My Time at Sandrock PC Review

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 bear in mind the time I had in Portia, Sandrock, which is the sequel’s world, is much extra fascinating and considerably a bit tougher.

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 previous sport, with the identical previous mechanics.

My Time at Sandrock, as I’ve simply talked about, is a life simulation sport. In scale, you’ll be able to evaluate it to the likes of Stardew Valley or simply about any of the numerous 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 palms on just a few months again and it’s a kind of that basically stood out to me in just a few methods.

Whereas Stardew Valley and to a sure extent, Fae Farm, dives a bit extra into the farming side to start out you out, Pathea’s My Time at Portia and My Time at Sandrock tackles it with a extra craft-heavy strategy. This already provides My Time at Sandrock a bit extra of a separation from the standard issues we’ve had so in the event you ever wished to play a life sim sport and actually didn’t wish to plough your lands and until the soil for the hundredth time, My Time at Sandrock may simply be the type of factor you’ll really feel familiarity however on the similar time, totally different.

A number of story paths, a number of relationships

In the case of 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 backwards and forwards 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 pressured upon you which ends up in a path to unlocking forgotten objects invented within the historic world.

Then there’s, effectively, you already know, the mutant lizards attacking the city… Do you get to beat the crap out of them so, hurray? However exterior of its three major 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 the perfect builder in a city that doesn’t actually have a number of competitors anyway… in order that’s nice, I suppose.

As a life simulation, My Time at Sandrock is a fairly stable addition to the style. It’s a bit extra on the crafting and fee facet although which ends up in a number of scavenging across the desert or exploring the deserted ruins and mining its treasured sources.

It’s a totally separate expertise to Fae Farm the place my days begin off by caring for my crops 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 job within the fee board after which ultimately diving deep within the ruins earlier than heading again to your workshop to construct and end stated job. 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 type of begins to rot is whenever you’re doing a job like preventing an enemy or mining an ore for his or her treasured sources solely to be one whack quick to deal the ultimate blow.

Being the perfect 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 acquired fairly a handful of distinctive residents that vary from the fundamental pets that you simply’d usually see in households to a speaking crow from an untalkative man.

So, getting their friendship ranges to ultimately calm 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 truly tying the knot ‘til dying do us half. In the meantime, its fight system and weapon varieties do present some type of, effectively, let’s say, technique. Technique that includes having a a lot larger HP pool than your enemy and hacking and slashing away at them as they drop lifeless, vanish and ultimately flip to mud earlier than giving up sources prefer it’s some type of reward.

However hey, at the least there are a few weapon varieties which you can check out from a sword and protect that means that you can block assaults to a greatsword that boasts energy on the expense of assault velocity.

A world that’s barren but energetic

My Time at Sandrock’s world is considerably huge whereas nonetheless considerably barren. It is smart as it’s a desert wasteland and issues like drought which ends up in a scarcity of water sources signifies 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 only 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 accumulate dew because the title implies and this can be utilized on a handful of issues like rising the saved water in your reservoir. Finally, you do get to unlock extra space for your self. At the price of some gold, you’ll be able to unlock tiny bits of land to put your equipment and different amenities like barns and stables. You’ll be able to even absolutely construct and customise your individual home or add greeneries and trinkets to make it distinctive. Creativeness is your solely restrict right here… and possibly the quantity of gold you at the moment have.

Sadly, My Time at Sandrock isn’t the proper sport. I had a few instances the place the sport began to really feel off. A kind of causes was once I was doing a job 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 stated NPC simply straight up didn’t transfer in any respect after saying that I ought to observe them. This ended up with me simply operating again to my mattress which led to a failed job.

There are additionally no quick journey factors on the earth so having a horse positively helps lots which, in a means, is healthier than strolling however controls could be a bit awkward if it is advisable 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 software administration. There you’ll be able to robotically equip and use the correct software like a pickaxe or shovel as you get near sure sources.

My Time at Sandrock and actually, each different sport much like this simply has sizzling bars on 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 but it surely’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 sport that leaves me with a number of enjoyable reminiscences as I delve into its intricate tales and relationships. It may not have the perfect fight system round however as a life simulation sport, it does the job that it intends to do. So, in the event you’ve been that means to scratch an itch left by your favorite life sim, that is one which has potential particularly in the event you take pleasure in taking part in with associates due to its multiplayer.