G.Blacksmith eschews the bright colour palettes and predictable themes of similar time management games, instead opting for a much more muted colour scheme that’s almost like playing the game on an original monochrome GameBoy screen. Indeed, the game comes with mini-games that are played on a smaller screen which mimics this classic hand-held console fairly closely. This is one that will definitely evoke some nostalgia amongst those who remember growing up with GameBoy games, but the interactivity and scope of the game is far more advanced than the buttons that developers had to work with back then.

Simply put, thematically it is unlike any time management game we’ve ever played. You play as a goblin, busying himself with the task of mining underground for raw materials to sell to all types of warrior; ninjas, wizards, knights and pirates to name but a few. As time passes, you’ll move from location to location setting up shop and expanding your range; each new storefront becoming increasingly extravagant. The raw materials can be refined into weapons and armour, each new level bringing you more choice to customers and therefore more things to go awry. The upgrade path is therefore fixed, but the game does an admirable job of keeping things straightforward.

Traditional time management mechanics are in place here; customers all have varying patience levels, but if any of them are getting angry about slow service you can feed them to bide some time. Payment is dropped on the ground and not added to your balance automatically—this gives you some opportunity to earn extra cash for combo bonuses but helps to lure thieves on the later levels. Further on it gets increasingly complex as you obtain a storage area for spare raw materials and weapons, a second helper who takes over when your other goblin is tuckered out, even an engraving room that creates high ticket merchandise.

It’s all very engaging stuff although it is slow to start off with. The only fault that we can see with the controls is that there’s no chaining tasks together; you have to tap quickly on the action you want your goblin to perform next, unlike some similar games that add these actions automatically to a queue and process them automatically. Even so, the time management genre is a perfect fit for the platform and so the controls are easy to grasp.

The mini-games included within G.Blacksmith help to break up the frantic pace of the main game. There’s one that involves you defending your pile of loot from would-be robbers, and one that involves you playing a troll who likes to consume weapons and not food; you have to lead him along and make sure he avoids the chocolate and lollipops strewn about.

We believe the style of the game is near perfect for something trying to replicate a classic console. Whilst playing you’ll get all sorts of little details—like customers that jump around angrily if they’re waiting too long, the troll who bounces up whenever you toss him an unwanted weapon or resource, the ground shaking drilling machines that plummet downward to fetch supplies, the thieves poking their heads out of the edges of the screen, the glowing effect when weapons are forged and more. The detailed over-world map is a wonderful addition that ties the experience together, and even the options screen has had careful attention paid to it; with two trolls in claustrophobic caves used as sliders for sound levels.

In conclusion, G.Blacksmith is an amazing experience that is a must have for gamers looking for something a little different. Its detailed, retro aesthetic complements the challenging gameplay, making for one intricate experience that we think you shouldn’t miss out on.

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