between the NPCs in this game and in Untitled Goose Game. That's not a bad thing by any means. In fact, it adds to the quirky charm of the game, and I don't think it would work as well in any other genre.

Townsfolk you interact with, like Tilde and Fern, have more detailed sketches that pop up during dialogue exchanges, and they're easily identifiable among the crowd. I also love how everyone is interconnected (e.g., Klaus is Harper's uncle and plays in a band with Moira), as it adds to that small-town essence. I do wish there were more character models for NPCs apart from those you interact with. While there is noticeable diversity (more on that in a bit), there isn't as much distinction. I'd like to be able to keep track of returning customers somehow and build a rapport, even if it's on a smaller scale than with Klaus or Anne.

I also appreciate how customizable the bookshop is. You're able to acquire new decor from listings in the paper, exploring your setting, and even from townfolk, and many of these items can be painted to make them fit your bookshop's vibe.

As you've likely guessed from the intro to this post, I adore the setting. There's a clear attention to detail in each location that makes it feel realistic.

Diversity

Tiny Bookshop features a diverse range of books, including Queer lit and books from authors of diverse backgrounds. That diversity also extends to the NPCs. Fern uses He/They pronouns. Moira mentions her dads in passing conversation. Maryam appears to be of Indian descent, but correct me if I'm mistaken.

Even though there isn't much distinction among the background NCPs, there is diversity to be found. My first-ever patron was a wheelchair user. I've seen a few wearing hijabs. Across the board, there are different skin tones represented.

It's commendable to see diversity in video games regardless of the genre, and I appreciate how Tiny Bookshop makes it a point to not have these elements stand out. Rather, that's just how things are in Bookstonbury, as it frankly should be IRL.

If anything, I would want to see more body types represented.

Accessibility

Tiny Bookshop also offers a decent amount of accessibility so players can tailor the game to their needs.

There's an option in the Settings menu that allows you to change the color of each genre that's designed to "make key information in the game more comfortable to your color perception." I imagine this would be especially helpful for players who are colorblind or have other visual impairments.

(Or you could be like me and use it to make your bookshelf more aesthetically pleasing. All of my genres are some shade of pink or purple, much more cozy than the neon green for Kids books and bright red for Crime.)

You can also change the time limit for taking up recommendation requests and the need to hold down buttons for certain features.

I'm glad to see more video games including accessibility in their design. While I myself may not need these specific features, it's wonderful to see them included for gamers who do.

One of my favorite things about secondhand bookshops is not knowing what hidden gem you'll find waiting for you on the shelves. In a way, that's also been my experience with Tiny Bookshop: an unexpected gem.

There is so much to adore. It's got the perfect small-town vibes a cozy gamer could ask for, with plenty of depth and discoveries to keep it from getting tedious.

There were a handful of times I gave a poor recommendation because I didn't have all of the necessary information as far the game mechanics go, like what constitutes a long book (I think I'd selected something in the 500-page range and it was rejected for being too short), and I got a chuckle out of a speech bubble popping up with "Dan Brown! Perfect for the young ones!" because I personally wouldn't deem Angels and Demons to be a kid-friendly read, but then again I did accidentally offer Harper A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas and she was incredibly pleased with it so what do I know?

Even though I'm finding it difficult to listen to an audiobook while playing this game since there's so much reading of book descriptions and requests involved, it's incredibly relaxing. There's a carefully crafted balance between the chill, cozy vibes and the bustle and strategy of running the bookshop.

Since the game is still brand-new, I'd be curious to see if new books are added to its catalogue over time. Like, how cool would it be to see my own book on the Tiny Bookshop shelf someday?!

Speaking of which, I should probably get back to work on that! After one or two more in-game days of selling books, that is...

Editor's Note: The dev team has a book council to help expand the selection of books featured in-game! Thanks to Talle Fey on Threads for keeping me in the know!