Potionomics: Masterwork Edition Review for Nintendo Switch

I first discovered the cozy simulation genre two years ago, and took to it instantly – I have a vivid memory of playing Stardew Valley for four hours straight the first Saturday morning after I bought it. It’s a low-stakes genre that can include elements of strategy, romance, combat, and crafting. If you’ve ever wondered, “What if Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing was a little more…witchy?”), then you’re in luck! Enter Potionomics, a charming release from 2022 that takes the traditional simulation game and adds, well, potions.

Potionomics’ early story follows the cozy sim template to a tee: you play as Sylvia, an amateur potion-maker, whose eccentric uncle Oswald dies suddenly (…or does he?) and leaves you his potion shop on the magical island of Rafta. Rafta is the former stomping ground of a witch-queen named Maven, who ran unsanctioned magical experiments in her vast, crumbling castle before she was defeated.

Making potions isn’t quite as simple as throwing random ingredients into a cauldron – each ingredient has a set of properties called magimins, which come in different colors. The ratio of magimins is just as important as the quantity; for example, a health potion requires an equal ratio of red and green magimins, while a mana potion requires equal parts of green and yellow. You can add other ingredients to speed along the brewing process or beef up the potion’s powers.

Once you have your potions brewed, it’s time to sell! Selling a potion involves negotiating with customers and using haggling techniques to drive up the price without causing the customer to lose interest. You get a certain number of haggling cards that are generated randomly, and once you’re confident that you’ve hooked the customer in, you can close the deal.

What sets Potionomics’ play style apart from other simulation games that I’ve played is that it’s turn-based rather than real-time. Each day is divided into six blocks of time, and you can spend those blocks doing anything from brewing potions to decorating your shop to building relationships with your neighbors. How you divide your time is entirely up to you, and there’s definitely an element of strategy involved – should you open up the shop while a potion is brewing, or head off to the blacksmith to upgrade your equipment? Should you brew a more powerful potion that takes longer to make, or a cheaper one that you can get on the shelves faster? As with any sim game, there’s no one right way to do it.

I’m playing the Potionomics: Masterwork Edition on Nintendo Switch, which adds a few crucial new elements you won’t find in the base game. The original game only features written dialogue, while the Masterwork Edition adds a rich layer of voiceover talent that really impressed me. From the first voice you hear in the game – Uncle Oswald, in his letters to Sylvia – the voice acting is complex and deeply human, from Sylvia’s mix of energy and apprehension to fellow witch Quinn’s too-cool-for-school drawl. The dialogue isn’t groundbreaking, but it gets the job done and the voice actors do a great job bringing it to life.

Another key addition to the Masterwork Edition game is difficulty levels. The original game could only be played on a single difficulty, while the Masterworks Edition adds two new options: Cozy, for players who are mostly there for the vibes, and the cheekily-named Capitalism, which ramps things up for players who want a challenge. I’m still playing on normal difficulty – no Capitalism for me just yet.

I only have a few complaints about Potionomics, and none of them are deal-breakers. The lore-based cutscenes can drag on a bit, but you do have the option to skip them if you want (unless they reveal game mechanics). The graphics aren’t the smoothest and lag in certain places, which is a shame because they’re really beautiful. There’s also an initial learning curve, especially if you’re not used to turn-based games, but it’s not too difficult to get the hang of.

Overall, I was impressed with Potionomics: Masterwork Edition. It launches you headfirst into a relatively complex style of gameplay, but it teaches you everything you need to know and you certainly feel a sense of accomplishment when you’ve gotten the hang of it. It has plenty of opportunity for strategizing and socializing, with a deep bench of voice talent and no shortage of things to do. Besides a few nitpicks with lag and cutscene length, I’m happy to continue my potion-making journey on the island of Rafta.

Score: 8/10

For more information or to purchase the game, visit the Nintendo eShop.

Related: Reviews by Ian Robinson-Lambert

Ian Robinson-Lambert

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I've loved video games ever since I started playing Mario Kart on my parents' Wii back in seventh grade. These days, you can find me playing a mix of historical RPGs and horror (shout-out to Assassin's Creed and Resident Evil). I also love a good puzzle, and of course I still have a soft spot for the Super Mario series!

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