Tavern Keeper

Building management simulation titles have grown steadily in popularity in the last decade and have been around for over twice that length realistically. This time around, the developers over at Greenheart Games are currently attempting to provide their take on the genre with Tavern Keeper. This isn’t their first major venture into a game based on heavy micromanagement, though it is definitely looks as though Tavern Keeper will have a lot more heart, depth, and character to it than their previous titles.

At the moment, this game is currently still in the development stages and has an expected release date of set sometime in 2021 or 2022. Current estimates from Greenheart Games note that it was slightly delayed from a 2020 release thanks to the COVID epidemic – the efforts of the next few months will determine whether expectations for release are fully met or not.

A Masterfully Charming Experience

Greenheart Games may sound familiar because of their previous release, Game Dev Tycoon (GDT), a wildly successful, if somewhat simplistic, title that gave them a lot of experience in the realm of micromanagement games. Though I called it simplistic, its really just easy to get into and play for hours on end, being only a bit difficult to master. Realistically, it’ll eat away at each of your waking hours once you’ve played it for the first time. Tavern Keeper looks incredibly promising on this front because, from observing early builds, it appears that another layer of character has been added in comparison to GDT.

The sprites and animations are detailed, tavern layouts are clean, and the overall design looks like its had a lot of care and attention dedicated to it. GDT was clearly made by loving developers through its addictive gameplay, but Tavern Keeper seems like it will sweep players off their feet through visuals alone. Even the simplest designs that can be found on Greenheart’s website are lively and packed to the brim with charm. They’re great to look at in still images and early concepts, though I’m looking forward to seeing them at their best in action soon.

Quaint Progression System

There are some similarities that Tavern Keeper shares with its predecessor, primarily the progression system based on servicing increasingly critical customers. There will also be several mission objectives to manage in each level that is reminiscent of GDT through the tasks and goals of managing your gaming company. What Tavern Keeper brings to the table is that the systems for pleasing customers is much more complex.

Not only will higher level taverns have choosier clients, they will also have different races (orcs, dwarves, etc.) that can affect their needs. Additionally, there are plenty of other aspects of the tavern you’ll have to manage, including noise, hygienics, and service quality that bring an extra layer to the gameplay.