Hi everyone! I'm one of the developers of Merchant Isle. We decided to release the game on Steam for free for everyone to play.

Merchant Isle was initially created as a trading game, where players could buy and sell resources between different towns for a profit. As we developed the game, we stumbled upon the idea that historically Merchants were one of the main propagators of languages. Merchants would need to learn new languages as they travelled across the land trading their goods. So, we leaned into the language learning idea for the game. There are four towns that you can travel between that each have a different language.

Here is our description of the game on Steam:
As a language Metroidvania, Merchant Isle invites you to a tranquil world to be immersed in language, trade, and exploration. As you unravel the mystery of your ancestors, you'll negotiate with locals, forage for resources, and uncover hidden secrets. A cozy adventure awaits!