Link Steam
indiegame.fan
Cursed Merchant of Kyoto header art

Cursed Merchant of Kyoto

Dark fantasy shop sim in ancient Kyoto. 4 chapters, 28 turns. On the city's bleak fringes, a disgraced Onmyoji trades cursed goods. Avoid bankruptcy and madness—survive tough resource management. No customer returns. Your sister's secret. Can you withstand the truth? Reach the True End.

Steam Page
Developer
aomaru works
Publisher
aomaru works
Release
Coming Soon
Steam Reviews
No reviews yet

Does this feel indie?

Vote based on whether this game feels indie to you. You can change your vote at any time. Results earn an IGF score after 10 accepted votes.
No votes yet
Vote on More Games
Game contextLatest: IGF Team
ContextThe evidence factors used to assess whether this game belongs on IndieGame.Fan.Status
Notes
Latest Contributor: IGF TeamEdit notes
Search Google: Who developed Cursed Merchant of Kyoto?Developer scaleThe operating scale of the game's developer.
Search Google: Who published Cursed Merchant of Kyoto?Publisher scaleThe operating scale of the game's publisher.
Search Google: Is Cursed Merchant of Kyoto self-published or published by aomaru works?Publisher statusHow the game's publishing relationship is classified.
Search Google: How is Cursed Merchant of Kyoto and aomaru works funded?FundingThe known source of funding behind the game.
Search Google: Who controls the creative direction and IP for Cursed Merchant of Kyoto and aomaru works?Creative controlWho appears to retain creative control of the game.
Search Google: What is the release status of Cursed Merchant of Kyoto?Release statusWhether and how the game has been released.

Media

5 items

About the Game

Convert the shadows of Heian-kyo into sacred relics.

Description

Nestled along the path to Toribeno—a road where the dead are carried away—lies a secret shop for the cursed. As a former Onmyoji, you operate this shop, conducting business with those who walk the earth and those who walk between worlds.

Purchase cursed artifacts for a pittance, purify them, and sell them for profit. But be warned: in this 4-chapter, 28-turn management simulation, every choice carries a price.

What will you cleanse? What will you sell? Your fate depends on your ability to balance your books while staring down the "Curse" that visits you every night. Will you uncover the truth, or will you succumb to the darkness?

■ Gameplay

The game flows through a cycle of management by day and investigation by night.

Day: Trade & Management Appraise suspicious artifacts and negotiate your purchasing prices. Purified items become sacred relics that can be sold for profit—essential to keep your shop afloat. Choose wisely based on your customers' whispers to find the right item with the right properties.

Night: The Rite of Purification (Wu Xing Puzzle) Cursed items carry one of the five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Solve the puzzles to neutralize the corruption. Fail, and the curse doubles—transforming the artifact into something even more sinister.

Game Over Conditions:

  • Bankruptcy: Your funds run dry.

  • Curse Overload: The dark energy consumes you ("Fatal Corruption").

■ Key Features

  • A Deadly Blend of Management and Puzzles: Face the double threat of financial ruin and physical demise. Two ways to lose, one way to survive.

  • The Dark Truths of Heian-kyo: Why do customers never return? What is the truth behind your younger sister? Uncover the unsettling mystery hidden within every 28-day cycle.

  • The Mystery of the Nekomata: A mysterious cat spirit haunts your shop. Follow the traces left in the room to reach her. Will you earn her trust?

  • Multi-Ending Narrative: Your management skills and your bond with the Nekomata determine the outcome. Will you reach the True Ending, or be swallowed by the night?

  • A High-Density Experience: A complete, tightly woven story in just 1–2 hours. Every decision is a matter of life or death.

Indie Game Fan