Oriental Valley

About

Oriental Valley is a single player casual role playing game. It was developed by 猫多游戏 and was released on April 25, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Oriental Valley invites players to experience the relaxing life of Xiao Jiang as she explores a charming village filled with quirky characters and hidden secrets. Master farming, animal husbandry, fishing, and cooking while forging deep connections with locals. Enjoy a peaceful countryside adventure that blends traditional and innovative agriculture in an open-ended world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+14

Skip User Reviews

65%

Audience ScoreBased on 37 reviews

humor13 positive mentions

grinding28 negative mentions

Oriental Valley features charming visuals and a whimsical atmosphere that enhances the lighthearted gameplay experience.
The game offers a unique twist on traditional farming sims with its quirky characters, humorous dialogue, and a focus on exploration and community interactions.
Players appreciate the relaxed pacing and the variety of activities available, including farming, fishing, and collecting Agrispirit creatures, which contribute to a fun and engaging experience.

The game suffers from a lack of depth and complexity, with some players finding the mechanics too simplistic and the goals loosely defined, leading to potential boredom over time.
Technical issues, such as optimization problems and incomplete translations, can detract from the overall experience and immersion.
Many NPCs lack character and depth, with repetitive dialogue and bland designs, which can make the world feel lifeless and diminish player engagement.

grinding
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect in "Oriental Valley" is characterized by a light and enjoyable experience, where players can engage in farming, fishing, and exploration without the frustration of stamina limits. While some find the mechanics too simplistic and the farming system lacking depth, others appreciate the quirky humor and memorable characters that make the grinding feel less tedious. Overall, the game offers a casual and fun take on the farming sim genre, appealing to those looking for a lighthearted adventure rather than a complex simulation.
- “Players accustomed to intricate farming systems or deep narrative arcs may find the game’s mechanics too light and its goals too loosely defined.”
- “The farming is functional but very barebones, with no unique mechanics.”
- “The opening story is not good or so lost to translation that it made it super weird, there's a lot of 'convenient coincidences' that broke immersion and made the devs look lazy coming up with half-decent reasons for many of them. The farming felt boring, and when they tried to introduce new elements like rice farming, it was implemented so lazily that it detracted from the experience.”
story
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
74%
13%
The story of the game centers around the protagonist, Xiao Jiang, in the whimsical Niu Yang village, filled with quirky characters and lighthearted quests. However, many players find the narrative lacking coherence, with poorly translated dialogues and a lack of character depth among NPCs, leading to a disjointed experience. While the game offers a variety of activities and exploration, the overall storytelling is perceived as shallow and unengaging compared to other farming simulation titles.
- “The story begins as the protagonist, Xiao Jiang, finds themselves in Niu Yang Village, a place brimming with eccentric characters, playful energy, and opportunities to reconnect with the simple pleasures of everyday life.”
- “The art direction leans toward cartoonish exaggeration rather than strict realism, a choice that perfectly complements the game’s humorous dialogue and lighthearted storytelling.”
- “From what I can tell, this game has a lot of areas to explore, too, that you will get to gradually as you progress in the story and with your tasks.”
- “The dialogues don't make sense at all, nor does the story.”
- “The opening story is not good or so lost to translation that it made it super weird. There's a lot of 'convenient coincidences' that broke immersion and made the devs look lazy in coming up with half-decent reasons for many of them.”
- “The story is random and silly but does not make up for any of these issues, plus there is not a full English translation even though it's advertised as fully supporting English.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "Oriental Valley" is characterized by its quirky, offbeat charm that blends cultural elements with a lighthearted tone, making it a refreshing take on the farming sim genre. Players appreciate the cartoonish art style and humorous dialogue, which lead to memorable interactions and unexpected comedic moments, though the idiosyncratic humor may not resonate with everyone. Overall, the game is celebrated for its playful writing and entertaining quests, offering a delightful escape from more intense gaming experiences.
- “What distinguishes Oriental Valley from other farming or simulation titles is its ability to combine cultural charm with a humorous tone, turning what might have been a routine farming sim into a lively and endearing experience that feels both familiar and refreshingly different.”
- “The art direction leans toward cartoonish exaggeration rather than strict realism, a choice that perfectly complements the game’s humorous dialogue and lighthearted storytelling.”
- “This is a game that will leave you with 'did that really just happen' moments, laughing in this stunningly surreal countryside.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
33%
25%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their colorful, painterly visuals and charming aesthetics, which blend modern design with traditional Chinese influences, creating a distinctive cultural identity. While many players appreciate the vibrant and cute graphics, some criticize the character designs for lacking uniqueness and depth. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's nostalgic and immersive experience, making it visually appealing despite some minor flaws.
- “The mixture of modern design sensibilities with hints of traditional Chinese rural aesthetics gives the game a distinctive cultural identity, enriching its narrative texture.”
- “Nearly 6 hours of playing and here is my summary of this game... it's super pretty, the oversaturated colors and presentation style are very aesthetically pleasing.”
- “The whole thing is wrapped in bright colors, cute aesthetics, and a soundtrack that at times seems a bit repetitive, though not to the point of having to turn it off.”
- “The graphics are underwhelming and lack detail, making the game feel outdated.”
- “The character models are poorly designed and lack any real depth or personality.”
- “The environments feel flat and uninspired, failing to create an immersive experience.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
Gameplay in Oriental Valley offers a familiar farming and life simulation experience, characterized by its emphasis on discovery and relaxation rather than mechanical complexity. While the farming mechanics are functional, they are considered barebones and lack unique features, though the game compensates with charming graphics and a variety of mini-games and quests that encourage exploration. Players seeking depth may find the loosely defined goals and simplistic mechanics less satisfying.
- “Gameplay in Oriental Valley follows a structure that will be familiar to fans of farming and life simulation games, yet it manages to inject its own eccentric personality into every activity.”
- “However, the appeal lies less in mechanical complexity and more in discovery and relaxation.”
- “There's a lot of small mini games and different mechanics you can explore, along with a variety of locations to unlock, all small, charming and unlikely to overstay their welcome.”
- “Players accustomed to intricate farming systems or deep narrative arcs may find the game’s mechanics too light and its goals too loosely defined.”
- “The farming is functional but very barebones, with no unique mechanics.”
- “Gameplay is a mix of farming and questing with a heavy reliance on collecting items for different people to achieve goals.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is a standout feature, captivating players with its immersive and visually appealing environment. While it emphasizes exploration over traditional progression, some players feel that the lack of structure may affect long-term engagement. Overall, the atmospheric quality is praised, particularly in settings like Oriental Valley.
- “The first thing that captures the player’s attention is the game’s atmosphere.”
- “I haven't enjoyed this type of game for a long time now, but Oriental Valley looks so good and atmospheric.”
- “The experience relies heavily on atmosphere and exploration rather than progression or challenge, and for some, the lack of structure may diminish long-term engagement.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is criticized for its lack of depth and creativity, with many NPCs appearing as generic models and the overall story feeling poorly executed or lost in translation. Players find the world lifeless and unengaging, detracting from the immersive experience typically expected in farming games. The simplistic approach to character design and development ultimately undermines the game's potential charm and coziness.
- “The character design feels a bit lazy since so many NPCs are just blank models.”
- “The opening story is not good or so lost in translation that it made it super weird. There are a lot of 'convenient coincidences' that break immersion and make the developers look lazy for coming up with half-decent reasons for many of them. Unimportant NPCs don't even have character designs, which is glaring and obnoxious.”
- “The village/town feels so lifeless that it's actually depressing, especially when compared to other farming games.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally solid, running smoothly on most systems; however, some players have encountered occasional issues, particularly on handheld devices like the Steam Deck. Additionally, there are significant complaints regarding bugs and controller compatibility, leading to a negative experience for some users.
- “Performance-wise, it runs smoothly on most systems, though a few players have reported occasional optimization issues, especially on handheld devices like the Steam Deck.”
- “Worst game ever; too many bugs and poorly optimized. The Xbox controller won't work with this game. Don't waste your money.”
- “The game is riddled with performance issues and lacks proper optimization, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant frame drops and crashes, indicating a severe lack of optimization.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The music features a vibrant and cute aesthetic that complements the game's visuals, though some players find it slightly repetitive. Despite this, the soundtrack is generally enjoyable and helps maintain player engagement.
- “The music is great to keep you going.”
- “The soundtrack is a bit repetitive at times, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “While the visuals are bright and cute, the music lacks variety and can become monotonous.”
- “The music is enjoyable but tends to repeat itself, making it less engaging over time.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game is perceived as a cash grab, with users feeling that it lacks depth and is hastily produced for profit rather than quality.
- “This almost feels like a quick pump-out, a bare-bones cash grab game.”
- “The monetization system is overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “It feels like every feature is locked behind a paywall, making it frustrating to enjoy the game.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant stability issues, including missing items from inventory, frequent black screens, and game freezes that require restarting Steam and even the PC to resolve. Additionally, navigation challenges due to the lack of quest indicators contribute to a frustrating gameplay experience.
- “I love the game, but I bought some furniture from the shop and it's not showing up in my inventory. It's been days now. It would be good if the quests were on the side of the game, and when you click on a quest, it would take you to it with a line showing you where to go. It's hard to find where to go, and when I try to play the game, a black screen shows up, then the game freezes. I have to leave Steam just to exit the game, then restart my PC just so the game might play again.”