My Time at Portia
- July 4, 2019
- Pathea Games
- 56h median play time
My Time At Portia is a beautiful experience that has a lot of content to offer players. Be it farming or fighting, you'll find something to enjoy in this carefully crafted title.
"My Time at Portia" is a sandbox-style simulation RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world. As a new arrival in the enchanting town of Portia, players will rebuild their Pa's neglected workshop, grow crops, raise animals, and forge relationships with the townsfolk. Through exploration, farming, and crafting, uncover the secrets of Portia and restore its glory!
Reviews
- story3,972 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story in "My Time at Portia" is engaging and well-developed, set in a post-apocalyptic world where players take on the role of a builder tasked with restoring the town of Portia. Players navigate a variety of quests that intertwine personal character arcs with the overarching narrative, allowing for a rich exploration of relationships and community dynamics. While the main storyline is compelling, some players note pacing issues and a desire for more depth in character development and side quests, particularly after completing the main plot.
“The story is engaging and interesting, the characters are refreshing and wonderful, the mechanics are fun and the visuals stunning, despite seeming a little silly, surely, to some.”
“The story is cute and the world is really great.”
“The story is well structured, with a lot of guidance but also the freedom to ignore the structure and go fishing.”
“There is an unavoidable, unnecessary, and very disturbing storyline about a terminally ill young woman in this game.”
“In the end though, what completely ruined the game for me was the sick girl (Ginger) storyline.”
“The story, as presented, was also shallow.”
- grinding2,350 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The reviews for "grinding" in "My Time at Portia" reveal a mixed reception, with many players noting that while the game offers a variety of activities such as crafting, farming, and combat, it can become excessively grindy and tedious. Some players appreciate the meditative quality of resource gathering and crafting, while others find the repetitive nature of tasks and the slow progression frustrating, particularly in comparison to more farming-focused games like "Stardew Valley." Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable for those who appreciate a blend of crafting and light farming, but it may not satisfy players looking for a more traditional farming experience.
“I really enjoy this game and find that it's not too tedious to collect resources like some other games.”
“Not too grindy, but if you want to have abundant resources, you can go crazy with grinding; however, to complete the game, you don't need to go to grind hell.”
“The central activity in this game is building, not farming.”
“Tried to like this, but the grinding is overkill to the point of it not feeling fun.”
“It's just so grindy and impossible to make any progress.”
“The gameplay is very grindy - put down machines, craft stuff, fulfill commerce orders - which is fine for a farming/crafting game like this, but everything just takes so damn long to earn, you never feel like you are making any progress at all.”
- graphics1,477 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of "My Time at Portia" receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the vibrant, cartoonish art style that evokes a whimsical atmosphere reminiscent of Studio Ghibli films. While some appreciate the charming visuals and detailed environments, others criticize the character designs as unappealing or childish, and note performance issues such as lag and graphical glitches, particularly on lower-end systems. Overall, the game's aesthetic is seen as a significant draw, though opinions on its execution vary widely.
“The graphics are beautifully detailed, creating an immersive and visually appealing experience.”
“The colorful graphics and whimsical soundtrack perfectly complement the game's cheerful vibe, creating a truly immersive and unforgettable experience.”
“The art style is colorful and inviting, with a charming environment that brings the world to life.”
“I did try to get into it, mechanics-wise it's fine, it's just a very aesthetically unappealing game.”
“The graphics leave something to be desired and the male romance options aren't all that, but if you're looking for a game you can farm and kill time on, this works, I guess.”
“The graphics are terrible; all textures are blurry and low-res, character models look like they were made in the 2000s, and the default tone mapping makes everything desaturated and just boring.”
- gameplay1,354 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "My Time at Portia" is characterized by a blend of crafting, building, and social mechanics, reminiscent of titles like Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon, but with a unique focus on workshop management and exploration. Players engage in a satisfying loop of gathering resources, completing commissions, and developing relationships with NPCs, although some mechanics can feel clunky or underdeveloped. While the game offers a charming aesthetic and a wealth of activities, it also suffers from pacing issues and a lack of polish in certain areas, leading to a mix of enjoyable and tedious gameplay experiences.
“The game feels rewarding to me, and at first it was a bit hectic for the first couple of days learning the flow of the core gameplay, but once it was figured out it's honestly fairly simple.”
“Gameplay is both relaxing and engaging, with a mix of exploration, resource management, and combat.”
“With its captivating world, engaging gameplay, and endearing characters, it's a must-play for anyone looking for a truly unforgettable gaming experience.”
“The visual style, the immediate emptiness of the land you're introduced to as a first impression, the awkward voice acting, the incredibly uncanny and unappealing character design, the non-existent/half-done mechanics, the complete lack of any direction the moment you're thrown in with very little explanation... I could only last an hour before I decided to give up on it.”
“The gameplay loop can be frustrating, the combat is janky, and the progression is poorly balanced, which turns the late game into a massive grind.”
“The game's attempt to blend various gameplay elements resulted in a confusing experience, making it hard to understand what I was supposed to do next.”
- music460 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in "My Time at Portia" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its calming and immersive qualities that enhance the game's atmosphere. However, several users noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive, with limited variety across different environments and situations, leading some to turn off the music entirely. Overall, while the music is often described as beautiful and fitting, there is a consensus that more diversity in the tracks would significantly improve the experience.
“The music seamlessly matches the mood of each situation, enhancing the overall atmosphere and drawing me further into the world of Portia.”
“The colorful graphics and whimsical soundtrack perfectly complement the game's cheerful vibe, creating a truly immersive and unforgettable experience.”
“The game's relaxing vibes are complemented perfectly by its soothing soundtrack.”
“There are only a couple of surprisingly very short music tracks for each season, and the same one plays all day long, starts to get a little too repetitive, especially the combat theme, which frankly gets super-jarring after a while.”
“The music is repetitive.”
“The music is pretty bland and the game lacks good ambiance especially running through the field there's 0 noise, just your footsteps.”
- stability307 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly impact gameplay. While some users find the issues amusing or charming, others describe the experience as frustrating and unplayable, particularly due to the lack of effective saving mechanisms and optimization. Overall, the game is seen as needing substantial polish and fixes to reach its full potential.
“This game is polished, largely bug free, and has a lot of obvious refinement and care put into it.”
“The game plays very well, and mostly bug free, which is surprising considering it's still an early access game.”
“The game runs great and there is plenty of stuff to do.”
“I'm sad to say that this game is incredibly buggy and feels unfinished.”
“The game freezes constantly or you get glitched inside of the water and get the black screen over and over again.”
“This game is littered with graphical glitches, mismatching dialogue text & voice lines, occasional crashes/freezes, and a horrific frame-rate issue.”
- optimization236 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received widespread criticism, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, even on high-end systems. While some users have managed to achieve stable performance with specific settings, the overall consensus is that the game requires substantial optimization work to improve its playability. Many reviewers express hope for future updates to address these issues, but currently, the game's performance is a major drawback.
“For gamers who like satisfying game mechanics, warm friendly environments, and time optimization, this is a good choice.”
“The optimization of the game seems to be very well done; I’ve experienced a constant frame rate of 120 fps with no dips at any time and the game has a beautiful aesthetic that I really enjoy.”
“Overall, I like this game and the recent performance boost really ups my rating on this and it gives hope towards more features in the future that I'd personally spend money on.”
“Horrible PC performance; high-end PCs will experience constant frame drops with no solution offered.”
“The optimization is outright awful.”
“This game suffers from poor optimization and extremely inconsistent framerate (even at lowest settings and with a decent gaming PC) and results in a not-so-fun experience.”
- atmosphere128 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "My Time at Portia" is widely praised for its enchanting and vibrant qualities, combining a warm soundtrack with charming visuals that create a cozy and inviting environment. Players appreciate the game's ability to immerse them in a relaxing, post-apocalyptic world filled with engaging activities and a sense of community, despite some critiques regarding pacing and character depth. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as a delightful escape, reminiscent of beloved titles like "Stardew Valley" and "Animal Crossing."
“From the moment I stepped into the enchanting town of Portia, I was captivated by its warmth and vibrant atmosphere.”
“The music seamlessly matches the mood of each situation, enhancing the overall atmosphere and drawing me further into the world of Portia.”
“The atmosphere is pleasant, and the graphics are good.”
“The world of Portia doesn't really have a cohesive atmosphere and it feels clunky to get around.”
“If this is supposed to be part dating sim, then the quirky visuals and atmosphere are wasted on, for the most part, drab, cookie-cutter characters who aren't all that charming.”
“Oh and also, the atmosphere of this game is rather relaxing but the grinding system doesn't really complement it.”
- humor123 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "My Time at Portia" is widely appreciated, with players finding the quirky character designs, amusing dialogue, and unexpected glitches to be a source of laughter. Many reviews highlight the game's lighthearted tone, with funny interactions and absurd situations, such as characters reacting humorously to gifts or engaging in comical combat. Overall, the game's charm lies in its blend of cute graphics and entertaining storytelling, making it a delightful experience for players seeking a fun and relaxing adventure.
“Honestly, I thought I’d just be building some simple stuff... but here I am trying to plant carrots, fix an entire town, and, oh, chase after pink llamas that are giving me funny looks.”
“Some of the characters are absolutely hilarious!”
“It's cute, funny, and keeps you playing... what more do you want in a game?”
- emotional108 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "My Time at Portia" is widely praised for its heartwarming charm and sense of community, making players feel deeply connected to the characters and the world. Many reviewers highlight the game's wholesome narrative and engaging interactions, which evoke feelings of nostalgia and joy reminiscent of other beloved life-simulation games like Stardew Valley. Despite some technical issues, the overall experience is described as soothing and emotionally fulfilling, providing a delightful escape from daily life.
“By the end, the game really made me feel like I was part of a community, and it truly was 'My Time at Portia' by the credits scene.”
“I am thankful that I can live a colorful, wonderful, adventure-filled, and heartwarming life inside this game.”
“The ending credits of beating the game almost made me cry due to the music accompanied with the montage of the town citizens.”
- character development96 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the depth and unique personalities of certain characters, while others criticize the overall lack of polish and depth in character arcs. Many find the character designs to be either charming or off-putting, impacting their engagement with the characters and story. Overall, while there are moments of strong character development, many players feel that it could be significantly improved to enhance the gaming experience.
“I absolutely love this game because it has deep character development and stories for each character. The romance and dating system is done really well, and the open world exploration and crafting is top notch.”
“Great progression, character development, storyline, quests... basically checks all my boxes for a wonderful relaxing game that is still challenging enough to keep you engaged!”
“The character development is RPG-like, with randomly generated dungeons and storylines for the town as a whole and each character as you get to know them.”
“The visual style, the immediate emptiness of the land you're introduced to as a first impression, the awkward voice acting, the incredibly uncanny and unappealing character design, the non-existent/half-done mechanics, the complete lack of any direction the moment you're thrown in with very little explanation... I could only last an hour before I decided to give up on it.”
“I'm not expecting Bioware levels of character development, but I don't really have any desire to get to know them, and mechanically, I don't know how I'm supposed to do that.”
“The character roster is large, which is ambitious but ultimately probably hurts the writing and character development, since attention gets spread thin.”
- replayability67 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising its depth, varied quests, and customization options that encourage multiple playthroughs. However, some users feel that certain aspects, such as linear mission structures and a lack of procedural content, limit its long-term appeal. Overall, while many find it highly replayable and engaging, others express concerns about it becoming stale after a while.
“The varied quests and numerous customization options add depth and replayability to the whole experience.”
“The main story having hundreds of hours of content, you'd be surprised to also find tons of replay value in side missions, relationship building, dungeon diving, and more.”
“It's definitely a game with amazing replayability and I can see many people sinking hundreds of hours into this game.”
“There's not much replayability and it feels stale after a while.”
“There is zero replayability, so receiving access to these items when you do just feels like a slap in the face.”
“Doesn't have much in the way of replayability once you've cleared the game or gotten all your personal goals.”
- monetization13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 77 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players feeling misled by advertising that suggested a different genre, leading to disappointment. However, many appreciate the absence of in-game monetization and microtransactions, viewing the game's price as justified despite its flaws. Overall, while the game is criticized for its marketing approach, it is recognized for not exploiting players with additional costs.
“The game, thank god, has no in-game monetization, and it truly is worth its price.”
“If this had been an EA or Bethesda game from a big publisher, it would have had 32 sides of microtransactions already; there are none in this game.”
“I also don't see much room for microtransactions or loot boxes, so there's always that.”
“What a cash grab.”
“Typical corporate last minute cash grab.”
“I appreciate that optimization is hard, especially on a platform like PC, where you can have any number of hardware combinations, but... you are also charging $30 for this mess with it marked as a fully released product with an in-game advertisement for swimsuit DLC.”
Critic Reviews
My Time At Portia Review
Despite rarely stepping on any actual farms in my life, I’m pretty confident if I inherited one from my grandfather, my mother or the next door neighbour, I’d know exactly what to do.
80%My Time At Portia review
A glacial pace and abundance of busywork make My Time At Portia a tough recommendation.
63%My Time At Portia
Substandard Construction
57%