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Trash Goblin invites players into a relaxing shopkeeping experience. The objective isn’t to rush but to enjoy the slow, rewarding process of restoring forgotten treasures. In my Trash Goblin review, I’ll talk about the game’s purpose of uncovering and upcycling strange trinkets to satisfy your customers. Each of the endless customers has unique requests and stories, so there’s plenty to discover!

With a focus on creativity, customisation, and maximum chill, Trash Goblin offers a stress-free escape. Enjoy immersing yourself in a world of peculiar knick-knacks and colourful characters! While the gameplay may sometimes feel repetitive, Trash Goblin shines in its distinctive concept, quirky charm, and gentle, pressure-free pace, making it a delightful choice for cosy game lovers.

Story – Tales from the Trinket Shop

In Trash Goblin, the narrative doesn’t follow a grand storyline. Instead, it takes a gentle, episodic approach that adds to its charm. Without traditional plot arcs, the game builds its world through encounters with different customers, each with a distinct personality.

Some patrons are regulars with oddly specific tastes, while others are one-time visitors with intriguing stories or quirks. This makes each interaction feel like a glimpse into a different world. This approach works well for the game’s laid-back vibe, as you’re encouraged to focus on the task at hand. There’s no need to worry about overarching plot twists, you can just clean, fix, and sell your wares.

Becoming part of a new world

What makes the storytelling feel so rewarding is how the characters’ personalities subtly unfold through their requests and reactions. Every conversation, no matter how small, gives you a chance to piece together hints about their backstory or life philosophy. Some characters are in quick need of assistance, while others are looking for something special. There’s even a mushroom character who needs a hand… And hey, if you like mushrooms, check out Land of Mushrooms!

As the shopkeeper, you’re not just a salesperson. You’re a confidante, a listener, and a tiny but meaningful part of this vibrant community of characters who share in the love of repurposing relics. This understated storytelling style helps create a warm, interconnected world. You’ll feel less like a game player and more like a local fixture in a small, quirky neighbourhood.

Though the lack of an overarching plot might not appeal to everyone, it’s refreshing to play a game where small stories and character moments carry the narrative. The mix of wholesomeness and occasional humour in customer interactions adds to the game’s appeal. Trash Goblin feels like an endless collection of cosy, mini-stories with a life-sim aspect. So, if you enjoy piecing together a world through its people, Trash Goblin is a refreshingly mellow and meaningful experience.

It almost feels like a visual novel. It definitely gave me some Tavern Talk vibes, but the cosiness is also on par with Whimel Academy.

Gameplay – Relaxed Yet Surprisingly Engaging

Trash Goblin is built around unearthing, restoring, and upcycling trinkets, giving players a shopkeeping experience with a twist. At its core, the gameplay revolves around tasks like chipping away at layers of dirt and scrubbing items clean. But that’s not all this game is.

The variety of tools available, which expands as you progress, keeps the process engaging as new challenges crop up. Just when you start to wonder if there’s more, another tool is introduced, improving your cleaning and restoration tasks. Each task is straightforward yet satisfying, allowing you to focus on creating the perfect trinket without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.

More customisation, please

Yet, the gameplay isn’t without a few drawbacks. For instance, the chiselling and cleaning, while relaxing, can become repetitive when working on multiple trinkets in a single session. There’s a fine line between cosy and monotonous. And while Trash Goblin occasionally dips into the latter, you need to remember to manage your game. If you spend too much time doing the same actions without variation, you’ll get bored. Try setting your own goals to save up for decorations!

A quick tip for my Trash Goblin review readers: You’ll run out of space for trinkets early on in the game, so be sure to spend money on shelves before buying anything else to have somewhere else to store them.

Thankfully, the customisation elements break up the routine somewhat. Decorating your shop and expanding your workspace adds more creativity and control, even if the customisation options feel a bit limited. Being able to customise shop colours or arrange decor more freely would improve the experience and make the space feel more personalised.

Overall, Trash Goblin balances relaxation with just enough involvement to keep you engaged. While the repetitive nature of certain tasks might not suit everyone, the game shines in its slow-paced, satisfying flow that prioritises creativity and process over high-stakes or time-sensitive goals. For players who crave a chilled-out experience where they can potter about at their own pace, this game offers a unique and relaxing escape.

Audio and Visuals – Gentle Sounds and Whimsical Style

Trash Goblin uses audio and visuals thoughtfully, creating a cosy, meditative environment that pairs well with its calming gameplay. The minimalistic design is relaxing yet playful, with hand-crafted aesthetics that suit the game’s peculiar, charming vibe. The combination of soothing background music and a soft, whimsical art style enhances the game’s welcoming atmosphere.

However, while these elements work harmoniously, a bit more variety in visual customisation options could have amplified the game’s unique charm even further.

Audio – Soothing and Appropriately Subtle

The audio in Trash Goblin fits perfectly with the game’s laid-back tone, with a soundtrack that’s calming and subtle enough not to detract from the gameplay. It sets the mood for a relaxed shopkeeping day, helping you get into a gentle rhythm as you clean and restore trinkets. Each action, from the clinking of coins to the gentle scrubbing sounds, has its own matching effect, which lends a tactile quality to the game.

The chiselling sound, however, can become a little grating after a while. If you’re reading my Trash Goblin review, I’d like to advise you to turn down the SFX in the settings.

Visuals – Charming but Some Wobbles

The hand-drawn, whimsical visuals of Trash Goblin contribute to the game’s cosy aesthetic, giving each trinket, character, and setting a quirky, storybook feel. The minimalism of the visuals keeps the focus on the objects and tasks at hand, but it also leaves some room for improvement in terms of customisation. Although decorating your shop is a fun feature, the lack of colour customisation for the surroundings limits personalisation, making the shop feel less like a unique space and more like a shared template.

There are physics issues that occasionally affect how items appear on shelves, with some trinkets inexplicably turning backward. I tried placing trinkets on my shelves and some of them were placed backward with no option to turn them around in-game, which was odd. Also, when moving items, I dropped one at the front of the shop and it appeared on the worktable at the back instead of going to my inventory…

As part of my Trash Goblin review, I’d like to suggest that the devs address these minor quirks and consider expanding the customisation options. These changes could make the game’s world feel even more personalised and immersive.

Verdict – A Treasure Trove of Cosy Potential

Trash Goblin is a charming shopkeeping game that brings the joy of restoring forgotten treasures to life. With its laid-back gameplay, quirky characters, and satisfying restoration mechanics, it’s easy to get lost in the process of upcycling and selling trinkets to an eccentric array of customers.

The game’s minimalistic yet quirky aesthetic, combined with gentle audio cues, creates a warm atmosphere perfect for unwinding. However, the game could benefit from a bit more visual variety and improved item-handling mechanics to enhance its charm even further. It is in Early Access, though, so hopefully these are fixed as the game is developed more!

For those looking for a stress-free game that allows them to take things at their own pace, Trash Goblin offers a lovely escape into a world of curious knick-knacks and cosy customisation. It’s a solid, enjoyable experience, and with some tweaks, it could easily become a top pick in the cosy gaming genre. For my Trash Goblin review, I’m giving this game an 8/10!

Looking for more cosy games? I’ve got you! Check out my list of Top 10 Dark Cosy Games on Nintendo Switch and 10 Narrative Games That Will Make You Cry.

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