My Time at Sandrock is Pathea’s tackle the life simulation of video video games. It’s one which, for higher or worse, brings thrilling new issues to the style whereas making it nonetheless considerably acquainted to the followers which have supported it ever for the reason that first title dropped in 2019. Nevertheless, whereas I can’t say I absolutely keep in mind the time I had in Portia, Sandrock, which is the sequel’s world, is much extra attention-grabbing and considerably a bit more difficult.
It takes a number of Portia’s good traits that I loved again once I reviewed it on the PlayStation 4 and provides extra to it so it doesn’t really feel such as you’re taking part in the identical outdated recreation, with the identical outdated mechanics.
My Time at Sandrock, as I’ve simply talked about, is a life simulation recreation. In scale, you may evaluate it to the likes of Stardew Valley or simply about any of the various video games the style has busted out over time. Fae Farm, for instance, was one of many newer ones I had managed to get my fingers on a number of months again and it’s a kind of that basically stood out to me in a number of methods.
Whereas Stardew Valley and to a sure extent, Fae Farm, dives a bit extra into the farming facet to begin you out, Pathea’s My Time at Portia and My Time at Sandrock tackles it with a extra craft-heavy method. This already offers My Time at Sandrock a bit extra of a separation from the standard issues we’ve had so when you ever wished to play a life sim recreation and actually didn’t wish to plough your lands and until the soil for the hundredth time, My Time at Sandrock would possibly simply be the sort of factor you’ll really feel familiarity however on the similar time, totally different.
A number of story paths, a number of relationships
With regards to its precise content material and story, My Time at Sandrock follows three totally different paths, every of which has its distinct options that additionally change forwards and backwards with the opposite. There’s the story behind a gang of bandits which fairly early on, you’re going to get to see a glimpse of as the times go by. You additionally get to discover the deserted ruins after a few story bits that Yan, the sport’s resident lazy ass compelled upon you which results in a path to unlocking forgotten objects invented within the historic world.
Then there’s, effectively, you realize, the mutant lizards attacking the city… Do you get to beat the crap out of them so, hurray? However exterior of its three predominant tales, you additionally get to dwell a life in a desert wasteland, finishing duties from its residents and making a reputation for your self as one of the best builder in a city that doesn’t actually have a number of competitors anyway… in order that’s nice, I assume.
As a life simulation, My Time at Sandrock is a reasonably strong addition to the style. It’s a bit extra on the crafting and fee aspect although which results in a number of scavenging across the desert or exploring the deserted ruins and mining its valuable sources.
It’s a very separate expertise to Fae Farm the place my days begin off by caring for my vegetation earlier than venturing out within the depths of the caverns in comparison with right here the place you normally begin it off by discovering a activity within the fee board after which ultimately diving deep within the ruins earlier than heading again to your workshop to construct and end mentioned activity. Equally, stamina administration is normally one thing that’s tied to a lot of these video games and that is no totally different.
You get fairly a little bit of it, nevertheless, the place it sort of begins to rot is while you’re doing a activity like preventing an enemy or mining an ore for his or her valuable sources solely to be one whack quick to deal the ultimate blow.
Being one of the best builder like nobody ever was
There are a number of issues that basically make My Time at Sandrock a enjoyable place to discover. The city which has fairly a little bit of nooks and crannies even offers you with fairly a little bit of hidden treasure chests to unlock to reap their rewards earlier than dismantling them for sources. You’ve additionally bought fairly a handful of distinctive residents that vary from the essential pets that you simply’d usually see in households to a speaking crow from an untalkative man.
So, getting their friendship ranges to ultimately cool down with somebody is a big a part of the sport and ties up fairly effectively as you unlock new duties from them earlier than really tying the knot ‘til demise do us half. In the meantime, its fight system and weapon varieties do present some type of, effectively, let’s say, technique. Technique that entails having a a lot increased HP pool than your enemy and hacking and slashing away at them as they drop useless, vanish and ultimately flip to mud earlier than giving up sources prefer it’s some sort of reward.
However hey, at the very least there are a few weapon varieties that you may check out from a sword and protect that permits you to block assaults to a greatsword that boasts energy on the expense of assault pace.
A world that’s barren but vigorous
My Time at Sandrock’s world is considerably huge whereas nonetheless considerably barren. It is sensible as it’s a desert wasteland and issues like drought which results in a scarcity of water sources implies that your machines want them to stop them from overheating. This results in some little bit of problem as you’re much less inclined to simply break down all the things you get hold of and throw them into the recycler or craft stuff at an extra do you have to want it. Nevertheless, you do ultimately get extra quality-of-life enhancements as you progress.
Issues like dew collectors which are unlocked by researching them within the analysis centre let you acquire dew because the identify implies and this can be utilized on a handful of issues like growing the saved water in your reservoir. Finally, you do get to unlock more room for your self. At the price of some gold, you may unlock tiny bits of land to position your equipment and different amenities like barns and stables. You’ll be able to even absolutely construct and customise your personal home or add greeneries and trinkets to make it distinctive. Creativeness is your solely restrict right here… and perhaps the quantity of gold you at present have.
Sadly, My Time at Sandrock isn’t the proper recreation. I had a few instances the place the sport began to really feel off. A kind of causes was once I was doing a activity that concerned unlocking the horse from the city’s secure. At first, all of it appeared effectively and dandy whereas I used to be following the NPC, nevertheless, all of it went south when mentioned NPC simply straight up didn’t transfer in any respect after saying that I ought to comply with them. This ended up with me simply operating again to my mattress which led to a failed activity.
There are additionally no quick journey factors on this planet so having a horse positively helps so much which, in a manner, is healthier than strolling however controls generally is a bit awkward if it’s essential to flip round in a cramped area whereas mounted. This final bit is extra of a nitpick however I actually preferred how Fae Farm does its instrument administration. There you may mechanically equip and use the best instrument like a pickaxe or shovel as you get near sure sources.
My Time at Sandrock and truthfully, each different recreation much like this simply has scorching bars in your instruments and different stuff so you continue to have to manually scroll by way of them to do sure duties which isn’t precisely horrible nevertheless it’s simply that Fae Farm has spoiled me a bit on this one.
Conclusion
My Time at Sandrock is enjoyable. The time I had whereas taking part in My Time at Sandrock, exploring its ruins and crafting all kinds of things to assist the townsfolk was a worthwhile expertise. However much more so, I simply loved it as a recreation that leaves me with a number of enjoyable recollections as I delve into its intricate tales and relationships. It may not have one of the best fight system round however as a life simulation recreation, it does the job that it intends to do. So, when you’ve been which means to scratch an itch left by your favorite life sim, that is one which has potential particularly when you get pleasure from taking part in with buddies due to its multiplayer.
My Time at Sandrock Video Overview
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