A New Leaf: Memories
- April 16, 2024
- Hidden Tower Studios
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"A New Leaf: Memories" is a farming simulation game where players are given a small plot of land to transform and manage into their own unique farm. The game offers various activities such as cooking, mining, and fishing, which provide opportunities for players to gather resources, craft tools, and discover recipes. With its non-linear gameplay, players have the freedom to choose the life they want, making each playthrough a unique experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a super cute concept and charming graphics, making it enjoyable for those who like cozy games.
- The developers are actively engaged with the community, providing regular updates and addressing feedback, which shows promise for future improvements.
- There are fun elements like adorable animals and a relaxing atmosphere that can appeal to players looking for a laid-back experience.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs and clunky controls, making gameplay frustrating and often unresponsive.
- Many players feel the game lacks content and depth, with empty environments and minimal interactions with NPCs, leading to a sense of dullness.
- As an early access title, it has not met the expectations set during its Kickstarter campaign, leaving backers feeling disappointed and scammed.
- story20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with players noting minimal NPC interactions and repetitive, uninspired quests that feel more like chores than a narrative experience. Many reviewers express disappointment in the absence of a compelling storyline or character development, leading to a sense of emptiness and a feeling that the game is an unfinished cash grab. While some appreciate the quick progression through farming upgrades, the overall consensus is that the story aspect is severely lacking and in need of significant improvement.
“One big advantage over other farming games is that the quest line moves you really quickly through upgrades to your farm.”
“As part of the quest line, you get a large warehouse long before you need it, and you never have to clutter up your farm with a bunch of chests.”
“I also really hope that there will be some kind of story added to the game.”
“As for story, there isn't one.”
“There is absolutely zero interactions with NPCs either that I've seen so far, outside of picking up a quest to go find and talk to someone, and no one visits you.”
“There is zero interaction with other NPCs and they just drop you in with no backstory or anything.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the cute aesthetics and charming artwork, while others criticized the disjointed character locomotion and lagging performance. While the scenery is often described as pretty and atmospheric, there are notable issues that detract from the experience, particularly in terms of technical execution.
“The scenery and artwork are honestly very pretty.”
“I love the artwork, the graphics, and the movement of the character.”
“The world feels pleasant and the graphics have a quirky charm.”
“The graphics (even on the highest setting) were disjointed and lagging.”
“The character locomotion feels strange, the systems don't feel intuitive, and the overall aesthetics just don't match up to the original vision of the project at all.”
“There were some issues with graphics when the bus came near, or when I was running next to it.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews of the game's grinding aspect highlight a mix of frustration and enjoyment. While some players find the farming mechanics clunky and lacking depth, others appreciate the cozy atmosphere and quick progression through upgrades. Overall, the game appeals to fans of laid-back farming sims, despite its shortcomings in controls and grid editing.
“The controls are also clunky and frustrating, and the grid editing for farming and placing furniture just isn't intuitive at all, nor does it feel good to use.”
“I haven't tried engaging with the story or NPCs or trying out interactions all that much because the foundation of this game - the farming sim - just doesn't work like it should!”
“Farming is awful.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Gameplay has seen minimal improvement since alpha, with only minor bug fixes and quality of life updates, leading to some frustrations among players. While the stamina mechanic promotes level progression, the overall experience can feel clunky, especially with slow animations and issues in co-op play. Players seeking fast-paced action may find this game lacking.
“As long as I wait patiently for every animation to end, my gameplay is smooth - at the beginning I tried to shortcut (interrupt animations) and the controls felt clunky, but that was me - the impatient gamer.”
“The stamina mechanic is very nice and encourages level progression.”
“As a Kickstarter backer, I have played since alpha and there has been little to no improvement in the gameplay outside of a handful of bug fixes and some attempts at quality of life updates. In some cases, it actually got worse after some updates.”
“I would definitely like to play again later on when the game is more developed and the features have improved for better gameplay.”
“The co-op gameplay system also has problems, such as not being able to water plants.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as decent, contributing positively to the overall experience, although some players express fatigue with the repetitive nature of music in "cozy" genre games. While the graphics are appreciated, the music does not significantly detract from the enjoyment of the game.
“I like the graphics, the music - 3 hair fashions to choose from are enough for me - and any serious farmgirl would prefer an overall over high heels, sandals, skirts, frills, makeup and whatnots, or not?”
“Good: art and music is decent.”
“None of my problems with the game have changed, and I know it's in early access, so it has room for improvement. However, I just bought Chill Town, and I am so tired of this repetitive music and the 'cozy' marketing genre.”
“The music is incredibly bland and forgettable, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I expected a relaxing soundtrack, but instead, the music feels generic and out of place, detracting from the overall experience.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is significantly compromised by numerous bugs and unclear progression mechanics, which are attributed to a change in development teams after the Kickstarter campaign. This transition has resulted in missing content and features, indicating a lack of resources to fulfill the original vision.
“The game is incredibly buggy, making it difficult to enjoy the experience.”
“There is a lack of clarity in the information provided, leaving players confused about how to progress.”
“It’s evident that the game suffers from a lack of funding, which has resulted in missing features that were promised.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling that the game lacks content and depth, presenting an unfinished experience that prioritizes profit over quality. The minimal NPC interaction and absence of meaningful quests contribute to the perception of a rushed product aimed at exploiting the cozy genre.
“The game feels like a cash grab, rushing into the cozy genre and producing an unfinished sandbox that looks cute to lure Steam users in.”
“There are hardly any NPCs or quests once you begin, making the experience feel empty and unfulfilling.”
“The monetization strategy is frustrating, as it seems to prioritize profit over player experience.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's atmosphere and graphics, noting that they contribute positively to the overall experience, even in short play sessions.
“I haven't played for long, but I really like the atmosphere and graphics.”
