New Bookshop Sim Launches On World Book Day

As overwhelming as it is, I adore Steam Next Fest. The chance to try out a ton of upcoming game demos and just generally find out about new indies is where it’s at, especially for our crew here at BA. This time around, there were a ton of great new cozies, but one in particular stole my book-loving heart. Book Bound is a bookshop sim where you run your own shop, ordering and stocking books to sell to customers. And now, the full game has arrived!

Book Bound launched on March 6, which just so happens to be the perfect day to launch a new bookshop sim. That date is also known as World Book Day, an annual celebration of all things books and reading. What better time to grab a new game that lets you live your dream of owning your own bookstore?

Indie Shopkeeper Sim Book Bound is a Pixel-Art Bookshop Delight

For cozy gamers with bookish tendencies, Book Bound is the ultimate shopkeeping sim. The relaxing pixel-art game lets you set up shop in your own store. You place the shelves, stock the books, and help customers find what they’re looking for. And yes, you can decorate your tiny pixel bookshop any way you like, choosing from the various decorations on offer.

If you don’t want to take my word for it, you can check out the announcement trailer, which shows off some of the gameplay. While the mechanics are mostly cozy and don’t require quick reflexes, there is a fun little mini-game when you advertise to attract more customers to your shop. It’s kind of like Stardew Valley fishing, but if it drank a lot of caffeine.

The demo was relatively pared-back compared with the full game, but even so, I could’ve sunk a good amount of time into it. The full version includes the joy of writing and publishing your own books as well as exploring the local area to gather inspiration. It also adds more book genres to the game compared with the demo, and I am ready to stock those shelves.

Book Bound is available for PC via Steam. The game is typically priced at $6.99, but has an introductory 10% off offer from now until March 20.

Looking for more tiny, cozy games? Check out our walkthrough of the street management sim Minami Lane.

About the Author

Amanda Kay Oaks

Editor

Amanda Kay Oaks is a writer, book witch, and video game enthusiast based in Latrobe, PA. She writes about books, games, and more from an office packed with crystals and Pokemon plushies. When not engrossed in work or fictional worlds, Amanda can be found in the kitchen, on her yoga mat, or walking her dog, Azula.

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