This year has been a pretty long year for myself. After looking back, I found myself selecting the games from last year, as these two years seem to have blended themselves into my head.
After a long year with a huge number of personal issues, I tried to think of the games that I played in my free time. There are only a few that come to mind, but I picked out the two I played the most to share as games of the year.
I feel like in 2019, I was looking for something happy. Something that took my mind off of everything else going on. I was playing more mobile games so that they could be played in bed or laying down, as it seems I have spent most of this year off of my desktop PC.
Potion Punch 2 was a surprising favorite of the year. I have not played the sequel, but I have spent a lot of time playing through this second game. It’s a mobile title where you play a character who is making potions (and other food-esque items) for a bunch of mythical creatures. You are able to get epic heroes to work in your shops, too (just don’t tell their keepers that they are not on epic missions to match their own personalities).
In the first shop you own in Potion Punch 2, you are able to mix different-colored potions, soon upgrading them to have two different colors unmixed, adding corks and bows, and generally making more money. You also have a few dragons that heat up fish alongside this. It’s like a little pub but in a mystical world.
Upgrades are easy to purchase if you do well during your daily service. Each day has a different goal; sometimes regarding the money you earn, other times regarding the number of orders you fulfill. Often, they have a thing that causes the game to end; a theft happening or you throwing away an ingredient. You can even throw parties to upgrade your customers or purchase upgrades for your home.
It’s been fun watching my shop and customers grow. I’ve made it to the send shop, which has you dying scrolls and carving rocks. This added a lot of variety to the game and almost seemed like an entirely new area, but with the same basic concepts. At this time, I haven’t used any of the in-app purchases, but I have been taking advantage of reward ads to double my income on particularly good runs.
On the Apple Arcade, I have been playing a lot of Sneaky Sasquatch. I kept telling myself I would write up a review of the game, but I ended up just playing more and more of it. It’s a pretty simple and cute concept; you are a Sasquatch who lives in this massive park. During the day, you are hungry, and want to go out to steal food from various campers. The park ranger, of course, doesn’t want you stealing food, so you will need to be sneaky.
You can sell the food you don’t want to eat to the bear, who gives you coins to spend at the racoon’s shop. These upgrades come in the form of needed items like fishing rods, fishing poles, or human clothing, which can be used in various areas around the park. You can also go beyond the park and take your driving test, explore the highway, and find various bits of buried treasure.
Eventually, you’ll start seeing a mischievous fox hanging about who gives you difficult challenges to take on, mostly to do with annoying other humans or the ranger. If you are successful, he can end up giving you money or map pieces. Map pieces are pretty important as they follow the story of the game; which has something to do with the park being built on or something, I don’t quite remember, as I have been spending my days just being a sneak and getting everything I can from every grill around.
These are the two games I have played most this year. I am looking forward to 2020 in hopes of it being a better year for myself and the people around me. Hopefully I can get back to playing loads and loads of little games.
Potion Punch 2 is available now on Google Play and the App Store. Sneaky Sasquatch is available now on Apple Arcade.