Pumpkin Days

About

Pumpkin Days is a single player and multiplayer casual role playing game. It was developed by Pumpkin Interactive and was released on February 1, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Pumpkin Days" is a farming-themed RPG that allows players to create and customize their own non-binary characters, play on different difficulty modes, and engage in multiplayer modes with friends. The game features a diverse cast of over 100 characters, with the option for same-sex marriage and polyamorous relationships. Players can farm, complete quests, and build relationships at their own pace.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+15

Skip User Reviews

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 347 reviews

graphics21 positive mentions

grinding141 negative mentions

The game offers a vast open world with diverse environments and a large number of NPCs, making exploration enjoyable.
Character customization is extensive, allowing players to create unique avatars without gender restrictions.
The game combines various gameplay elements such as farming, fishing, mining, and crafting, providing a rich and engaging experience.

The controls can be clunky and awkward, making movement and interaction frustrating at times.
There are numerous bugs and performance issues, especially in multiplayer mode, which can detract from the overall experience.
The in-game time progresses too quickly, making it challenging to complete tasks and manage stamina effectively.

grinding
142 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
99%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback from players. While many appreciate the variety of activities available, such as farming, mining, and crafting, some find the farming mechanics slow and clunky, particularly the need to water plants individually and the stamina costs associated with farming tasks. Overall, players enjoy the game's charm and depth, but suggest improvements to streamline the farming process and reduce the grind.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
- “The farming is too slow; watering plants one by one is an outdated method. Instead, you should be able to walk around as you water until you can upgrade.”
- “The farming mechanics felt clunky.”
- “It definitely needs work, especially with the controls - but overall, it's a cute farming game.”
graphics
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
64%
8%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the charming, simplistic art style reminiscent of classic titles, while others criticize the rough textures, clipping issues, and overall lack of polish. Many users note that the graphics can be appealing in a nostalgic way, but they also highlight performance issues and bugs that detract from the experience. Overall, the visuals are seen as adequate for the game's indie nature, though they may not satisfy those seeking high-end graphics.
- “The aesthetics are phenomenal and you can stand for ages taking in the hard work the devs have put in to the game to make it a magical world to behold.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous.”
- “The graphics are lovely, cartoony, and simplistic, with most colors falling into not-so-saturated pastels.”
- “The graphics are horrible.”
- “I can't get over how a game like this in 2020 comes out looking like cereal box video game graphics from 2001.”
- “The buildings, water, trees, and mountains are just so bland in appearance (despite graphical settings) that the game feels 20 years old.”
story
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
80%
4%
The game's story is often described as lacking depth, with many players noting that it primarily revolves around fetch quests and a simplistic overarching plot involving a museum and environmental conservation. While some appreciate the character interactions and the ability to explore at their own pace, others criticize the janky execution and repetitive nature of quests, leading to a feeling of a "cliché" narrative. Overall, while the game offers a casual farming experience reminiscent of titles like Stardew Valley, it falls short in delivering a compelling and engaging storyline.
- “I can feel every ounce of the small dev team's heart and thoroughly implore anyone who cares more about representative and realistic NPCs and the backdrop for a rich storyline you can create to really give this game a fair shake, and some kudos to the hardworking dev team!”
- “This game has an overarching plot but also enough crops, things to explore, food to make, and characters to meet that you keep you interested for hours.”
- “The villagers' storylines are awesome and it's surprising to see who's friends with who!”
- “There's no story; Steam achievements are all about gathering and selling every item 5000 times.”
- “The apparent main part of the game - while not exactly deep enough to be called a story - is the museum.”
- “The quests are bare minimum, and although I would love to explore the world, it just doesn't have the key mechanics that make it fun.”
gameplay
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
80%
7%
The gameplay of this game draws comparisons to titles like Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley, featuring a mix of farming, crafting, and social interactions, but it struggles with clunky mechanics and stamina limitations that detract from the experience. While it offers a variety of activities and some unique features, many players find the controls and quest design lacking, leading to a mixed reception regarding overall enjoyment. Despite its potential and engaging world, technical issues and gameplay inconsistencies have left some players frustrated.
- “Lots of content, relaxed open gameplay.”
- “Gameplay: this game feels like some people who've played quite a few other games in this genre got together and said: 'we want to make a game that incorporates all these things that fans of these types of games want to see, but haven't really been implemented.' and the game does include a fair few things that I haven't seen elsewhere.”
- “The mechanics are all very good and everything together makes for a very enjoyable experience that has kept me entertained for a long time.”
- “The mechanic that I hate in all of these games, stamina, is an absolute killer in this game.”
- “However, while this game gets a lot of rare/important things right, it baffles me that it gets so much basic gameplay wrong.”
- “It feels like a lot of time was spent on conceptualizing and ideas while not a lot of time was actually spent on gameplay and the actual entertainment value.”
music
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
56%
12%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its calming and varied nature, featuring jazz and ambient styles that enhance the gameplay experience. However, others find it repetitive or annoying over time, with a desire for more sound effects and a disconnect between the music and the game's farming theme. Overall, while the soundtrack has its fans, it also has detractors who prefer to mute it in favor of their own music.
- “The music is varied, with several different melodies for different seasons, times of day, and whether or not it's raining in your area.”
- “The music is both beautiful and soothing -- think a mix of 'softer' jazz and Spanish guitar.”
- “The music is very relaxing and offers a mix of jazz and soothing ambient music.”
- “The music isn't that great and I wish there were more sound effects like footprints or when you go in water.”
- “Music - don't like it at all, makes me want to get up and salsa.”
- “This game isn't good, the controls are really bad as well, save your money for something else, the game is super awkward to control, it's almost fun but it isn't, the controls really don't make this game worth your time, this game is littered with bugs as well, even for an early access title, it almost feels like a demo not an early access title, the music is also really annoying as well, this game should have never been released in the state that it's in now, what a waste of time and money.”
stability
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is described as fairly buggy, with various glitches such as floating objects, character animations issues, and occasional freezing, which are typical for an early access title. While these bugs can disrupt immersion and gameplay, they are generally not game-breaking, and players have found ways to adapt. Overall, despite the stability issues, many users still find the game enjoyable and worth playing, especially with the developers actively addressing concerns.
- “Has glitches such as floating trees and rocks and insects; sometimes characters and animals will slide across the floor without moving their legs, and sometimes characters won't be there during cut scenes.”
- “My PC has the needed specs, but the game lags and freezes frequently.”
- “I got stuck in a tree no less than three times while walking around; must be some of the early glitches. Hope it will be fixed soon.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding the dialogue and NPC interactions to be both hilarious and well-written. Many appreciate the amusing animations and quirky moments, such as unexpected bugs that add to the comedic experience. Overall, the game's humor stands out as a refreshing element that enhances player engagement and enjoyment.
- “I love the dialogue and many of the responses are hilarious.”
- “Dialogue with the NPCs is funny and adorable -- and well-written throughout.”
- “There are still a few bugs in the game (some of which are actually pretty funny, such as cows flying through the city and stuff).”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The game's optimization is currently a significant issue, particularly in specific areas like the clementine mines and near the museum, leading to performance problems that hinder gameplay. While players appreciate the game's potential, they express frustration over the lack of impact from adjusting visual settings and are awaiting promised improvements, including better controller support.
- “Just learned that controller optimization will be added.”
- “The biggest issue right now is optimization for the clementine mines and near the museum area, but I've been assured this is actually being worked on.”
- “I wish turning down the visual settings had more impact on the performance.”
- “Looks dated and is not optimized.”
character development
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
Reviews indicate a significant lack of character development, with some players expressing a preference for fewer characters but with deeper, more focused narratives. While the character design is praised for its charm and inclusivity, the overall character interactions and development are seen as insufficient, suggesting a need for more meaningful dialogue and engagement.
- “The character designer alone is a delight, but the inclusivity does not end there by a long road -- as you will quickly discover as you interact with the NPCs.”
- “Lack of character development.”
- “I’d honestly prefer fewer characters, but better character development.”
- “My suggestions for the game, or perhaps a Pumpkin Days 2.0, would be to narrow its target audience, focus objectives, and work more on adding quality as opposed to quantity (e.g. fewer characters with more dialogue, focused character development, etc.).”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers significant replayability due to its diverse features, including various crops to cultivate, recipes to discover, and multiple starting locations. Players appreciate the ability to explore different gameplay options, such as ranching and foraging, which enhances the overall experience.
- “Interesting and very replayable.”
- “I feel this game has some great replayability value. The amount of crops to explore and raise, recipes, ranching, NPCs to get to know, foraging, and different places you can start your game on really enhance the experience.”
- “Like seeing what you planted or brightening only the cave options, among others, are great additions that help a lot with replayability.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game emotionally uplifting due to its wholesome community interactions and the developers' responsiveness to player feedback, enhancing the overall experience. The ability to customize gameplay elements like day length fosters a relaxed atmosphere, contributing to a heartwarming and addictive experience.
- “They all help each other out and it's just wholesome and nice.”
- “Its pure, its heart-warming and it will make you addicted.”
- “At the same time, the devs received heartfelt pleas -- including from me -- about things like space management and day length, and now players no longer need to buy/craft tons of storage units for the voluminous crafting materials the game demands you keep; and players can make the days, I believe, as much as twice as slow as they would normally be for the ultimate in relaxed play.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its diversity, featuring three distinct starting areas, each with unique environments and NPCs that enhance the overall experience. While one area, Diamond Falls, is noted as feeling less polished, the overall ambiance remains engaging and enjoyable for players.
- “There's a lot of content, I enjoy the characters, and the atmosphere.”
- “Three different starting areas, each with their own unique atmosphere and crop growing conditions. I will say I think Diamond Falls feels the least polished of the starting areas I've played, but it is still playable.”
- “Each area has its own unique atmosphere and NPCs.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a potential cash grab, with players feeling that it exaggerates the game's readiness to leave early access. Users are frustrated by the high costs of in-game purchases, which seem disproportionate to the value of items, leading to a perception of exploitative pricing.
- “The game looks great, but the in-game purchases can be frustrating; for example, your entire farm costs 1,000 gold, while a single storage chest costs 1,200 gold.”
- “While the game has a lot of charm, the monetization strategy feels unbalanced, making it hard to enjoy without spending extra.”
- “I appreciate the visuals and gameplay, but the pricing for in-game items can be excessive, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “But after seeing the push to leave early access, this feels like a cash grab to possibly generate some needed revenue for development, but at the expense of greatly exaggerating the game's state of readiness.”
- “The monetization strategy is overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
- “It seems like the developers are more focused on making money than delivering a quality gaming experience.”