If you've been swiping through short videos or looking for time-killing games on your phone lately, there's a good chance you've come across ads for the game Gossip Harbor: Merge & Story. The ads are always very dramatic, with drama about husbands betraying each other, mothers-in-law being mean, and girlfriends stealing their husbands, so it feels like I'm watching a bloody idol drama. Honestly, at first I thought it was just a “synthetic” game that relied on drama to attract attention, but then I downloaded it and - well? Well, it's pretty addictive.

Let's start with what the game is about. Gossip Harbor is essentially a “synthesis + plot” mini-game. You drag two identical items together in a workbench-like interface, and they “merge” into a new item. For example, two coffee beans can be synthesized into coffee powder, then into a coffee machine, then into a latte, and finally into a drink for a customer. Every time you synthesize to a certain stage, you will be able to unlock new items, new tasks, and advance the storyline after completing them. Doesn't that sound a bit like other synthesis games? Yes, the mechanics are pretty much the same, but what makes this game so “gripping” is not just the gameplay, but the plotting and pacing.

The protagonist of the game is Lucy, a city-dwelling heroine who, after a marital crisis, is forced to return to her childhood island, Hearth Island, to rebuild her life. Once you return, you find that the island is actually quite lively, not the kind of desolate village, but with beaches, cafes, tourists, and the pace of life is quite modern. Then the story unfolds: Lucy has to take over the family restaurant, face her mother-in-law's cold eyes, conflicts with her girlfriends, and new characters keep appearing - such as the seemingly reliable policeman's big brother, or a bit of a darker ex-husband, plus some mysterious letters, dusty memories... ...the plot just trolls you down the line, step by step.

You might be thinking, doesn't it sound a bit like a Korean drama or Sex and the City style? It does. But that's the interesting thing about it, the plot is not so “rough”, although it's bloody, but it's organized in a smooth way, every time you solve a level, it will advance a little bit of the plot, sometimes it's a dialogue, sometimes it's a reminiscence, sometimes it's to reveal a secret. You play along and think, "Huh? What did this person say before?" And then you start to figure out the plot, and it feels like you're doing a puzzle while catching up on the show.

The “synthesizing” part of the game is actually your “tool” to advance the plot. You can do quests by synthesizing, unlock character dialog by synthesizing, unlock new recipes, drinks, tools, and decorate the island a little bit as you play. As the plot advances, you will open more areas, such as Lucy's old home, beach stalls, flower stores, etc., this sense of accomplishment is quite strong.

Its style of painting is also a highlight, not to go that kind of 3D realistic style, but rather cartoonish, but the details of the restoration to do a good job. Character expression, action, scene are quite attentive, especially the food painting is quite attractive, like milk tea, omelets, burgers, look a little hungry ...... game overall color tone warm, very suitable for lying in bed or waiting for the car when slowly pointing to play.

Of course, it is not to say that this game has no shortcomings. Synthesis games have a “common problem” - stamina limit. Every time you synthesize something, you have to consume energy, and this energy is limited, so if you don't charge money, you have to wait for natural recovery. If you don't charge it, you'll have to wait for it to recover naturally. If you play, you'll realize that you've run out of power again, and you'll have to wait for half an hour, or watch an advertisement. You can also watch ads for stamina and props, but it's a bit annoying when there are too many ads. Sometimes when you're playing smoothly, an advertisement pops up that says “you can win a prize after watching this advertisement”, and even though you can skip it, your heart will still be itching. It's up to you to decide if you can tolerate it or not. After all, it's a free-to-play game, so there has to be some way to monetize it.

But it's really quite addictive. Especially if you happen to like the “decompression + drama” combination of rhythm, then it basically stuck to you. You'll feel like “two more syntheses and I'll be able to finish this order” and “one more push and I'll know whether Lucy and the cop are in a relationship or not”, and an hour will pass while you're playing.

Another detail I like is that the characters in the game are not completely “profiled” as bad guys or good guys. Some of the characters start out as “wow, this person is so annoying”, but then the plot turns around and you realize that he/she actually has something to hide, or it's a misunderstanding. The setup gives the plot a little bit of depth, and while it's still lighthearted, it's not completely dumb and sweet.

Gossip Harbor: Merge & Story isn't a particularly technical game, but it's clever in that it packs the “simple, repetitive, but addictive” mechanic of synthesizing with the story, creating a rhythm that's easy to “break”. If you're already a fan of Merge, you'll want to check it out. If you're a fan of Merge Mansion or Love & Pies, then Gossip Harbor is a game you'll like too.

It's not a brain-burner, it's not a monster, it doesn't require skill, it's all about a little bit of pointing and dragging, so it's suitable to be played as a daily relaxing mini-game. If you are a working person, a full-time mom, or just need a mobile game to help you sleep at night, it is quite suitable. But if you're one of those people who get annoyed by ads and go crazy waiting for energy, you might want to be a little more cautious, or you might just be a little more Buddhist and take your time.

All in all, this game is a bit like a gossip novel on a small island, the plot is bloodthirsty but quite gripping, the gameplay is easy but also has a sense of rhythm. Which day you are not in a good mood, do not want to use your brain when, may wish to point to try, maybe you will accidentally play for hours in one breath.