![]() As far as trading games go, this one is worth setting sail for the long haul with. Merchant of the Skies is a calming adventure all about exploring and filling your coffers. Well, and it was a good reminder that I need to take a break. It wasn’t a huge issue and was easily remedied by restarting the game. I’m talking three to four hour sojourns in one sitting. After particularly long play sessions, the game stuttered slightly and would slow. The added fog-of-war stylized after old maps with artistic compasses was inspired.ĭuring my travels, I only encountered one technical storm of note. I enjoyed the relaxing nature of the game, right down to the charming graphics and pleasant music. ![]() You can pilot your ship and uncover the map, searching for isles to visit or use autopilot to fly to desired destinations. All of these can either aid or hinder your journey. The overworld map comes to life with storms, lost resources and gusts of wind. Resource icons are easy to discern and UI is clear and presentable. Merchant of the Skies is a beautifully rendered game. This simplistic approach may not be for everyone, but for a small 358 MB of space on your memory card, it’s worth having this tiny island world installed so you can getting lost in the clouds. The stakes are low and it’s hard to fail. It takes a few genres and blends them into a relaxing sandbox to play in. Merchant of the Skies is easily one of my favorite games this year. On your own personal paradise you can design, brick by brick, a mansion for an extravagant price. Of course, if you really want to show off your good fortune you can buy a private island. It’s not “town-building” per se, but that definition paints a close picture of what you can expect. Once you embark on that endeavor, you can construct various facilities to include mining operations and produce rare goods. There are several ships you can upgrade to with various perks and you’ll eventually start buying those solitary islands with a single resource. I put over a dozen hours on the rinse-and-repeat trading before expanding my operation. You don’t have to worry about enemies and you play at your pace. Especially if you’re looking for a lethargic title for a relaxing stay. Merchant of the Skies is a rather relaxing experience. These play an important role later but initially were hardly worth exploring. Many of the islands have a trade guild and recharging station, but occasionally you’ll find a barren land with a single resource. ![]() This uncertainty adds a mild layer of challenge as you can run out of energy trying to find a suitable place to recharge your ship. The map is randomly generated and you won’t know what resources are on an island until you dock. Buy low on one island to sell high elsewhere. You navigate your airship across a fog-of-war shrouded map looking for floating islands. Merchant of the Skies, at its core, is a trading game. I spent hours on the basic trade mechanic, hopping from port to port to double my profits before dropping anchor on deeper gameplay. What you do from there is entirely up to you. The brief narrative only serves to set the sails and get you in the air. Occasionally, you’ll be given tasks to alter the sky-world you call home. I’ll be honest, the story is rather barebones, but it doesn’t need a beefy plot to keep things moving. And thus your journey to fame and fortune begins. In addition to the modicum reward, the local guild agrees to employ you. Uncle Boe offers some advice and suggests putting your cargo hold to use by purchasing some cheap goods to offload them for a profit at the next location. Since he heads the local post office, he needs an urgent letter delivered to another floating island. Though he seems happy to see you, he seems even more happy to put you to work. Merchant of the Skies starts out with your Uncle Boe greeting you as you dock your small vessel at a floating island. So, is Merchant of the Skies buoyed up by engaging gameplay or should you give this one a wide berth? Sail on to find out in my review. There are only a handful of trading games on the Nintendo Switch and the few I’ve tried in the past seem to capsize due to a lack of depth, which is ironic considering the metaphor I’ve chosen. Introducing Merchant of the Skies Nintendo Switch ReviewĬast off and hoist the mainsail! We have the wind at our backs and the skies are calm.
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