Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

• Genre: Action Rpg
• Spoiler Free Review: I don't think things are really high stake enough to spoil in this game, but there might be some spoilers of things you get.
• Time Played: 80 Hours
• Too Short/Long: I feel like I wrapped up the story just as the game was growing a little tedious for me, so I'd say just right. That said, you can definitely extend your playtime and play much more, or maybe even shorten it a good bit if you want to play a bit more focused. I feel like this has more variety in the "Just right" amount of playtime than most games will.
• Soundtrack: There are some catchy tunes or otherwise generic fantasy world tunes that are fitting for the setting and style of game, but nothing I'm gonna really jam out to on it's own.
• Why I played: I loved the first Fantasy Life and had hopes they were going to make a new one for years, so I was really excited for this one.
• Did I cry: Most of it, even the most dramatic aspects are pretty light hearted, so there isn't much worth shedding a tear over.
• Jank: It's mostly jank free. I feel like the jankiest aspect might be intended game design. Basically out of bounds enemies will become invincible and then eventually return to their start position. This can break some enemies entirely though who won't return. I had a challenge where I kept pushing the enemy out of range and it would become invincible without returning and I would have to leave the area and then come back and restart the fight a few times before I could actually finish it.
• Difficulty: Generally the game is pretty easy, as you can always get better equipment. However, it could be considered a bit tedious to engage with all systems, and late game enemies are pretty strong. Late game might out pace some players before they are willing to put in the effort to face them.
• Recommend to others: Fantasy Life is a really fun game that I would recommend to most people. It's gameplay loop is just a constant stream of dopamine. Make better stuff, fight stronger enemies, get new things, make better stuff, etc. You're always getting something, which makes for a lot of moments where you just wanna keep going to get the next thing.

I really liked the first Fantasy Life and really sung it's praises back when in it's day. I leave off on this one not quite as sure how I'll regard it in the future. I enjoyed it a lot, don't get me wrong, but maybe it just wasn't enough? Not that there isn't enough. The game definitely feels packed, just maybe a little shallow. Maybe I didn't spend enough time with multiplayer, or maybe the way I approach games now - with the goal of finishing them, rather then just something to play for the sake of playing, skews my perspective.

I definitely feel like you can get something out of it in both those regards, if you just want something to play and enjoy with friends, or something to sit back and relax and mess around with. We'll see of course because usually - as I say - when I'm finished, I'm done. But I might actually go back to this one when the DLC is released.

Partly due to the fact they left too many loose ends in the story. Not that the story is all that serious, but they left a lot of things that were related to the story just up in the air entirely. Considering the story is pretty light in the game overall, I think it kind of sucks, and maybe that's why I feel the way I do. Sure we have our boss battle with the big bad, but why did this happen, what happened to the other person? What about the other thing? etc. etc.

My guess is that they are leaving those things for the DLC, but I really don't like that. I'd rather have a DLC actually be new content - including the story, and actually resolve the story in the base game. In the end that's a minor complaint. The game has a ton of stuff to the point it's almost overwhelming at first. It's all very satisfying, and definitely the first week of playing I just felt like everything I did was giving me a hit of dopamine and I couldn't put it down.

It's one of those games where you say to yourself "Just one more X" and then it's two hours later because you said "just one more" several more times.

All the systems are relatively basic on their own, but there is a lot. Most the crafting are the same, and most the gathering are the same. Fishing is different, farming is different. Mining and Woodcutting are the same, and most the other craftings are the same, with different combinations of the types of "special actions" you take in that type of crafting. I wouldn't have minded a LITTLE more variety in the crafting mechanics, but very minor complaint, and maybe it is better for keeping it simpler, I don't know for certain.

But what they have works, it definite gives you that high of making new gear after killing a monster in Monster Hunter, except at a much faster rate, and you can get materials from everything, and it's not just gear, but decorative items for your house and town, usable items, meals that provide bonuses, etc. Everything you pass is of value, so you'll want to gather, you'll want to chop trees, you'll want to fish... well maybe not as much. But maaayybe you'll get to the point you want to fish, if you want to work up to getting the really good fish for crafting purposes.