Miriel the Magical Merchant is possibly the best new time management game available

After seeing reviews on this game, I simply couldn’t wait for my regular game supplier to offer this, so I downloaded the free trial version. Usually, I only pay $6.99 for games through the BigFish Game Club, but after playing this game for an hour, I’m actually going to pay full price ($19.95) through PlayFirst! Before I tell you why I’ve fallen in love with this game, here’s the description from the site:

Meet Miriel the Magical Merchant, an ordinary girl with extraordinary talents. Help Miriel manage her busy shop and fulfill her dreams in this unique tale. Prepare fresh breads, cakes, jams, and more for her customers in more than 60 levels of fast-paced fun. Use magical devices and special abilities to deliver your one-of-a-kind treats to waiting customers before they get impatient and leave. Even unlock recipes that you can make in your own home! Featuring an interactive storyline with multiple endings, a variety of shop locations, and hours of family-friendly fun, Miriel the Magical Merchant is a very special treat. Everyone has a dream; make Miriel’s come true today.

* Over 60 challenging levels
* 19 unique items to make
* Interactive storyline with multiple endings
* Unlock recipes you can make yourself

With the obligatory screen shots:

Miriel’s Shop

Game Map

Mini Game between shops is like Super Collapse

Mini Review after playing the one hour trial

It’s no secret that I love crisp, clean graphics. Miriel the Magical Merchant has some of the best graphics I’ve seen in a very long time. Rich, deep colors mixed with an anime art style really do give this game a “magical” atmosphere. I was pleasantly surprised to see how smoothly the game ran in full screen mode, even with these rich graphics. Very well done, indeed.

I turned the music down, but not off… Much like Mystic Inn, I found the music to be oddly relaxing. Very similar to the musical scores in movies such as the Princess Bride, or Dark Crystal. Unlike most time management games, the music is not used as a tool to stress you out while you rush to complete your tasks.

Now, remember… I’ve only played this game for an hour so far! I completed two “shops”, because I chose to help Miriel open, and operate a chain of stores throughout the magical lands where she’s from. Miriel the Magical Merchant is unique in the way the storyline is actually interactive. If you’ve played games like Fairy Godmother Tycoon, then you will understand this… the way you answer questions determines your path in the game, giving it 13 possible endings!

An interactive story line that determines your path is one thing, but the fact that you can’t “replay” levels is another thing that makes the replay value of this game so much more than the normal casual game has. For example, if I know that answering a question differently will show me a different ending, you can bet I’m going to want to play the game again. 13 endings means at least 13 play-throughs!

Due to the quality of the graphics in this game, my suspicion is that I’d really be missing out if I didn’t see every possible ending, and play every possible path! The combination of possible game play is staggering, really.

As you move from one location to the next, you have the opportunity to upgrade your shop’s equipment. You have to earn the upgrades though! If you can successfully play a game that resembles “Super Collapse”, where you simply click on groups of three or more similar items… before they reach the top of the screen… then you earn an upgrade. You get to choose which piece of equipment to upgrade also.

Super Collapse is one of my all time favorite games, so this was a really great surprise for me. Just like the shop screens, the mini game runs very smoothly.

Miriel the Magical Merchant combines aspects of all the popular time management games. You have to “order” up the food that your customers want… and in some cases, combine ingredients to bake what they want. Chaining your actions earns you bonus points, and you can carry three items at a time (this may increase as you progress, as I started out only able to carry two items).

Another unique aspect to this game, is that it offers you the recipes used in the game, for you to try in your real life kitchen! I’m not a fan of cooking, but the recipes actually look very tasty, and relatively easy to do. Who knows, if I’m actually motivated to bake because of a casual pc game, Hubby may not mind me playing so often! LOL!

There is a LOT to love about this game. I guess you could say that I’ve fallen under Miriel’s spell, because I rarely pay full price for a casual pc game. If you’re not willing to wait for your favorite discount game portal to offer this game (if they even do), then go on and download the free one hour trial… you won’t be sorry!

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