Everholm

About

Everholm is a single player open world role playing game with a mystery theme. It was developed by Chonky Loaf and was released on November 11, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Lilly was spirited away to a mysterious island. As her memories fade, everyone seems to know about her quest for her missing sister. It's time to establish a homestead, meet the islanders, learn their secrets and solve the mystery of Everholm in this open-ended minimalist RPG!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 208 reviews

story29 positive mentions

grinding100 negative mentions

Everholm features charming pixel art and a cozy atmosphere that draws players in, creating a delightful visual experience.
The game offers a unique blend of farming simulation and mystery narrative, encouraging players to engage with the world and its characters.
The developers are responsive to community feedback, actively working on updates and improvements, which enhances the overall player experience.

The game suffers from performance issues, including stuttering and frame drops, which can hinder gameplay and immersion.
There is a lack of clear guidance and direction for players, making it difficult to progress and complete quests effectively.
Some gameplay mechanics, such as fishing and inventory management, feel clunky and could benefit from refinement to improve user experience.

story
114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
71%
4%
The story in the game starts with an intriguing premise involving a missing sister and a mystical island, but many players feel it quickly loses momentum, becoming overshadowed by repetitive farming tasks and lack of direction. While the visuals and atmosphere are praised, the narrative often feels underdeveloped, with character interactions failing to deepen the story or engage players meaningfully. Overall, while the game has potential for a rich narrative, many reviews suggest it currently lacks the necessary progression and depth to keep players invested in the storyline.
- “The story begins when Lilly stumbles upon a magical portal that transports her to Everholm, a mystical island where everyone appears to know her, though she has no recollection of them.”
- “What truly sets Everholm apart is its narrative depth and character-driven storytelling.”
- “The story is intriguing and shrouded in mystery, very fun to progress and find what secrets Everholm holds.”
- “The story is not really developed; I haven't figured out a thing about Lilly's sister, which was the part that was most compelling to me at the time of purchase.”
- “It really broke the immersion for me that one of the NPCs suggests we just start farming and that’s what we do, never to talk about our sister again (currently I’m at the end of summer, so it’s been almost two seasons with zero story development).”
- “The game is marketed with this idea of looking for a lost sister, but you go weeks and weeks as a player without any progress on the story.”
grinding
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect in "Everholm" has received mixed feedback from players. While many appreciate the polished farming mechanics and the satisfying progression tied to crafting and farming, some find the gameplay tedious and overly reliant on repetitive tasks, particularly in fishing and quest completion. Overall, the game offers a cozy farming experience with a blend of mystery, but players seeking a more dynamic narrative may feel the grind detracts from their enjoyment.
- “Progression is also slow and grindy, and there's not much to do outside of farming, foraging, fishing, and dungeon crawling.”
- “Everything comes in the form of a quest, and at one point you become bombarded with them, like literally 2 pages full of quests and no idea how to complete half of them except by inevitably grinding your life away.”
- “It's just tedious when you want to craft something and you're missing one thing that you already have in a chest and have to go and get it.”
graphics
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
38%
5%
The graphics of Everholm are widely praised for their charming hand-drawn pixel art style, which evokes nostalgia and creates a warm, inviting atmosphere. Players appreciate the beautiful visuals, cute character designs, and the overall aesthetic that enhances the cozy gameplay experience. While the graphics are a standout feature, some reviewers note that the game could benefit from additional content and polish to match the high visual quality.
- “Visually, Everholm embraces a hand-drawn pixel art style that evokes nostalgia while providing a warm and inviting atmosphere.”
- “The graphics and atmosphere are the best I've ever seen, with a huge range of crops and the cutest animal designs, complemented by a novel but forgiving combat system.”
- “The artwork is beautiful, the soundtrack is cozy and peaceful, and the mysteries to unravel are so intriguing!”
- “I was looking for a game similar to Sun Haven and was sadly disappointed with this one. The extremely cute graphics pull you in, but it's very slow and boring, with not much to do from the start.”
- “I can see there was a lot of effort put into the game, but it seems like most of the effort and budget went into the visuals.”
- “Might look into the game at a later date if things get polished, but right now the price seems a bit high for what it is, especially since nothing about this game stands out except for the cute visuals.”
gameplay
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
55%
8%
The gameplay of *Everholm* is characterized by a blend of cozy farming mechanics and narrative-driven exploration, creating a relaxing yet engaging experience. While the farming elements are polished and enjoyable, some players find the dungeon crawling and combat aspects lacking in depth, which may affect long-term replayability. Additionally, occasional performance issues and a steep learning curve for certain mechanics have been noted, but the overall charm and atmosphere of the game appeal to fans of the genre.
- “Released in late 2024, Everholm has attracted a dedicated following thanks to its blend of cozy gameplay and an underlying sense of suspense.”
- “The gameplay centers around cultivating and expanding a rundown homestead into a vibrant farm.”
- “Everholm offers a delightful mix of cozy farming, RPG elements, and mystery-solving gameplay.”
- “I would love to recommend this, but unfortunately I cannot due to all the bugs and the lack of actual story gameplay throughout most of the game.”
- “However, certain tasks in the game felt unnecessarily tedious, prolonging gameplay to the point of monotony at times.”
- “Gameplay is as shallow as it can be.”
music
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
42%
16%
The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing and cozy melodies that enhance the overall immersive experience, complementing the beautiful visuals and nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic farm games. While many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to create a relaxing atmosphere, some note a lack of variety, with only a few tracks per season and region. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's charming vibe and emotional tone, making it a delightful addition to the gameplay.
- “Complementing the visuals, the soundtrack features gentle, soothing melodies that enhance immersion and emotional tone, making the player’s time on Everholm feel like stepping into a beautifully crafted storybook world.”
- “The artwork is beautiful, the soundtrack is so cozy and peaceful, the mysteries to unravel are so intriguing!”
- “The music and pixel art give me nostalgia for older farm games.”
- “The music is lacking.”
- “Only 1 music track per season, plus one for each region of the underworld (basically the mines), and the title screen music.”
- “Only 1 music track per season, plus one for each region of the underworld (basically the mines), and the title screen music.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The atmosphere of Everholm is characterized by its charming hand-drawn pixel art style, which evokes nostalgia and creates a warm, inviting environment. Players appreciate the blend of relaxing gameplay and story-driven exploration, noting the game's ability to shift from a cozy daytime vibe to a more ominous tone at dusk. Overall, the aesthetic and attention to detail contribute to a captivating experience that keeps players engaged and immersed in the world.
- “Visually, Everholm embraces a hand-drawn pixel art style that evokes nostalgia while providing a warm and inviting atmosphere.”
- “I was very excited about this game, and it's even better than I imagined it would be; the graphics, the atmosphere, the story, everything feels homey, even though it's my first time playing.”
- “The atmosphere in general is relaxed and charming during the day, but as soon as dusk sets in it switches to an ominous vibe.”
- “Everholm is a game with a stunning aesthetic, lovable characters, and a not so cozy atmosphere that keeps you on your toes.”
- “Such a neat aesthetic and atmosphere.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the deep relationships players develop with characters, which not only reveal the island's mysteries but also enhance the overall emotional experience. The soothing soundtrack and beautifully crafted visuals create an immersive atmosphere, making the game feel like a storybook world. While it may not cater to those seeking high-action gameplay, it offers a charming and wholesome narrative that resonates deeply with players.
- “Developing relationships with these characters is not only vital to uncovering the island’s mysteries but also enriches the emotional resonance of the game.”
- “Complementing the visuals, the soundtrack features gentle, soothing melodies that enhance immersion and emotional tone, making the player’s time on Everholm feel like stepping into a beautifully crafted storybook world.”
- “But where it stands out is in its deep narrative and emotional journey.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
14%
57%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with many players experiencing significant performance issues such as frame drops and stuttering, even on systems that meet or exceed the recommended specifications. While some have found temporary fixes, like adjusting frame rates, the overall consensus is that the game requires further optimization and quality-of-life improvements to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “The game does need optimization and some quality-of-life improvements.”
- “I want to give this game a positive review, but performance has prevented me from even playing more than a few minutes.”
- “Some players have reported occasional performance hiccups and bugs that can interrupt the otherwise smooth gameplay.”
- “There are many frame drops and also stuttering, which makes the game not smooth to play.”
- “There’s a constant stuttering/fps issue even though I play on a system that exceeds recommended specs.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report no significant bugs, others experience frequent freezes and critical issues, particularly during key gameplay moments. Overall, many users note that the game feels unfinished and buggy, especially in its early access state, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “Fair warning, it is early access — it’s not buggy (at least I didn’t encounter any bugs), but the game clearly is a work in progress.”
- “I catch the fish, and the game freezes.”
- “I really do like the game, but it is incredibly buggy; it ruins the experience. Nothing is very clear, and I feel like I'm wasting days walking around aimlessly.”
- “Ending spoiler: Fighting the Shadow King to release the citizens is so buggy. Half the time I enter the arena, nothing works; I cannot use my tools, my weapons, or my magic - nothing.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that while the dungeon crawling offers some variety, it may lack the depth and challenge needed for sustained replayability, potentially limiting long-term engagement for those seeking more complex combat and exploration mechanics.
- “Additionally, while the dungeon crawling aspect adds variety, it may not be substantial enough for players seeking more extensive or challenging combat and exploration mechanics, potentially impacting long-term replayability.”
- “After completing the game once, I found little incentive to go back. The story doesn't change much, and the side quests feel repetitive.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel like a chore rather than an exciting experience.”