Pixelshire

About

Pixelshire is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Kappa Bits and was released on August 4, 2020. It received negative reviews from players.

"Pixelshire" is a sandbox RPG that combines town building, life simulation, exploration, and combat elements. Players can build and customize the town of Pixelshire, master various trades, interact with neighbors, and embark on adventures across the continent of Arcadia. Express your creativity and engage in a variety of activities for a rich and immersive gaming experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

34%

Audience ScoreBased on 145 reviews

story4 positive mentions

grinding29 negative mentions

The game features charming graphics and a cozy atmosphere, making it visually appealing.
The terraforming mechanics and crafting options provide a unique twist to the farming sim genre.
The developer is actively engaging with the community and working on updates to improve the game.

The controls are clunky and unintuitive, leading to frustration when using tools and navigating menus.
Numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with quests and inventory management, hinder gameplay.
The game only has two short seasons, which feels limiting for a farming simulation.

story
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
82%
8%
The game's story is criticized for being poorly structured and filled with bugs, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences such as quest soft locks and unclear objectives. While some players appreciate the potential and creative elements of the narrative, many find the characters unengaging and the quest mechanics confusing, often resulting in players feeling stuck or unable to progress. Overall, the story needs significant improvement to enhance player engagement and reduce technical issues.
- “Uniquely creative nice story so far.”
- “I absolutely love the look & feel of the game, and was getting into the story.”
- “There's a story hook with goblins that might be fun to explore if you can overlook the jank, and the cows look cute in the promos.”
- “The story has potential, but it's boring, the characters are dull, and the game is buggy.”
- “I softlocked myself for 14 in-game days because I didn't keep rice that I needed for a main story quest, and it doesn't grow in winter.”
- “A glitch prevented me from obtaining a quest item to advance.”
grinding
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight significant frustrations with the grinding mechanics in this farming sim, particularly due to its complex controls and lack of intuitive design compared to other titles in the genre. Players express disappointment over the absence of tool durability and the limited seasonal cycle, which detracts from the overall experience. While some find the resource grinding relaxing, many feel that the game falls short of expectations, especially given its higher price point compared to established farming games like Stardew Valley.
- “It just... feels like there's a lot more keys and work involved than other farming sims that have a simple bottom bar where you use bumpers to select different tools/seeds, and a single button to use the selected tool/item.”
- “The game doesn’t do anything new or innovative and brings nothing to the table in this genre of farming simulator games.”
- “There are little menus for selecting things in inventory and choosing what to do with it, it's very tedious and everything has to give you pause in order to figure out what the right option is, just extra presses.”
stability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
94%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent glitches, clunky controls, and inconsistent mechanics that can disrupt gameplay. While some players find charm in the quirks, many report frustrating bugs that necessitate restarting progress, particularly due to a lack of save features. Overall, the game shows potential but requires substantial improvements to enhance stability and user experience.
- “I have been waiting so long for the release, and while there are some issues, I have to say my playthrough is completely bug-free so far. I am having no issues with the controls or anything else that has been reported.”
- “It is riddled with minor glitches; sometimes certain controls work, sometimes they don't.”
- “It is insanely buggy; I am constantly having to restart days because there is no save feature without sleeping (I literally had to do the first day 6 times because of a shop bug).”
- “The controls are clunky, the game glitches, and ultimately it felt slow to start.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The gameplay of Pixelshire has faced criticism for its rough mechanics, awkward controls, and numerous bugs, particularly in basic functions like tool usage and gardening. While the game shows potential for improvement through regular updates, many players find the current experience frustrating due to poorly designed UI and gameplay elements. Overall, the gameplay is considered standard at best, contingent on overcoming its significant issues.
- “Pixelshire had a rough start, but it's constantly improving with regular updates, refined gameplay, and enhanced player experience.”
- “It is a new release, so bugs are expected, and I'm hoping they are addressed and patched for smoother gameplay!”
- “The gameplay is standard, and that’s if you can get past the awkward, weird controls and gameplay mechanics.”
- “I watched this game for years waiting for a chance to play, and I've seen a dozen bugs and mistakes in the first ten minutes of gameplay.”
- “What surprised me, however, was how poorly designed the UI, controls, and basic game mechanics are.”
- “The gameplay and controls are rough and wonky, and the tool wheel is annoying, with your tools constantly breaking.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
17%
25%
The graphics of the game receive mixed feedback, with many praising the art style and overall visual appeal, describing it as cozy and engaging. However, some users noted issues such as graphical glitches and limited options for customization, suggesting that while the foundation is strong, there is room for improvement. Overall, the graphics are considered good but require further refinement to enhance the gaming experience.
- “The graphics and sound are actually quite good, and the art style definitely warms similar to other cozy games.”
- “I really like the art style and sound design.”
- “Lovely farming sim, with pretty graphics.”
- “The pixelated graphics aren’t unique or charming.”
- “I did notice a bit of a graphics wiggle when moving, but it wasn't detrimental.”
- “The graphics options are basically limited to resolution and UI scale - that's it.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its cute and nostalgic qualities reminiscent of Super Nintendo soundtracks. However, some users noted issues with abrupt transitions between tracks and volume inconsistencies in different areas. Overall, the sound design, including music and sound effects, is highlighted as a standout feature, contributing positively to the gaming experience.
- “I love the music and the character portraits.”
- “I will say, what I found most enjoyable in the game at this time was the music and sound effects; I think those that worked on the sound aspects of this game did an amazing job!”
- “The music is cute, but during the night I noticed a track starts and then just cuts off and switches to a different one after a few seconds.”
- “Also, when entering the guest house or your room, the background music is much louder than any music outside.”
- “The background music is chill and nostalgic – gives off Super Nintendo vibes.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's optimization is generally functional but not fully intuitive, with players expressing hope for future improvements. While some adjustments can be made for comfort, such as switching to mouse and keyboard, the current experience suggests that further optimization is needed for an ideal gameplay experience.
- “I have faith that the game will be fully optimized and lots of things will be added.”
- “It's not 'broken' or anything, but I don't feel like it's 100% intuitive or optimized.”
- “You can get used to it, but I switched to mouse and keyboard, which is much more comfortable and optimized.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game often arises from unexpected situations and ironic twists, such as discovering game mechanics that are not clearly communicated, leading to amusing player experiences. Players find humor in the absurdity of certain scenarios, like the late introduction of a bed that could have simplified their quests.
- “It turns out I could have slept in a bed that was not yet introduced to me (it's introduced, funny enough, after this series of quests), and the next day would reset the character's inventory, which you wouldn't know unless you read Steam discussions like I did.”
- “The game's humor is so clever that even the most mundane tasks become hilarious adventures.”
- “I found myself laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and absurd situations the characters find themselves in.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its relaxing and immersive qualities, highlighted by effective night-time lighting and realistic wind and breeze simulations that enhance the overall experience.
- “Chilled atmosphere.”
- “Great atmosphere with night-time lighting and wind/breeze simulation.”