Staxel

Staxel is a game that I was hoping would capture a little of the "Lightning in a bottle" that is Stardew Valley for me, as I'm currently abstaining from that after hearing of the 1.7 release. Thankfully, It did, and while Staxel has some shortcomings and some general feelings of abscence brought about by some features not being fully fleshed out, overall, It was a really fun experience that I enjoyed taking part in. Staxel does have some issues though. Some of the systems can feel a little underbaked - cooking, for example, is an important part of Staxel, but there's a surprising number of crops that have no use in that system despite having good analogues ready to take their place - Cocoa can't be turned into chocolate, Tangerines can't be used for pies or preserves, Coffee can't be made into Coffee and so on - which is a shame, considering that the game wants to encourage you to create a wide variety of items and goods to sell due to it's economic system lowering the price according to your supply, much like Slime Rancher. Animals also feel a little underbaked - they have a tendency to escape their barns or coops, and several animals produce near useless produce (or sometimes none at all), which can leave going down that route feeling a little lacking. This is further compounded by the fact that there's no "Auto Grabber" or something similar to help manage your animals , meaning that manually milking and shearing them becomes a time-consuming but essential part of your short days. I will say, though, the vast majority of Staxel is really well done. The idea of combining a minecraft-esque building system with a farming sim leads to some delightful combinations and creative freedoms - the fact that the villagers (each of whom feel like actual characters with personalities and purposes) also ask you to build things as you progress through their friendships is another fantastic reason why I think they're an excellent addition. Crop diversity is also pretty high, and having several crops that grow all year round (and some that grow in winter) means the core gameplay loop isn't hindered by the seasons, and allows the player to diversify appropriately when they roll around. Festivals and events are generally very small things, but they add a little extra life to the world of Staxel and it's greatly appreciated - as do the questlines offered by NPC's that really let you get a grasp of what they're like as characters, and give you even more things to do creatively. While Staxel is a game that feels, in some ways, unfinished - a lack of purpose for some items, a little thin on the characterisation in places, some systems (like the murmur merchants) taking up far too much of the item pool relative to actually playing the game - It's still a cozy, comfortable game that I find very enjoyable to play. While there's no end-game, or cutoff point like you might find in Stardew, Staxel's sandbox contains a wide variety of tools and features to keep a player entertained for a long time - especially with it's price point. While I don't think it'll replace something like Stardew for me, it's certainly a prefferable alternative to Minecraft in terms of its building, and I think has a boatload of charm and character that help the experience stay fun and enjoyable as you engage with it's core gameplay loop. I'd say that this game is worth it, even without a sale, and could provide you with a lot more entertainment than the single playthrough I spent on it.