You’re overworked and in desperate need of a change when your grandfather coincidentally passes away and bestows upon you a cherished relic from your childhood: his farm.
However, while the mayor and his wife are relieved upon your arrival to the sleepy, seaside town, they are among the only villagers who feel that way.
While I am the type of life-sim player who find the most enjoyment in the social aspects of the game (you can catch me offering pizza to Shane far more often than you can find me in Stardew Valley’s mines), the resource gathering and exploration in Potion Permit often had me wanting to leave the town and discover new plants, monsters, and meandering paths.
I also took issue with how the game presented certain mental health- and disability-related issues.
I think Potion Permit is ambitious in introducing these characters, but at times it fumbles in its portrayals.
Hairstyles feel predominantly made for light-skinned characters, the town tailor offers next to nothing in terms of ways to change your appearance, and accessibility options are just about non-existent.
This is particularly egregregious considering how often you play minigames in Portion Permit (some including button-mashing and precise timing), as well as how small the game’s text is.
Despite not having any visual impairment myself, even I was a bit frustrated by how small and thin the text was in handheld mode.
I believe it has the potential to proudly stand next to games like Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, and Story of Seasons and, if it addresses some of its most glaring issues, could push the genre forward in meaningful ways.
Fighting monsters and harvest sunflowers in the forest.
Caring for patients in your clinic.