"Merchant of the Skies" is an incredibly relaxing experience. It masterfully blends automation elements (like caravan routes) and supply chain management with a unique, engaging storyline. The visual style is charming and vibrant, perfectly matching the game’s lighthearted tone, and the mini-games are fun without ever feeling intrusive. What really makes it stand out is the sense of gentle progression — you’re not rushed or pressured, yet you always feel like you’re building something meaningful. Whether you’re optimizing trade routes or simply enjoying the view from your airship, the game offers a cozy, satisfying escape from the everyday grind.

Honestly, I really want to like this... I just really don't. Firstly, the game doesn't really tell you anything. I know people complain about handholding in games a lot, but this game actively slaps your hand away. What am I doing? Why am I doing it? No idea. I flew around aimlessly delivering messages till I could afford a better ship, which turned out to be a much slower ship after that the gameplay felt like a total drag because getting places took ages. Why is the next ship you can get so much slower than the starting ship? That feels like backwards progression. I accidentally ran out of money and the game said to find the bank that loaned me money... I'm sorry, if they're loaning me money, shouldn't I know where they are? Instead of that hassle, I figured I was near the start, so I'd just start over, maybe I'd have more fun the second time. That didn't happen. I spent more of my time just exploring, maybe I could find the bank before I needed it. And while I did find a cute fi...

Cool indie game with a unique theme. Trading progression goes from buying low, selling high, to automating mining/production and caravan routes. Campaign takes about 12 hours of fun.