Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator has just come to Steam Early Access. It's a game where you set up your own alchemy shop, use a chart/map to experiment and create various types of potions, and then sell those potions to help various customers with their problems.

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It's a more laid back simulator compared to other titles within the genre (such as the complex and intriguing factory builder Factorio), but the amount of depth is certainly on par with the most complex sims, and the artstyle is utterly beautiful. That being said, it's easy to go in without knowing some of the finer details at the beginning, so here are some tips to get players started.

10 There Is No Time Limit

Ending the current day in Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

Possibly the nicest feature of Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator is that it moves at the speed the player wants it to. Customers will happily wait all day whilst you figure out the recipe for their required potion. Likewise, there is no clock that advances you throughout the day and forces you to rush before you have to close up the shop.

This is particularly helpful when a customer asks you for a certain potion that you've not created yet. As long as the customers are served, they'll pay you.

9 There Is Some Roleplay When Serving Customers

Customer requesting a Potion of Charm in Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

Depending on the circumstances, you can choose to not serve a customer. This may happen because you suspect one of them is an assassin and they won't be using poison for mere pest control. Refusing them service can boost your reputation with other customers because of your good deeds, or you can go the other way and only serve customers with ulterior motives, thus earning a negative reputation.

This adds a slight roleplay element to the game, and the developers may well add more depth to this concept in the future.

8 You Should Expand Your Map Sight

An early-game view of the map in Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

The map you explore to create new potions contains more than just their effects. It also harbors experience points for you to pick up, various whirlpools that can suck the potion in when the bellows are used, and certain danger zones where the potion can fail if it wanders too far into them.

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As such, it can help to spend some early skill points to give yourself a wider view of the map. That way, you can plan ahead with greater ease and avoid wasting ingredients.

7 You Shouldn't Be Afraid To Experiment With The Ingredients

Predicted pathway of a Weirdshroom in Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

There's a wide range of ingredients to choose from, from simple herbs to gemstones. Their alchemy paths are clearly visible (depicted by a dotted line and an "X" where the path ends), and when ground up, their paths expand further.

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Rarer ingredients (such as mushrooms and gems) tend to go further with more complex pathways, and unlike other fantasy games like The Witcher 3, they're not too difficult to replace here. Merchants will visit the shop every day, so don't be afraid to see how each potion ingredient works.

6 Stronger Potions Sell For More Money

Selling a Strong Potion of Fire in Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

There are three strengths for potions: weak, standard and strong. A potion becomes stronger the more accurately you align the bottle icon within the effect's outline on the map. This is important to know because stronger potions sell for much higher prices than weaker ones, which is a real benefit in the early game.

However, in order to create a strong potion, you have to be exactly within the boundary. Even a slight deviation will revert it to standard strength, so make good use of the diffuser and be gentle when stirring.

5 You Can Haggle, So Buy Cheap and Sell High Wherever Possible

The herbalist merchant's wares in Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

This may seem obvious, but it's still useful to keep in mind. As merchants come and offer their wares, some of them will have certain items at a discount (represented by a green arrow pointing downwards). Given how expensive some of the rarer ingredients can be, it helps to purchase them at a discount whenever you can.

Also, make use of the haggling mechanic to try and minimize your own spending whilst selling at higher prices. It can be fiddly at first, but will prove to be very useful once you've got the hang of it.

4 Potions Can Have Multiple Effects

A Strong Potion of Poison and Stone Skin in Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

As with the alchemy systems of other games, like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, potions can have various combinations of effects (up to five in total here). Strong potions will take up three slots, while weak potions only take up one. This is important to remember because your character's end goal is to create a Philosopher's Stone, and the process requires potions of multiple effects (and a working alchemy machine).

This step doesn't arise until a couple of hours into the game, but it's worth knowing right from the start because some customers will eventually ask for more complex potions.

3 Make Careful Use Of Magic Pages

A recipe saved in a magic page in Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

After you've brewed a potion, you have the opportunity to write down the recipe on a Magic Page. This allows you to look up a specific potion and make it in an instant, rather than going through the whole process of crafting it again.

However, you have a limited number of Magic Pages. As such, it can pay to save them for potions that you'll be asked to make regularly, such as healing or poison brews. Certain merchants sell Magic Pages throughout the game, so be sure to buy them when possible.

2 You Should Always Check Your Garden

The garden in Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

Your shop boasts a magical garden, which is able to grow a wide variety of plants and mushrooms thanks to an Enchanted Tree. Terraria, Firebell, Waterbloom and Windbloom herbs regularly appear in the garden since they provide the base for most potions, but rarer mushrooms will also appear from time to time.

New plants appear at the start of each day and are lost if they are not picked, so be sure to harvest them as soon as your character wakes up to avoid losing out on them.

1 There Are Still More Features To Come

A partially restored alchemy machine in Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

At the time of writing, Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator is an Early Access title, but one with a lot of potential. As such, there are plenty of features that will be coming in the future. These include the ability to save legendary recipes, upgrades galore for your shop's garden and alchemy machine, and customers who will require potions without certain ingredients.

The team behind the game consists of just five people, and while new content may take a while to arrive, there is still a lot that can be played with in the meantime.

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