We've documented 20 accessibility features for Potion Craft, including Low Pressure, No Quick Reactions, No Button Combos, No Repeated Pressing and No Holds. Its accessibility is strongest in Controls and Getting Started but it also has features in Visual, Reading, Audio and Navigation to reduce unintended barriers.
This report is created with input from accessibility experts and the player community to help people find games that have the accessibility features they require. Once you have found potential games on the database, there are excellent specialist accessibility sites that offer in-depth reviews to guide your purchasing decisions.
External examiner, Angela Hickman Newnham, first checked Potion Craft accessibility 16 months ago. It was re-examined by Angela Hickman Newnham and updated 16 months ago.
Accessibility Notes
By default you need to hold down a button when moving items around or using the alchemy tools (mortar & pestle, stirring the cauldron, pumping the bellows), however there is an option to change that to "Press to hold/release object". IT will sometimes still require very precise small movements with the thumbstick or mouse to get the best results, especially as the game progresses and higher level effects require stirring the pot very slowly and precisely or pouring just the right amount of water, both inputs that are controlled by manual dexterity.
Colour is not needed to play the game as everything has symbols, and you are able to change the symbols and labelling with different shapes as well, however there are daily bonus exp symbols that appear on the map each day in different places and there is nothing other than color to distinguish them from the static exp symbols that have not yet been claimed, so it is possible that those may be hard to identify.
The text in the game is fairly small, and everything in the game is low contrast (as a style choice). The map is obscured and much of the game is centered around exploring and revealing pieces of it bit by bit, often with a restricted ability to go where you want to go (navigating the map, and finding ways to get to the same places and beyond, more efficiently, is a core challenge in the game).
The Haggle mini-game require quick button inputs and timing, and unlike many skills in games, putting skills points into it makes it harder and faster (with higher rewards), but it is not necessary to play the game.
Game Details
Release Date: 21/09/2021
Out Now: PC and Xbox One
Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Adventure, Puzzle (Collecting, Creative, Simulation and Traversal)
Accessibility: 20 features
Components: 2D Side-On and Hand-Made
Developer: Tiny Build (@TinyBuild)
Costs: Purchase cost
Controls
We've documented 7 accessibility features for Controls in Potion Craft which deal with how you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
Gamepad
Can play with the following:
Multiple Buttons & Two Sticks: Can play with multiple buttons and two sticks.
Mouse And Keyboard
Can play with the following:
Mouse Alone: Can play with just the mouse/mouse-button/mouse wheel.
Remap Controls
Can customise the controls for the game as follows:
Select Preset Controller Mappings: You can select preset button layouts from options provided by the developer.
Button Combinations
Specific button operation required to play
Holding Down Buttons Optional: Holding down buttons for prolonged periods (a second or more) is not required or can be switched to toggling the action on and off. This is in addition to the movement stick/button which is not considered a hold for this purpose.
Rapid Repeated Pressing Optional: Quick, repeated button pressing (more than 2 times a second) is not required, can be skipped or switched to holding a button to trigger a repeated action.
No Simultaneous Buttons: Only one button or key required at a time, in addition to direction stick(s).
Controller Vibration
Vibration Optional: Controller vibration not used in the game or you can disable it.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play Potion Craft, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Wylde Flowers (13 Controls Features)
- Astroneer (10 Controls Features)
- Botany Manor (8 Controls Features)
- Pawnbarian (8 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in Potion Craft which deal with how you can adjust the challenge of play, and whether this is locked once chosen or can be adjusted as you play. The following games are similar to Potion Craft, and offer accessibility features for Difficulty:
- Wylde Flowers (2 Difficulty Features)
- Pawnbarian (2 Difficulty Features)
- Slime Rancher (1 Difficulty Feature)
Getting Started
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Getting Started in Potion Craft which deal with what support is offered to get started with the game. This includes customising the experience when you first open the game via any onboarding processes it provides as well as tutorials and other assistance when you first start playing.
Assistance Getting Starting
These features aid your play of the game in terms of cognitive load on learning controls, dealing with pressure and coping with the environment and challenges.
Tutorials: There are helpful tutorials and instructions on how to play. Information is provided in a timely manner, with appropriate level of detail.
Reaction-Time Not Critical: Individual game actions don’t need quick reactions, or there are settings to lower the requirement for quick reactions. This means you don't need to quickly press a button in response to an on-screen prompt, target a fast-moving target or skillfully complete a scenario against the clock.
Low Pressure: Game tasks aren't time-limited or there's a low-pressure mode. This avoids the pressure of being put on the clock for overarching missions, or failing tasks because you didn't reach a destination in time.
No Jump Scares: No sudden loud noises or popping-up scary visuals that unexpectedly appear without warning, or the option to disable them.
Assistance For Progressing
These features aid your progress through the game offering different ways of maintaining your progression.
Save Progress Anytime: The game automatically saves progress or you can save any time. This doesn’t mean you never lose progress, but it does mean you can stop whenever you want (without having to get to a save point) without losing progress.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Potion Craft, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Pekoe (7 Getting Started Features)
- Strange Horticulture (6 Getting Started Features)
- Wylde Flowers (6 Getting Started Features)
- Hundred Days, Winemaking Simulator (6 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Reading in Potion Craft which deal with how much reading or listening comprehension is required, how well the game provides visual and audible access to the text and whether subtitles and captions are a good fit for purpose.
Reading Level
How much reading is required to play the game's main path or story and how complex the language is. The presence of voiced characters doesn't reduce this requirement, as it's recorded as a separate datapoint.
Moderate Reading: Moderate reading required. The quantity and complexity of reading are at a level that a high school student (14-year-old) would appreciate.
Subtitles
All Speech Subtitled (Or No Speech In Game): All spoken content has subtitles, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to hear spoken dialogue or narrative to play the game.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play Potion Craft, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Reading accessibility:
- Wylde Flowers (7 Reading Features)
- Venba (6 Reading Features)
- Cooking Mama (5 Reading Features)
- Strange Horticulture (5 Reading Features)
Navigation
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Navigation in Potion Craft which deals with how the game provides guidance and assistance to navigate its worlds. These are only for games that have traversal and exploration in 2D and 3D spaces.
Clarity
Clear Mission Objectives: The game provides clear, structured missions with directional guidance and advice on which can be attempted next. This also indicates (ideally on maps where they are provided) which missions can't be attempted because you do not have the appropriate items yet.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Navigation
If you want to play Potion Craft, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Navigation accessibility:
- Venba (4 Navigation Features)
- Pilgrims (4 Navigation Features)
- Cooking Mama (3 Navigation Features)
- Strange Horticulture (3 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Visual in Potion Craft which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
Visual Distractions
No Flashes: No flashing strobe effects or you can disable them. This includes the absence of flashing from dramatic visual effects, explosions or weather effects like lightning.
No Screen Shake: No screen shake effect or it is included but it can be disabled. This includes the absence of screen shake for dramatic effect as well as to indicate hits on a target.
Colour Options
Colour Blind Friendly: Game doesn’t rely on colour or can switch to colour blind friendly mode with double coding or similar way to avoid colour dependance.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Visual
If you want to play Potion Craft, but it doesn't offer the Visual accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Visual accessibility:
- Room to Grow (9 Visual Features)
- One Hour One Life (8 Visual Features)
- Venba (7 Visual Features)
- Pilgrims (7 Visual Features)
Audio
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Audio in Potion Craft which deal with how you can adjust the audio of the game and whether audio cues compensate for aspects of the game that are hard to see.
Adjustable Audio
Balance Audio Levels: Set music and game sound effects separately. This enables you to select your preference as well as ensure critical game sounds aren't obscured by other audio.
Play Without Hearing
Play Without Hearing: No audio cues are necessary to play the game well.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Audio
If you want to play Potion Craft, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Audio accessibility:
- One Hour One Life (4 Audio Features)
- Pawnbarian (3 Audio Features)
- Teacup (3 Audio Features)
System Accessibility Settings
In addition to the accessibility features provided in the game, you can also use system-wide accessibility settings:
PC
Windows has extensive accessibility features. Some, like colour correction, work with games. Lots of accessibility software can be used with PC games, from voice recognition to input device emulators.
Xbox One
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors @growingupgamers