Ten Thousand Coins: The Golden Merchant
We reckon Ten Thousand Coins: The Golden Merchant might be one of the most inventive trading games we’ve come across. You play as Viia, a fox merchant trying to build her own company from scratch while going up against the ruthless Basilisk Company. It’s all set in a gorgeous hand-drawn fantasy world where every deal, every route, and every bit of cargo space matters.
What really sets this apart is how your goods do double duty. Managing your inventory isn’t just about profit margins, it’s your arsenal too. Bandits and beasts are lurking on every road, and in combat you’ll be weaponising your wares in proper turn-based scraps. Prefer to avoid bloodshed altogether? Your silver tongue works just as well as your sword, letting you negotiate or intimidate your way out of a fight.
There’s a full story mode with two intertwining timelines and choices that actually shape how things play out, plus a separate Company Mode where you rebuild a run-down merchant company from the ground up as a masked trader. Add in hundreds of unique goods, a proper cast of characters and settlements to build reputation with, and a real risk to every trade you make, and you’ve got a game that keeps you thinking on your feet from start to finish.
