Shop Titans (PC) Review

Shopkeeping simulators aren't a novel concept at this point, but most mobile titles don't go for novelty. Aesthetically similar to virtually all of its contemporaries, Shop Titans is about as basic and to the point as mobile games go. There's minimal avatar customisation, simple enough controls, where the player only needs a mouse, and the gameplay loop is tied directly to timers, invoking a "just another minute" mentality where the mere possibility of progress keeps audiences locked in.

Players stock their stores through Crafting, a task as simple as clicking an item to craft and waiting for its timer end. New items are most commonly unlocked via Blueprints, which are earned by naturally playing, completing quests, or paying real money - but more on that later. Selling is as simple as accepting a customer's money, but items actually need to be in stock. Customers can be told to wait, but there's no guarantee they'll stick around if there's no stock. Considering how few crafting slots players initially have access to, this can make profiting off big orders a fair bit of trouble.

While the player avatar mans the store, heroes can be recruited to set forth on quests and collect loot. As to be expected of the genre, quests are non-interactive, and locked to a timer. Heroes engage in battles, which can actually be viewed, but there's little engagement beyond sending the party on their way. Gameplay never really evolves past this point, with the player simply clicking their way to profit. If they help Kabam profit, that is.

Micro-transactions are not uncommon practice anymore, but Shop Titans is especially predatory. Just about everything in-game costs real money. Anyone looking for a free, and clear play-through, look elsewhere. Perhaps it's theoretically possible to get and do everything without spending a cent, but the fact of the matter is that the gameplay loop is designed to be as uncomfortable as humanly possible for peasants who don't want to give Kabam money.

Want more crafting slots? Either grind like crazy (something fairly difficult to do without crafting slots), or pay real for more slots. Heroes will bring back treasure from their quests, but chests often need to be opened with gems (real currency). These items tend to be far better than the ones heroes find for free, making progress harder than it needs to be for anyone who isn't paying real money. Beyond spending money to ease the grind, anyone who wants access to the full game will need to spend quite a bit of money as well. Two crafters are locked behind paywalls, and they total $50. To say nothing of the items locked behind real money.

Kabam's shameless game design speaks for itself, but the cherry on top is the monthly subscription. For a certain sum per month, players can waste their money for access to a better gameplay loop. Presumably. And really, it is a waste because there is no endgame, no goal. There is absolutely nothing to build to. Shop Titans is utterly devoid of substance, hoping that audiences will be tricked by some vague promise of content to spend real money. Developers like Kabam hold both the medium and the industry back. The PC port is little more than an opportunity to Kabam to prey on a new customer base.