Fortune Seller

I've been sitting here for several evenings now, packing my bags as if my life depended on it. Literally... because in the Swedish-developed Fortune Seller, that's exactly what happens. The landlord raises rent every week, and if you don't earn enough, it's "game over" for real. It's a gothic roguelike shopkeeping experience that grabs you straight away with its dark atmosphere and relentless pressure. I really like it, even though I've swore out loud time and again when a perfect run is ruined by a single tarot card turning against me. But in a way, that's both the charm and the flaw of Fortune Seller; the pressure is palpable and it feels authentic.

The game throws you straight into a dusty little antique shop filled with odd relics, be that taxidermized animals, old rusty swords, mysterious amulets, and strange gadgets that no one really knows what they do. Your task is simple on paper: read the customers, match the right items to their requests, and pack everything "Tetris-style" into their bags so that the space is used to the full. Behind the simple surface lurks a full-blown roguelike loop that changes every time you restart, where between completed days, you draw tarot cards that grant bonuses or penalties, unlock new powers, and after each week you can choose to sign strange contracts that alter the entire run, for better or for worse. It's like playing with fate itself, and that's both the best and the hardest part of the game.

After just the first week, I could feel the loop taking hold. Every customer is a little mystery, be this an eccentric collector who wants everything in perfect symmetry, a shadowy figure seeking strange enchanted objects, or a seemingly ordinary person who suddenly asks for something relatively bizarre. I spent quite a bit of time standing there fiddling with the items in the bag, re-rolling up to three times a day and hoping the RNG would be on my side. When it clicks and you get a fully packed bag that gives the maximum pay-out and the customer flashes that slightly creepy smile, the reward is huge. It feels like you've really outsmarted the system and the satisfaction when everything falls into place is addictive in exactly the right way.

But yes, it is a bit too difficult at times. The rent rises so brutally that after a few weeks it feels as though the game is actively punishing you for not being perfect. One misplaced item, one tarot card that gives a minus instead of a plus, and suddenly you're bankrupt and have to restart and start all over again. I've done just that several times now, and every time I've felt that frustration when the finances tip over into the absurd. It's not the kind of difficulty that feels unfair all the time, but rather the kind that comes from the fact that you really have to learn the game's rules. After a while, you start to see the patterns, which cards go together and how you can build a strategy around certain types of Arcana. But it takes time, and it's precisely that time that makes me love it all the more. It rewards patience and learning, and it does so in a clever way.

The atmosphere is truly top-notch, even though the aesthetics aren't particularly inviting. The shop is rich in detail in a minimalist, dark way, with shadowy shelves, dusty windows, and a soundtrack that subtly creeps under your skin. Every item has a short description that gives everything a bit of extra weight, and the customers have personalities that make it feel like you're really running a shop in a living but bizarre world. It's gothic, it's a bit steampunk around the edges, and it's full of dark humour that never feels forced. The replay value is high thanks to all the new tarot cards, unique powers, and playable characters you unlock. Every run feels different because you can choose different strategies and a lot depends on which items and cards are available in the shop.

My own choices have been fairly cautious. I've steered clear of the riskiest contracts and tried to maximise every bag as if it were my last job. On the occasions the RNG has been kind, I've felt unbeatable, but when it turns against me, I've cursed and started over with a new approach. That's what makes the game so strong as you choose how you want to play; there's no "right" way, just the way you choose. That said, there is a wrong way, and as I've already noted, Fortune Seller is properly difficult and really demands that you analyse your circumstances and use your cards correctly. But once it clicks, when you pay the rent with room to spare and see the shop grow a little, that "one more run" feeling is incredibly strong.

Fortune Seller isn't for anyone looking for a quiet evening. It's pressure, it's chaos, and it's frustration when the rent jumps to levels that feel impossible. But it's also one of the most unique games I've tried in a long time. The clever mix of Tetris-style stacking, tarot upgrades, and shopkeeping creates something that feels both fresh and addictive. I really like it, even though it's a bit too difficult for my taste at times. But if you love optimisation under pressure, roguelike games, and a world that actually feels alive, this is a must-play. Take your place behind the counter, draw a tarot card, and see if you can keep the shop open. You'll swear a fair bit along the way, but you'll also keep coming back time-and-time-again. It's worth every frustrating minute once it clicks.