Cornucopia
- July 31, 2023
- Subconscious Games
- 28h median play time
Get on Steam"Cornucopia" is a single-player, fantasy open-world farm sim RPG with outstanding game mechanics, stunning visuals, and a memorable soundtrack. Inherit a neglected homestead and bring it back to life by growing a variety of crops, discovering recipes, and interacting with over 50 unique NPCs. The innovative soil and compost system and pet-assisted gameplay make for an engaging and dynamic experience. Can you unlock the secrets of the legendary Cornucopia?
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Cornucopia offers a unique twist on the farming simulator genre with its engaging mechanics, including a detailed soil system and a fun scratch card feature.
- The game has a vibrant art style and charming characters, making it visually appealing and enjoyable to interact with the diverse cast.
- The developer is highly responsive to community feedback, frequently updating the game and addressing bugs, which enhances the overall player experience.
- The game can feel overwhelming due to the sheer amount of items, mechanics, and characters, which may lead to confusion for new players.
- Controller support is currently clunky and needs improvement, making gameplay less intuitive for those using gamepads.
- Some characters lack depth and personality, leading to repetitive interactions that can detract from the overall immersion.
- grinding304 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect in this farming simulator is generally viewed as manageable and enjoyable, with players noting that while there is a fair amount of grinding to collect materials and improve farming efficiency, it never feels tedious. The game introduces unique mechanics, such as a detailed soil system, which adds depth to the farming experience and keeps players engaged. Overall, players appreciate the balance of grinding with rewarding gameplay elements, making it a refreshing entry in the farming sim genre.
“There is a lot of things to do so it's kinda grindy, but honestly not really that difficult if you're already used to playing farming sims.”
“Farming takes too long.”
“This is a farming sim where you can't farm.”
- story135 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its engaging characters and humorous twists, while others criticize the writing quality and lack of direction in quests. Many feel that the character interactions are rushed, making it hard to feel involved in the narrative, though the unique card system for quests adds a fresh layer to gameplay. Overall, while the story has potential and depth, it requires further development and clearer guidance to enhance player immersion.
“The storyline is brilliantly hilarious, full of unexpected twists and turns that keep you laughing and engaged.”
“The story and characters are pretty in-depth for an early access game.”
“The characters are full of so much story and depth, the world you get to explore is creative and new.”
“The game has a story, but I don't feel my character is a part of it.”
“They should've worked on this game more before releasing it; it's sloppy, and at the start, the game gives almost no direction to the player. In the 51 minutes I've played, I experienced 4 cutscenes, and all of them had bad writing, starting and ending abruptly. If I had to say, I'd recommend saving your money for when this game becomes more developed, because it is not worth $25 at its current stage.”
“In most cases, the way you progress the story is that you show up to certain areas, watch people talk, and then get the quest item for... standing in the background while other people do things.”
- gameplay130 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Cornucopia" is praised for its depth and variety, featuring a wide range of unique mechanics that set it apart from typical farming games. Players appreciate the intricate farming and fishing systems, as well as engaging mini-games and a charming art style, although some mechanics can be complex and obscure. Overall, the game offers a satisfying and refreshing experience, with ongoing developer support and frequent updates enhancing its potential.
“The gameplay is a real standout.”
“It's got fantastic gameplay, relaxing music, lovely visuals, and rich characters.”
“Despite its early access status, the game has a lot of content with many refreshing twists on the often-overused mechanics seen in this genre - farming and fishing in particular.”
“I actually bought this game because of the allure of 'Stardew Valley but with lots more mechanics and items', but this has taught me a lesson in meaningful simplicity.”
“There's very little uniformity in the exact same mechanic; the same fertilizer raises the NPK of soil at highly varied amounts, the same cluster type, compost input, and junk input will output at highly varied times, rarity of output is nearly impossible to control (composts are at least semi-manageable, clusters and junk are impossible to predict), even fertilized land doesn't really guarantee a bountiful harvest.”
“The game is a bit janky and it can be a bit difficult to figure out the mechanics and shortcuts.”
- graphics69 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique and charming 2.5D art style that blends 2D sprites with low-res 3D elements, creating a visually appealing experience. While some players initially found the art style unusual, many grew to appreciate its creativity and the engaging visuals it offers. Overall, the graphics are praised for their aesthetic delightfulness and the customization options available to enhance player experience.
“A vivid, charming art style comes alive in 2.5D in this masterpiece of a farming sim.”
“It artfully blends 2D sprites and low-res 3D objects to create appealing visuals.”
“The 2.5D graphics are easy on the eyes and more engaging than just a 2D format.”
“Honestly, I was disappointed when I launched the game and saw how the art style actually is.”
“At first, I was kind of put off by the art style because it seems unusual, but it turns out the tilt and zoom can be customized.”
“I will admit the graphics threw me for a loop a little at first but I quickly found it to be very charming.”
- music38 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its amazing and delightful soundtrack, which features a diverse range of tracks that adapt seamlessly to the environment, enhancing the overall atmosphere without being intrusive. Players find the music soothing and charming, often listening to it outside of gameplay, and it significantly contributes to the game's cozy and engaging experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, with many expressing excitement for future improvements and additional content.
“The music adapts to the environment and is really background music the way you want it to be, not disturbing.”
“The music is super soothing, fitting right into the game's comfy atmosphere.”
“I could talk so much more about this game, how the soundtrack is incredible and has many tracks that I listen to outside of playing the game.”
“The soundtracks have a wide variety, though some overlap plays in some instances; still being tweaked with more reports, and with more playtime it has overall been improved; I look forward to more improvements in this regard.”
“This issue translates to the background music as well.”
“There are lots of different sounds/music.”
- humor29 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in this game is widely praised for its clever writing and relatable characters, with many players finding themselves laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and amusing cutscenes. The game's quirky art style complements its lighthearted tone, and the inclusion of funny mini-games and item descriptions adds to the overall charm. Players appreciate the developer's attention to detail and the ability to evoke genuine laughter through both character struggles and unexpected story twists.
“The storyline is brilliantly hilarious, full of unexpected twists and turns that keep you laughing and engaged.”
“The writing is funny, the characters and art are cute, and all the cutscenes are fun.”
“I appreciate the humor littered throughout; it’s fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be deeply positive, highlighting the warm and welcoming community fostered through its Discord. The developers' responsiveness and dedication to fan engagement are seen as heartwarming, contributing to an overall sense of wholesomeness that enhances the gaming experience. Despite minor bugs, the game's charm and community support make it a must-try for fans of the genre.
“Seeing the major updates and modifications and attention to the fan base through their Discord has been incredibly heartwarming.”
“This game is very awesome; yes, it has a couple of bugs here and there, but it's very sweet and wholesome, and the devs have done a great job with it.”
“One of the most wholesome communities I've ever encountered. If you feel like joining the community, this is a big plus; it's very welcoming and warm.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is generally well-received, featuring a unique scratch-off system that rewards players with items through in-game achievements rather than microtransactions, effectively satisfying the gacha game desire. However, there are calls for improved advertising and social media engagement to attract more players.
“I think the developers really need to up their game as far as advertising is concerned!”
“I think they need to take a page out of 'Moonstone Island' or 'Cult of the Lamb' and take a more modernized approach to their social media accounts and advertising to pique more interest in potential players.”
“There's a unique scratch-off system that can give you items and such - but most importantly, doing them scratches the gacha game itch without microtransactions (you get them mostly for achieving things in-game).”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game currently exhibits minor glitches and a lack of polish, which is typical for an early access title. Users express confidence that these issues will be addressed in the future, while acknowledging the substantial content already available.
“For now, expect some minor glitches and a lack of polish, but there's a lot of content already in the game with more to come.”
“Some bugs and glitches are, at this time, to be expected.”
“I am fully confident that these glitches will be fixed one day, and I knew what I was getting into with an early access title.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game currently faces performance issues and lag, particularly on the Steam Deck, which has led some players to consider returning it. However, as it is in early access, users are optimistic about future improvements, noting that the developer is responsive to feedback and actively working on optimizations.
“Being in early access, of course there will be bugs, but the developer is very quick to update and listen to feedback and get things fixed/optimized!”
“Yes, it has performance issues, yes it's a bit laggy, but it's early access and I thought it would be doing great over time and I really enjoyed it ... for a short while.”
“I typically like to play cozy games like this on my Steam Deck, but encountered a ton of issues and actually almost returned it based on the Steam Deck performance.”
“I typically like to play cozy games like this on my Steam Deck but encountered a ton of issues and actually almost returned it based on the Steam Deck performance.”
“Yes, it has performance issues; yes, it's a bit laggy, but it's early access and I thought it would be doing great over time.”
“Being in early access, of course there will be bugs, but the developer is very quick to update and listen to feedback to get things fixed and optimized!”
- character development3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is praised for its relatable depth, avoiding simplistic or overly cutesy designs often found in family-oriented titles. Reviewers appreciate the blend of adult and family charm reminiscent of the Shrek movies, contributing to a more engaging narrative experience.
“So far the characters aren't all Disney-fied and simple; they have some actual relatable depth. The story writing and character designs are so fun and have that sort of adult and family charm to them, not unlike the Shrek movies, so it doesn't just feel like I am playing a game written for high schoolers.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with any of the characters.”
“I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way throughout the game.”
“The dialogue options are limited, which stifles any real growth or change in the characters as the story progresses.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a soothing musical score that enhances its overall comfort and tranquility, creating an inviting and relaxing environment for players.
“The music is super soothing, fitting right into the game's comfy atmosphere.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users note that the game's angles enhance its replayability by offering varied gameplay experiences, particularly when certain angles better align with different tasks. This feature encourages players to revisit the game to explore alternative strategies and approaches.
