Drawing on management games like Stardew Valley and Potion Craft, Ale Abbey lets you run your own medieval brewery. Draped in pixel aesthetics and dark age flourish, you’ll use Ale Abbey’s cutesy UI to craft your own ale recipe. But the management doesn’t cease when it comes to alcohol, you’ll also need to preserve your monks’ goodwill and fend off external threats. A full release is still upcoming, but Ale Abbey is now in early access.
Ale Abbey draws on over 20 actual European styles from which you can craft your own ale. You’ll adjust the quantity and quality of ingredients, and even mash them at the right temperature to get the result you want. Additionally, you can store your ale to age it or take it right to the market.
As you sell more ale, the monastery itself will expand. You can build more productivity hubs like breweries or libraries, add multi-purpose spaces like a refectory or the abbot’s office, enlarge basement ale storage, and construct more living space for your hard-working clergy. Like other management games, the space you build will help you better manage your workers. A happy workplace and a steady supply of alcohol keeps your monks and nuns in line. Perhaps you’ll hum as you work too, listening to a soundtrack from Return to Monkey Island composer Clint Bajakian.
But it’s not all just drinking and good times, you’ll also need to deal with politics. Local lords, roaming bandits, and neighboring abbeys can prove to be challenges of their own. Bribing the right official can keep your ale at the top. Befriending a local abbey can get you access to new ingredients and markets. Much like its real-world counterparts, your Ale Abbey will be embroiled in worldly affairs as much as divine ale.
Ale Abbey is out now on Steam in early access. Up until Tuesday, March 4, you can grab it with 10% off, making it just $13.49 / £11.51. You can learn more about it and add it to your library here.
For other games focused on construction and economies, check out the best building games. If you’re looking for a darker, grittier take on medieval life, take a look at our huge collection of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 guides.
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