In case you are something like me, then you definately completely loved taking part in My Time At Portia. It had its similarities to different crafting and farming video games, nevertheless it additionally stood aside with energy as a title that launched gamers to the life simulation style. There was a singular story to go together with it, permitting these of us who most popular an excellent combine of making, farming, gathering, and having fun with an immersive world to have a very well-rounded expertise. It has been just a few years since My Time At Portia was launched, and since then the builders have had extra in retailer for followers.
Initially supposed to be launched as a DLC, My Time At Sandrock is the upcoming sequel to My Time At Portia and it manages to enhance upon its predecessor whereas retaining most of the qualities that made us followers within the first place. I used to be in a position to spend the week crafting away to my coronary heart’s content material in an early entry copy of the sport, and to date, it hasn’t dissatisfied.
The very first thing I observed within the sport was the vastly improved character creation. I felt like there was an excellent vary of choices, each by way of customizable shade and elegance. I performed round with my character’s hair for an excellent whereas, and naturally, gave myself some sparkly coronary heart eyes. In case you felt like customization was missing within the sport’s predecessor, you’ll be pleasantly shocked right here.
Following the character creation, you’ll be launched to the brand new world. Gamers might now discover the attractive new Eufaula Desert the place the common-or-garden city of Sandrock resides. Sadly, the individuals of Sandrock depend on a dwindling provide of water from Martle’s Oasis, a pure spring that had beforehand been bustling and able to offering greater than sufficient water to the city. Mainly, poor administration and air pollution have left it a shadow of its former self. Because of this Martle’s Oasis is in want of great restore, leaving the participant’s character to assemble the sources needed for its fixing.
The map itself is larger than My Time At Portia’s by nearly 50%, and is not coated by the massive sea that took up a lot of the earlier map’s area. As a substitute, gamers will discover the world populated by relics and ruins which might be open for exploration. Whereas the terrain and environments usually are not as lush, they do carry a brand new desert vibe and with it a completely new setting to assist the story.
Your character arrives with nothing of their very own aside from the small, shabby workshop the place they may reside. Identical to the farmhouse in My Time At Portia, this workshop is upgradeable and open to your participant to embellish! I spent most of my time specializing in putting and upgrading my equipment outdoors, however I can’t wait to spruce up my residing space a bit of extra and make it really feel much less run down.
As water shouldn’t be very plentiful, you’ll have to sustain together with your provide and ensure it stays topped up. This was one of many mechanics that I discovered a bit annoying within the sport, nevertheless it truthfully provides to the immersion because it traces up with the story. It additionally provides a bit of extra depth to the crafting since it is advisable gasoline your equipment whereas additionally watching the water tank’s provide in order that it doesn’t deplete.
Fortunately, different sources in Sandrock are plentiful even when the land appears to be like barren. You’ll be able to spend a while kicking a tumbleweed round for fiber, or you’ll be able to scavenge by way of a pile of junk for varied items. Vegetation are scattered all through the world that present completely different matierls, and should you want the rest you’ll be able to dive into the mines. Farming is one other enjoyable, resource-rich side of My Time At Sandrock. It is possible for you to to make use of the land to domesticate and develop crops that you should utilize in recipes or promote.
Timing shouldn’t be too vital with the primary goals as you’ll be able to take them as slowly as you wish to. This makes the sport really feel extra stress-free, and it additionally offers you time to select up different aspect quests to do for cash or sources. I actually favored the regular tempo and ended up making myself a schedule in-game that labored, leaping between the first and secondary missions. By doing commissions for characters, I used to be additionally in a position to befriend them way more shortly than merely chatting day by day. This provides much more incentive to select up requests from the board. Different quests will name so that you can restore issues for the federal government, like defective bridges or new elevators.
Whereas the timing is as much as you for greater issues like quests for the primary story, commissions you decide up for townsfolk may have limits so you will have to complete them inside a certain quantity of days. A few of them will name for extra sources and fewer time, however the rewards will likely be better in flip.
A very helpful change in My Time At Sandrock has been the stock and equipment administration. You’ll be able to change between completely different storage chests shortly after you have opened one moderately than needing to go to the others manually. Machines and worktables additionally preserve monitor of your quests and allow you to know what it is advisable construct for it and what number of of a sure factor you will have.
Sandrock doesn’t shrink back from fight, and it is possible for you to to come across varied unusual enemies that may depart you questioning… did I simply defeat a lizard bandit? The reply will likely be sure. It is possible for you to to change between melee fight and ranged fight, a function I discovered to be an excellent enchancment. As ordinary, you’ll be able to craft your weapons and defensive gadgets (e.g. shields). Get able to really feel like a cowboy knight working across the desert with weapons and swords.
The brand new world boasts 40 distinctive characters that you could construct up a relationship with. They didn’t neglect to incorporate the fan-favorite animal NPCs. Prepare to fulfill and fall in love with Captain, the eternally grumpy kitty roaming Sandrock.
The townsfolk all have distinctive personalities and there are storylines to go together with them. Pen, Sandrock’s very personal “superhero,” is only one instance of a personality with many quirks. There’s additionally the excitable Elsie engaged on her father’s farm, hard-headed Cooper, protecting Justice, and extra. I felt like characters positively had a bit extra spark to them in Sandrock than in Portia.
There are different small options all through the gameplay that made me smile. In case your character is an excessive amount of of an evening owl and so they keep up previous midnight, they might get up with some darkish circles beneath their eyes! This was a cute shock for me, and made the sport extra immersive. It was little particulars like this one that actually caught my eye and demonstrated how the group has been striving to make the sequel extra of a enjoyable expertise for gamers.
Finally, this sport looks like a strong sequel. Whereas it isn’t an enormous change from My Time At Portia, I really feel like that’s a part of what makes the sport so enticing to me as a fan of the unique. Adjustments had been made in some good locations and issues had been improved upon to make an general higher expertise. I really feel that the world map’s change and the storyline themselves let this sport stand alone as a follow-up to its predecessor.
If My Time At Sandrock sounds just like the sequel you’ve gotten been ready for, remember to test it out upon launch this Friday on Could 26. There will likely be extra to stay up for than simply their preliminary launch, as they’ve multiplayer and different new options deliberate for the longer term. You probably have not but performed the unique title, no worries. You can begin with Sandrock!
