Mail Time
- April 27, 2023
- Kela van der Deijl
- 3h median play time
Mail Time is a simple game with a simple reminder we often forget to hold onto when the world often can make us feel like we should run instead of walk.
In Mail Time, become a Mail Scout and deliver letters and packages to various cute critters in the peaceful forest of Grumblewood Grove. Explore a charming, fairy tale-like world filled with 15 heartwarming characters, each with their own unique stories and personalities. Immerse yourself in this relaxing, cottagecore adventure and bring joy to the forest's inhabitants.
Reviews
- Mail Time features an adorable art style and charming characters that create a cozy atmosphere.
- The game offers a relaxing experience with humorous dialogue and engaging quests, making it enjoyable for casual play.
- Character customization options, including pronouns, add a personal touch and inclusivity to the gameplay.
- The game is quite short, typically taking only 2-4 hours to complete, which may not justify the price for some players.
- Several bugs and glitches can disrupt gameplay, including issues with quest progression and character interactions.
- The lack of a map and some confusing navigation can lead to frustration while exploring the game world.
- story158 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized as cute and engaging, featuring lovable characters and interconnecting narratives that provide a cozy experience. However, many players noted significant bugs that hindered quest completion and overall enjoyment, leading to frustration with the fetch quest mechanics and a desire for a longer, more polished storyline. While the art and humor are praised, the short length and repetitive nature of the quests left some players wanting more depth and exploration.
“The story and dialogue are a lot of fun too!”
“The art and storytelling of this game is absolutely beautiful.”
“I really enjoyed the story and the message at the end.”
“The entire time is just one long cascading fetch quest and none of them involve anything more interesting than 'here's where this person is, go find them and get more busywork.' If I wanted the runaround, I could just walk down the street and talk to a bank.”
“I had instances where entire conversations were blocked with menus/stamp updates and couldn't read it at all, meaning I had to mash through the text in order to end up getting out of the stamp/badge collecting image that blocked the text which also meant important mission details were lost to me.”
“However, there is a major bug involving one of the quests and it prevents you from doing a lot of other stuff, so at this time I can't recommend it.”
- graphics129 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and cute art style, which many players find cozy and visually appealing. While some reviewers note that the technical execution may feel rough or unpolished at times, the overall aesthetic and character design are considered standout features that enhance the gameplay experience. Despite minor graphical glitches, the artwork and whimsical visuals contribute significantly to the game's relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere.
“The graphics are beautiful and the characters are charming.”
“From the adorable graphics to the soothing soundtrack, every moment felt like a mini vacation for my mind.”
“The artwork is absolutely adorable and I just love playing.”
“The game feels very rough and unfinished, despite its cute and cozy artwork.”
“Super janky controls, it's hard to navigate and the graphics were not as crisp as they seemed in the trailer and pictures.”
“I know in the patch notes that some of this was supposedly fixed, but I continued to have graphical errors around Egbert and quests not completing, which made me hesitant to continue further.”
- gameplay71 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity, primarily revolving around fetch quests and light platforming, which some players find charming and relaxing, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking depth. Many appreciate the engaging dialogue and beautiful art style, but there are concerns about the game's short length and high price point, with most players completing it in around 3 to 4 hours. Overall, it offers a cozy experience, though it may not satisfy those seeking more complex mechanics or longer gameplay.
“The gameplay is simple (you just run back and forth doing errands) but it's got quite the charm.”
“An adorable and quirky woodland adventure with hilarious writing, and a cozy balance between easy gameplay and fun exploration.”
“Overall this game is absolutely wonderful, the art style is so cute and cohesive, the music is brilliantly designed for the different areas and feels of the game, and the gameplay is calming and smooth.”
“The gameplay is...well, it's a fetch quest and nothing but a fetch quest.”
“It's honestly way too much money for 3 hours of gameplay.”
“Too expensive for not even three hours of very similar gameplay (run around, talk to people, run around, talk, ad infinitum), still some bugs to be fixed.”
- humor70 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and creativity, with many players finding the dialogue and character interactions to be genuinely funny and engaging. The characters are described as adorable and quirky, contributing to a cozy atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. However, a few reviews note that some humor may not resonate with everyone, particularly criticizing certain jokes as falling flat or being overly simplistic. Overall, the game is celebrated for its lighthearted and whimsical approach to humor, making it a delightful choice for fans of cute and relaxing gameplay.
“This game is absolutely adorable and all the characters are charming and their conversations hilarious.”
“The humor, characters, art style, and overall game is amazing and kept me entertained the whole time.”
“The writing is so funny!”
“But unfortunately, the characters in this game are mostly unlikable and completely unfunny.”
- music67 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing and calming qualities, enhancing the overall cozy atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate how the soundtrack complements the charming artwork and immersive environments, with each area featuring its own distinct tune that flows seamlessly. Many players find the music delightful and memorable, making it a standout aspect of the game that contributes to a relaxing gaming experience.
“The soundtrack is absolutely gorgeous and really immerses you into the different environments around the map, whilst the dialog has some really funny humor moments!”
“Overall this game is absolutely wonderful, the art style is so cute and cohesive, the music is brilliantly designed for the different areas and feels of the game, and the gameplay is calming and smooth.”
“The music is peaceful and calm and fits perfectly with the easygoing vibe of your mail scout journey 💌”
“I got all the way to the party where it bugged out and wouldn't let you talk to Janet, even had the music stand and the table all disappear so it was just awkward partygoers standing there (or dancing in the air).”
“It's maybe easy for people to overlook the soundtrack as it's a cozy blanket for the setting and doesn't push itself to the forefront, but is enjoyable at the times when it wistfully comes to your attention.”
“The musical section of mail time dramatizes the tranquility to a point of majestic beauty of a quiet place.”
- stability63 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has received mixed feedback regarding its stability, with many players reporting numerous glitches and bugs that can disrupt gameplay. While some users noted that recent patches have improved the situation, others expressed frustration over persistent issues that detract from the overall experience. Despite these stability concerns, many still found the game enjoyable and charming, indicating a desire for further updates to address the problems.
“But so, so glitchy and buggy.”
“For a relaxing cozy game, I'm doing a lot of rage-quitting due to the amount of glitches/bugs I face each time I play!”
“The game is buggy and certain interactions will freeze the interaction screen and you won't be able to see dialogue because an achievement is stuck on screen.”
- emotional62 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly positive, with players highlighting its wholesome, cute, and heartwarming qualities. Many reviewers appreciate the engaging characters, charming art style, and the game's ability to provide a relaxing escape, often describing it as a perfect remedy for stress. While some mention minor glitches, the overall sentiment is that the game delivers a delightful and cozy experience that resonates emotionally, touching on deeper themes alongside its lightheartedness.
“What a sweet little game, with engaging characters, simple dialogue, and a surprisingly moving ending touching on the nature of success and failure.”
“I knew this game was going to be adorable but I didn't expect to get as emotionally invested in the characters as I did.”
“The artwork is really lovely, feels very different and unique compared to a lot of games, and though a little slow starting, the gameplay and subplots are super sweet and heartwarming!”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its cute, relaxing vibe, complemented by charming characters and a happy forest setting. Reviewers highlight the delightful music and engaging backstories, creating a cozy environment that enhances the overall gameplay experience. Many recommend taking the time to fully enjoy the heartfelt and whimsical atmosphere, making it a perfect comfort game.
“Very cute, relaxing atmosphere, funny little characters; it's amazing and fits as a comfort game.”
“Get it on sale; it's a cute, vibey, atmospheric, sweet, heartfelt little game with my favorite creatures. :)”
“The atmosphere, including music and environment, was absolutely lovely to be in.”
“There are definitely positive aspects to it such as the game atmosphere itself, the cute characters, and the world it is set in.”
“<3 from all the animals, their backstories, and stories to the atmosphere of the game!”
- replayability9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered low by many users, primarily due to its short length and lack of varied content after the initial playthrough. While some mention the potential for replaying to complete missed missions or to enjoy the art, the consensus is that once players are familiar with the map and quests, there is little incentive to return. A few hope for future updates to enhance replay value.
“+ replay value (50 possible delivery missions, if you miss some you can get them the next playthrough!)”
“- the game has excellent replayability”
“I hope more playable options are added in the future!”
“However, the game is very short and lacks replayability, though.”
“There is not much replay value.”
“The game doesn't feel like it's worth $20 USD when it can be 100% completed in a couple of hours and there's very little replayability since the map and quests remain the same.”
- character development9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is highly praised for its charming and adorable design, which enhances the overall experience and complements the beautiful scenery and engaging story. Players appreciate the thoughtful inclusion of diverse pronouns and the hand-drawn art style, contributing to a cozy and delightful atmosphere. Overall, the character design is a standout feature that resonates well with players, making the game visually appealing and enjoyable.
“Incredibly beautiful scenery, amazing character design, and great story writing.”
“The art style and character design have such charming attributes that you can't help but smile when playing.”
“Beautiful colors, charming character design, and thoughtful gameplay.”
“I think this game should have been around $10-15, but I know a lot of work goes into games like these, especially since it involved 2D, hand-drawn character designs.”
“I'm a sucker for character design, so I was already in love with it from the start, but I never thought how funny it'll be!”
“Its the cutest thing ever, I am amazed at the character design, the art, everything.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization received mixed reviews; while some players enjoyed the performance and found it generally good, others experienced significant issues, particularly in specific areas that felt poorly optimized and caused performance dips. Users noted that the game demands considerable computing power, leading to loud fan noise and unsatisfactory performance on less powerful systems.
“I enjoyed the different environments; the cave was my favorite, and finding the fastest route between them all was fun as well (though I am partial to optimization, so perhaps this is something few people would enjoy).”
“The performance was really good - I only ran into one area where the frames seemed to dip a little bit (around the multiple waterfalls), but even though it was noticeable, it didn't detract from the enjoyment I got from this game.”
“I played it on my desktop windowed with the game's native resolution to test the performance against my Steam Deck.”
“It was much better as a smaller game, and I think it should've been broken up into separate areas, also because it isn't the best optimized and my computer was loud playing it.”
“One area in particular was especially poorly optimized and felt chunky to get through despite playing on a powerful PC.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the repetitive travel required for missions, which can become frustrating over time. However, the overall length of the game is considered short, even when aiming for 100% completion, which may mitigate some of the grinding issues.
“I could see this getting tedious in the long run, but the game is overall fairly short, even when completing everything 100%.”
“The only gripe I had was how tedious it was traveling up and down and back and forth over and over and over.”
“I hope that the bugs get fixed because I don't have any intention of restarting my game anytime soon for it to possibly work, as a couple of the missions were tedious to do as it can take a while to get to certain locations.”
Critic Reviews
Mail Time Delivers a Cute and Cozy Weekend Game
You’re a fresh-on-the-job Mail Scout on track to complete your very first mail delivery! Glide, jump and talk your way through the Grumblewood Grove on your way to deliver the letter and become a full-fledged Mail Scout! Nintendo Switch version reviewed.I admittedly went postal a bit the first ten minutes when I was hopelessly lost. Nintendo Switch version reviewed.
70%‘Mail Time’ Is A Love Letter For Simpler Times (PC)
Mail Time is a simple game with a simple reminder we often forget to hold onto when the world often can make us feel like we should run instead of walk.
80%Mail Time Review
Saccharine sweet and wonderfully colourful, it’s hard not to instantly like Mail Time.
70%