If Mystic Inn has taught us anything, it’s that if a sign on the door of a tavern encourages you to come inside and help out because it might be “more fun than you think,” you should resist. Don’t let the mere suggestion of a treasure woo you, no sir. Because you know what happens inside? They put you to work. I bet you’re feeling pretty silly for falling for that treasure gimmick now, eh? But don’t sweat it; you’re not the only one: poor Daphne was suckered in too. Now you have to help her serve potions to a bunch of thirsty magicians in order to win back your freedom. You spend your days working so much you barely get a chance to relax, but I’ll bet by the time you get home you’d kill for a good drink or five. So today I’ve got a few delicious drink concoctions to help you relax and make the best of your servitude.

Your Delightful Game:

Wandering through the woods, Daphne found a “Help Wanted” sign on the door of an old inn. It seemed harmless enough, plus it rhymed, and Daphne is a sucker for a good rhyme. But what’s this? “Dragons may cause a kink; shape a treasure or simply a sink.” She zeroed in on the only important word in that phrase: “treasure.” Daphne is also a sucker for treasure; but it quickly becomes clear that she’s going to have to work pretty darn hard for it.

In Big Fish Games’ Mystic Inn, you help Daphne serve up some delicious brews to parched witches, warlocks, and mages. You do it all: greet, seat, take orders, and serve. When a group of customers arrives, you seat them by clicking on the party and then clicking on the table you want them to teleport on over to (they are witches, after all). The customers take a few minutes to peruse the menu before ordering from a list of potions. Their order appears in a dialog box above the table so you can remember who gets which order. When you know what the table wants, you select the number of each colored potion you need in the box at the bottom of the screen. Then you run back to the bar to collect the drinks and deliver them to the table. And you do it all with a smile, naturally.

It’s easy enough until you have six tables full of people, plus the owl that’s flying in for take-out orders, all demanding drinks at the same time. You can only take two tables’ orders at a time since you can only carry two trays of drinks. You have to keep an eye on the timers above the tables to see how much time you have before your customers get impatient and leave. Seating a group at the bar, especially when the place is busy, is helpful because they get their drinks directly and you don’t have to serve them. You do have to pay attention to their orders and select them from the menu box just like any other order, but you don’t have to spend time fetching the drinks and dropping them off at the table. The take-out orders work the same way. Another helpful feature is that you can click on the places you want to go before you’re ready, queuing up Daphne’s route.

The magic orbs that customers pay with get you upgrades like more tables, new potions, or a refurbished inn. Throughout each stage you can get bonus points for speedy service or chained order-taking, service, or orb collection. In bonus stages you get a chance to make potions for yourself, such as a potion that makes you move faster or one that stops time. You craft potions by following the given recipe and selecting the right ingredients from vials labeled with silhouettes of things like butterflies, leaves, and snowflakes.

The graphics are quite good and the music is a fine complement. The hardwood floors, dim lighting, bubbling cauldron, and the eerie yet upbeat music give the inn a mystical feel. After awhile, you’ve become pretty famous – every witch this side of Hogwarts wants to sample your potions. And you’ll take all the customers you can get, because every happy customer gets you one step closer to your freedom. And maybe there’s still some treasure out there for you.

Your Delicious Dinner:

After a long day of serving drinks to other people, I’ll bet you’d just love an ice-cold drink for yourself. These three tasty recipes aren’t exactly Mystic Inn potions, but they do pay homage to your excellent, albeit fussy, patrons. You may need to make an extra trip to the liquor store because these drinks have a few unusual ingredients, but believe me, they’re worth it. Whatever makes captivity bearable, right?

Mage’s Fire

You’ll need:
- 2 parts Vodka
- 1 part Cinnamon Schnapps
- 1 part Blue Curacao (Or any orange-flavored liqueur; it’s really just for color)

1. Make sure the liquor is all very cold.
2. Pour vodka into a glass.
3. Add schnapps and then the Curacao.
4. Mix well and enjoy.

Magic Punch

You’ll need:
- Ice
- 1 oz Mango juice
- 1 oz Papaya juice
- 1 oz Guava juice
- 4 oz Vodka

1. Fill glass with ice.
2. Add all ingredients.
3. Shake and savor.

Salem Witch

You’ll need:

- 1/2 oz Vodka
- 1/2 oz Raspberry Schnapps
- 1/2 oz Midori melon liqueur
- Splash Lime juice
- Splash Grenadine
- Sour mix
- Club Soda

1. Fill glass with ice.
2. Add Vodka, Midori, and Schnapps.
3. Add a splash of lime juice.
4. Fill 2/3 of the way with sour mix and the rest with club soda. Stir.
5. Top it off with a splash of grenadine and taste your lovely concoction.

-Recipes adapted from The Webtender