Grow: Song of the Evertree
- November 16, 2021
- Prideful Sloth
- 21h median play time
Overall, a fantastic game that yields a relaxing gaming experience for all. The adventure is fun and awe-inducing. The graphics and music are coupled well together and marry each other to make for an amazing fantasy feel.
"GROW: Song of the Evertree" is a calming sandbox game where you're an Everheart Alchemist, responsible for nurturing the Evertree and creating new worlds through alchemy. Explore the unique world and its vibrant flora and fauna at your own pace, choosing your activities from options like solving puzzles, collecting resources, or fishing. Your main goal is to grow the Evertree by crafting World Seeds and restoring the faded Worlds of Alaria.
Reviews
- Beautiful graphics and art style that create a whimsical and colorful world.
- Relaxing gameplay with no time constraints, allowing players to progress at their own pace.
- Engaging mechanics for world-building and town management, providing a satisfying sense of accomplishment.
- Repetitive tasks can become tedious over time, leading to a lack of engagement.
- Limited character and town customization options, which can feel restrictive.
- Some bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and hinder progress.
- story360 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in "Grow: Song of the Evertree" is generally described as charming and engaging, with a mix of emotional moments and lighthearted themes. While some players appreciate its simplicity and the cozy atmosphere it creates, others find it predictable and lacking depth, often feeling repetitive as they progress through fetch quests and town-building tasks. Overall, the narrative serves as a pleasant backdrop to the gameplay, appealing to those who enjoy relaxed, story-driven experiences.
“The story was beautiful, the artwork was even better, the music was calming, and I could get lost in it for hours on end.”
“The story is cute and I like the idea of restoring a world and creating towns/houses for NPCs to move in.”
“The story is interesting and the style of the game is so cute and easy on the eyes.”
“One of my biggest complaints with cozy games is that the storyline is way too short.”
“The story is dumbed down to the point that I had figured out the entire thing way before the story had even properly begun, and I was disappointed to find nothing that exceeded my expectations.”
“The story itself is simple and predictable but that's fine.”
- music190 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in "Grow: Song of the Evertree" is widely praised for its beauty and soothing qualities, enhancing the game's relaxing atmosphere and charming visuals. Many players describe the soundtrack as enchanting and integral to the overall experience, with some expressing a desire for a more varied selection to prevent repetitiveness. While some critiques mention similarities to other games' music, the general consensus is that the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's appeal, making it a delightful experience for fans of cozy, exploration-focused gameplay.
“The music is really lovely and soothing, and there is no voice dialogue that can be jarring to a game like this.”
“The music, how the plants grow, the creatures, everything is beautiful and colorful.”
“The music, the scenery, the exploration of the world around you, everything comes together to create a truly magical experience that makes you keep wanting to play and explore just to see more of what the game has to offer.”
“Beautiful visuals and nice music, but so boring and repetitive.”
“The music is meh, although they clearly copy-pasted Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening song that you can hear every now and then. Even the discovery spots sound the same as the game... quite surprising no one talks about it.”
“The only downside I see... overlapping music.”
- gameplay186 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Grow: Song of the Evertree" is characterized by a blend of farming, town-building, and exploration mechanics, reminiscent of titles like "Animal Crossing" and "Yonder." While many players appreciate the relaxing and visually appealing nature of the game, they also note that the gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth, with simple mechanics that may not engage those seeking more complexity. Overall, it offers a charming experience for fans of cozy games, but may not satisfy players looking for challenging or varied gameplay.
“The gameplay is significantly smoother, and the mechanics are easier to understand and get used to with the controller/deck.”
“It's got simple mechanics and gives you a lot of freedom and creativity in setting up your villages.”
“The gameplay is fun and relaxing, there are tons of things to discover and the story seems good, cute and full of adorable puns; the dialogues are often quite funny and full of spirit too.”
“The gameplay loop is extremely repetitive to the point where I wondered why I was still even playing, and I'm saying this as a person that was a fully melded crafter/gatherer in FFXIV, enjoyed Harvest Moon: Back to Nature, Friends of Mineral Town, A Wonderful Life, Magical Melody, all the Rune Factories, Stardew Valley, Worlds Apart, Animal Crossing, and the Atelier series since the first Atelier Iris on PS2.”
“The core gameplay, so far, has been consistent; tend to an island, go to the town and build it up, check anything else you feel you have time for/want to, go to bed, repeat.”
“It feels like a good idea buried underneath repetitive and shallow gameplay.”
- graphics169 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful, colorful art style and charming character designs that create a cozy atmosphere. However, some players report technical issues, such as glitches and performance problems at higher settings, which detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the visuals are generally considered appealing and engaging, there are concerns about consistency and optimization.
“The graphics are beautiful and there are lots of activities.”
“Beautiful graphics, amazing music, and adorable critters.”
“The art style is divine, the graphics are smooth, and the overall experience is well polished.”
“The graphics in the game are terrible, and for $40.00 AUD I feel robbed despite getting my money back.”
“Even on the bottom graphics settings, there are such massive hiccups that I can't really get a feel for jump timing, and it hasn't been important for most of the game.”
“To be honest, I really don't get why people seem to think this game is beautiful; the bloom is too high and characters look kind of gummy in textures, it does not help that movement in this game is set to a rubber level of bounce as well.”
- grinding163 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players noting that while it offers a relaxing experience, it can become repetitive and tedious over time. Players appreciate the unique blend of farming, town building, and exploration, but often find the resource gathering and world management to be excessively grindy, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, those who enjoy slower-paced, casual gameplay may find it enjoyable, while others might be put off by the lack of depth and the repetitive nature of tasks.
“But once you complete the first seed, progressing the story is relegated to extremely tedious 'dungeons' that will see you traipsing through dozens of identical corridors hoping to find one of three puzzles, and the only purpose the world seeds have left is generating resources for town building.”
“You're grinding away at your seed worlds to produce resources to build buildings that don't do anything for villagers you don't care about.”
“The game is tedious, lazy, and sloppy.”
- emotional34 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is widely praised for its emotional depth and wholesome narrative, offering players a captivating and heartwarming experience. Many reviewers highlight its cute design and relaxing gameplay, which evoke feelings of happiness and nostalgia, making it a perfect escape from daily stress. Overall, it is described as an emotionally engaging journey that resonates deeply with players, often leaving them feeling uplifted and connected.
“The story was so captivating and emotional.”
“With such a touching story and cute design, this game connects with my heart!”
“I cried while playing as everything is so peaceful and wonderful.”
- humor30 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by charming and genuinely funny dialogue, quirky NPC interactions, and amusing side quests, often enhanced by humorous achievement names and lighthearted writing. While some players find the frequent reminders of objectives detracting from the experience, many appreciate the cute and whimsical elements that contribute to a fun atmosphere. Overall, the game balances humor with a heartwarming narrative, making it an enjoyable experience for those who appreciate a lighthearted tone.
“I loved Coppertop and Book's humorous commentary all the time lol.”
“Achievement names are funny, such as 'My Precious!' for mining valuable gems and 'Wet the Bed' for using the watering can on your bed.”
“It's charming and sweet, with some funny writing that had me smiling almost the whole time.”
- stability24 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches, particularly related to freezing and low frame rates. While some users found these issues manageable with simple fixes like reloading, others experienced game-breaking problems that hindered progress. Overall, the game is described as "super buggy" but still enjoyable, with hopes for future updates to address these stability concerns.
“Not very buggy considering it just came out!”
“The game also runs great and I have yet to run into any major bugs or glitches.”
“My only issue is that it is verified for Steam Deck, but every time I use R2 to 'sing' (a key component to playing the game), it freezes and I have to force close the game.”
“This game could be fabulous, but has unworkable freezes and is now unplayable.”
“Not working generated puzzles, graphical glitches, and I even managed to find a game-breaking bug, which could only be solved by starting a new game.”
- atmosphere16 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its calming and immersive qualities, featuring beautiful graphics, relaxing music, and a cozy environment that enhances the overall experience. Players find joy in the tranquil settings and charming characters, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a peaceful escape. The enchanting atmosphere not only motivates exploration but also provides a rewarding backdrop for gameplay.
“The cozy and atmospheric nature of this game makes those monotonous activities extremely rewarding and pleasant.”
“It is a beautifully crafted world with relaxing music, cute characters, simple storyline, amazing scenery and atmosphere - I totally immerse myself in this lovely world of Evertree.”
“The graphics are beautiful and stylized, but most of all the game has its own unique, lovely atmosphere.”
“Overall, a very calming atmosphere.”
“The music is decent and really builds the atmosphere, and the graphics are solid.”
“But the visual style and calming atmosphere gives it a solid recommendation from me.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the endless crafting of new planets and the procedural generation of worlds that offer varied experiences, others find little incentive to replay once the main quest is completed. Many highlight the lack of engaging content post-story, leading to a perception of limited replay value, despite the potential for custom seeds and exploration. Overall, opinions vary significantly, with some players enjoying the replayable aspects while others feel the game lacks depth for repeated playthroughs.
“Although it follows a storyline, it technically has infinite replayability as you can continue to craft new planets for as long as you care to.”
“The randomly generated worlds give it a great deal of replayability.”
“The game is endlessly playable and replayable; even if the main story ends, the game will endlessly provide quests, tasks, and content, using procedural generation and randomly generated worlds to explore and villagers to meet.”
“The game centers on completing the main quest rather than any activity having replay value.”
“Once you've finished the game, there is no 'wow' factor nor any replay value.”
“There is no replay value in this game.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game varies significantly among users; while some report smooth performance and no bugs, others experience slowdowns and frustrating performance issues, particularly in platforming sections with water effects. Overall, the game's optimization appears inconsistent, with some players enjoying a seamless experience while others face notable challenges.
“The game runs smoothly and it's breathtaking!”
“Well optimized, no bugs.”
“The game is not optimized for Switch, so it runs pretty slow.”
“I got to 95% done and then frustration-quit over a couple of platformer puzzle areas I can't reach due to performance issues with water being on screen.”
“I sometimes have performance issues with other games, but they're very minimal here.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game resembles that of typical mobile games, heavily featuring advertisements and additional paid content such as caves, puzzles, and merchants, which some players find enhances the overall experience.
“In reality, it looks and plays like one of those mobile games you get bombarded with advertisements for.”
“The extra additions like caves, puzzles, and merchants feel more like a way to push ads rather than enhance gameplay.”
- character development2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development has received mixed reviews, with some users noting a lack of variety and depth in character design, leading to a repetitive experience. However, others praise the overall world and character design, suggesting that while individual characters may be similar, the broader aesthetic is impressive.
“The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form genuine connections with each character.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel personal and impactful.”
“The intricate backstories and growth arcs of the characters add so much richness to the overall experience.”
“The character development feels very bland and repetitive; most characters look the same with very little variation.”
“There is a lack of depth in character arcs, making it hard to connect with any of them.”
“The choices you make don't seem to impact character growth, leaving the development feeling superficial.”
Critic Reviews
Grow: Song of the Evertree review
Grow: Song of the Evertree is a game full of charm, and will be a relaxing world-builder for some, but a repetitive experience for others.
75%Grow: Song of The Evertree Review
Without a doubt Grow: Song of the Evertree took on board what worked and what did not work so well in Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles and produced an engaging, time consuming game that is hard to put down with virtually no issues aside from occasional weird camera angles. It was not possible to finish the main story for this review because of how long it takes to complete each section, but there are dozens of hours to be spent creating new realms to explore and harvest from, creating settlements that are eye-catching and meet all residents' needs, with few issues that make it an epic title in its own right on Nintendo Switch.
90%Grow: Song of the Evertree Review
Although lacking in some aspects, what Grow: Song of the Evertree gets right is the sense of whimsical fun and adventure. Definitely worth giving a try!
75%