Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is a heavenly combination of realistic farming, combat and exploration served with a hearty side of great characters and writing

86%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

93% User Score Based on 4,131 reviews

Critic Score 79%Based on 33 reviews

Platforms

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About

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is a farming simulation and action game hybrid. Players control Sakuna, a harvest goddess banished to a dangerous island, where they must farm rice to survive and defeat demons to grow stronger. The game features detailed rice cultivation mechanics and intense side-scrolling combat, all presented in a beautiful painted art style.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

+16

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,187 reviews

story257 positive mentions

grinding1.5k negative mentions

The game features a unique blend of farming simulation and action platforming, providing a refreshing gameplay experience.
The rice farming mechanics are surprisingly in-depth and educational, allowing players to learn about the intricacies of rice cultivation.
The characters are charming and well-developed, with a heartwarming story that evolves throughout the game.

The controls can be clunky and unresponsive, particularly when using a keyboard and mouse, making certain gameplay elements frustrating.
The combat can feel repetitive and lacks variety in enemy types, leading to a sense of monotony in battles.
Some mechanics and systems are poorly explained, requiring players to rely on external guides to fully understand the farming aspects.

grinding
1,545 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
The grinding aspect of "Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin" is a mixed bag, with many players noting that while the rice farming mechanics are intricate and rewarding, they can also become tedious and repetitive, especially in the early game. Players often find themselves needing to grind for resources and experience to progress, which can lead to frustration, particularly when combat encounters become challenging due to low stats. However, the depth of the farming system and its direct impact on character growth keeps many engaged, making the grind feel purposeful for those who appreciate the farming genre.
- “An excellent game crafted with care and steeped in a lore that runs closely parallel to real world myth, with an in-depth but not tedious farming simulator and a rewarding and simple side-scrolling section where you fight monsters for rewards that are all intensely useful.”
- “Nothing feels particularly tedious, although it would be nice if you could gain stats faster since it does feel somewhat slow for story progression.”
- “And when you're not farming rice, you're farming mobs.”
- “Start of the game is a real slog and really wants you to be grinding the farming part in order to progress due to not having the stats to even do damage to enemies, hours 10-25 is where the game is fun but the rest is either a slog or absolute cbt.”
- “The game has a section near the end where you lose almost all your stats and have to slowly get it back by replaying areas of the game again which is not enjoyable and is extremely punishing if like me you were able to clear most of the content in the middle of game severely underlevelled using skill alone, once that part happened i was being 1 shot trying to get my stats back so i was forced to grind farming for multiple hours (at this point in the game you also level up much slower than normal).”
- “The farming system while it's unique, it got super repetitive real quick.”
story
727 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
63%
2%
The story of "Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin" is a heartwarming and engaging tale centered around a spoiled goddess who learns humility and responsibility through her journey of rice farming and combat. While the narrative is simple and somewhat predictable, it features well-developed characters whose growth and interactions add depth to the experience. Players appreciate the blend of storytelling with gameplay mechanics, although some note pacing issues and a lack of complexity in certain plot elements. Overall, the story is seen as charming and enjoyable, making it a significant aspect of the game.
- “The strong story with compelling characters interwoven into the gameplay ties everything together.”
- “The story is about a spoiled, exiled goddess who must learn the values of humility, teamwork, and discipline through manual labor and ridding the world of demons.”
- “A wonderful story, solid gameplay loops, beautiful art style, and extremely engaging characters that grow and develop amazingly well.”
- “The story didn't pull me in at all either, so I don't have that element to latch onto instead.”
- “The story was mid.”
- “There were certain threads the story teased that I kind of thought would get more development but they seemed to just leave them be by the game's end.”
gameplay
709 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
62%
5%
The gameplay of "Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin" is a unique blend of intricate rice farming mechanics and engaging side-scrolling combat, creating a satisfying loop that encourages players to balance both aspects for character progression. While the farming system is praised for its depth and realism, some players find the combat mechanics to be clunky and poorly explained, leading to frustration, especially with the introduction of new mechanics late in the game. Overall, the game offers a charming experience with a compelling story, though it may require patience to fully grasp its mechanics.
- “Typically when it comes to these hybrid games, I expect the systems to be a bit diluted and simplified due to the split attention, but the mechanics for farming and combat in this were incredibly deep and robust. When you combine that with the great story and character moments, this was an enthralling adventure that I'd consider a must-play for fans of this genre!”
- “An incredibly engaging loop, combining fun combat and intricate rice farming mechanics, makes it hard to stop playing and gives off a 'just one more day' vibe.”
- “The farming gameplay felt very involved and very in-depth, from a gameplay perspective, the most polished part of the game, and it is actually fun trying to manage a small rice farm.”
- “The combat can be fun but it's very unpolished; sometimes you will ukemi and land, but your character just appears to randomly face the wrong direction at times or they will have baffling choices like RNG-based stage hazards or bombarding you with bombs which completely bypass your defense stat.”
- “Stat progress is painfully slow and the main mechanic of the rice, like most mechanics, is poorly explained for what little it does tell you.”
- “Overall, while I did want to enjoy this game due to the idea behind it (mix of farming and action gameplay), I grew bored of it very quickly around about the time I was waiting for my second rice yield.”
music
254 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
43%
2%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its charm and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players noting its fitting integration with the game's aesthetics and themes. While some find the soundtrack initially enjoyable, a few mention it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is described as fantastic, with standout tracks that evoke nostalgia and complement the game's narrative and setting beautifully.
- “The soundtrack is fantastic.”
- “The music really gives a relaxing atmosphere; it's perfect, matched to its environment.”
- “The music is charming, the sound effects and (Japanese) voices are on point.”
- “Music is acceptable but nothing quite stands out to me.”
- “None of the music really jumped out at me, though I did note that it does a great job playing in the background to set the tone for the given scenes.”
- “The music is serviceable, I do really like it, but it is nothing to write home about.”
graphics
206 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
42%
1%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful art style, which combines a charming anime aesthetic with detailed environments that evoke a fantasy version of historical Japan. While not considered a graphical marvel, the visuals are described as vibrant and appealing, with many reviewers noting that they age well and enhance the overall experience. The combination of stunning visuals, fluid animations, and a fitting musical score contributes to a captivating atmosphere that complements the gameplay.
- “The visuals evoke a fantasy historical Japan that is filled with awe-inspiring beauty--I would frequently find myself sitting in my rice field at night, staring up at the starry sky as the wind blew through the trees, or admiring the detail of raindrops splashing on water bubbles as I went to explore in the midst of a storm.”
- “The visuals are a treat for the eyes, as a superb art style is further enhanced by high-fidelity lighting and shadows, complete with a full day to night cycle to flex them.”
- “It's got absolutely gorgeous presentation; the visuals, music, characters, and setting are stunning!”
- “The graphics are what you would expect for a 2-man game; it's a passable generic art style that gets the job done.”
- “The music and the graphics in the sidescrolling sections carry their weight, but otherwise do not impress me much.”
- “I love the artwork and everything else, but it seems like this game is trying to be so many things at the same time and just fails in the end at every one of them.”
emotional
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming and touching story, which features character development and themes of compassion that resonate deeply with players. Many reviewers noted moments that elicited strong emotional responses, including near-tearful payoffs and a wholesome atmosphere throughout the gameplay. Overall, the narrative and character interactions are praised as the game's strongest elements, making it a memorable and engaging experience.
- “The story in this game is very heartfelt and I think, maybe the game's strongest selling point.”
- “There are moments late in the story with huge payoffs and moments that almost made me cry; a story that can do that is a winner story in my book!”
- “The story is heartwarming and you see the character development of a spoiled goddess change and the characters around her.”
humor
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and clever writing, with many players enjoying the funny dialogue and character interactions that add depth to the experience. The blend of cute aesthetics with humorous elements, including quirky character designs and light-hearted storytelling, creates a delightful atmosphere that keeps players engaged and entertained. While some found the English voice acting less appealing, the overall comedic tone, including moments of genuine laughter, contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The dialogue and character designs are wonderful, and the interactions have the kind of nuance and humor many games can only aspire to.”
- “Game had me smiling and laughing from beginning to end.”
- “Cute and funny rice-farming simulation masquerading as an action platformer...sure, you can go out and beat up assorted demonic forest critters for loot, but character advancement is directly tied to the quality of the rice you're growing, not the number of demon bunnies you just massacred.”
atmosphere
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
27%
7%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its calming and immersive qualities, featuring a charming Japanese farmstead setting complemented by excellent music and likable characters. Reviewers highlight the tranquil art style and seasonal changes, which enhance the overall experience, making it feel both adorable and engaging. The combination of relaxing vibes and a well-crafted environment keeps players invested and entertained.
- “The vibes of this game are absolutely immaculate; the atmosphere is a Japanese farmstead with a small group of troublemakers turned friends where you only have to worry about your crop.”
- “The art and atmosphere are adorable and tranquil; the rice growing mechanics have a certain depth and truth to them.”
- “Overall atmosphere of the game is very scenic and calming as well.”
- “The atmosphere and characters have much more personality than I expected when I thought they'd just be bland NPCs.”
- “As a whole, it’s a robust game with a fresh atmosphere and it’s found its own little niche where it undoubtedly has full reign.”
- “The music serves the atmosphere very well.”
character development
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
30%
7%
Character development in the game is highly praised, with many reviewers noting the depth and nuance of character interactions, as well as the transformation of key characters over time. The story is described as heartwarming, featuring lovable characters who undergo significant growth, particularly the main character, a spoiled goddess. Overall, the combination of engaging dialogue, charming character designs, and meaningful development contributes to a satisfying gameplay experience.
- “The story is heartwarming and you see the character development of a spoiled goddess change and the characters around her.”
- “I really enjoyed it, the amount of character development is amazing, and you feel connected to all of the main characters because of how different and special they are in their own ways.”
- “But to be honest, we all play just for the cute character design and to cry like a river.”
- “There's real character development in this game as well that you experience over in-game years of shared struggles and stories swapped at dinnertime.”
- “More character development than I expected, and the story and gameplay feel pretty tightly integrated.”
optimization
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
62%
9%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players reporting smooth performance and consistent frame rates, particularly on capable hardware. However, there are notable issues such as keyboard remapping limitations, occasional crashes, and bugs that detract from the experience. While the farming and combat systems are interconnected and provide opportunities for performance improvement, some players find the repetitive nature of gameplay and control settings in need of further optimization.
- “The farming consists of seasonal minigames, each with their own rituals for optimization.”
- “For performance, this game runs at a consistent 60 fps and I have yet to have any technical issues.”
- “Game is well optimized for my 1060 laptop.”
- “Sadly, the keyboard can't be remapped. For example, I want to change the special attack from middle mouse button to G5 (using a mouse that has multiple buttons), but I can't do that. The game is incapable of remapping for the keyboard and mouse, but hey, it's still okay for me and it's really optimized. However, it is capable of detecting input device changes, which is great (though it's only for Xbox controllers, I think).”
- “The farming is repetitive and required to level up (can't rush through the game as a result). The controls are generally bad (won't get into it, but they can be optimized easily). The game is full of bugs (I get stuck a lot), the level design is terrible, and the whole game is very repetitive. However, the characters and story are 'anime' charming, and I really like the intro and ending.”
- “Performance is strange for me; no matter what I do in the game, the FPS shows around 40, and when I change to 30 FPS in-game, it goes down to 20.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game generally runs well, but players have reported significant stability issues, particularly with enemy behavior, including glitches that can disrupt gameplay and require level resets. While the overall performance is decent, the presence of these bugs indicates that the port needs further refinement.
- “Enemies can be a bit buggy sometimes; one time I had an enemy glitch into the floor and I had to reset the level because I couldn't reach them.”
- “However, it's really buggy.”
- “It has some small kinks to work out, such as glitches, but it's awesome.”