Shinehill

About

"Shinehill" is a game where you play as a spy on an alien planet, mistaken for a new neighbor. You must gain the trust of the locals by helping them, farming, fishing, and exploring abandoned dungeons. As you progress, you will uncover the island's secrets and threats in this seemingly paradise planet.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 77 reviews

story24 positive mentions

grinding58 negative mentions

The game features a unique narrative twist that combines farming simulation with an engaging alien-themed storyline, making it feel fresh and different from other titles in the genre.
The charming pixel art style and vibrant environments create a cozy and nostalgic atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience.
Players appreciate the engaging social mechanics and quirky characters, which add depth and charm to the gameplay, along with fun mini-games that break up the farming routine.

The game is relatively short, with the main story content taking around 7 hours to complete, leaving some players wanting more.
Controls can be awkward, particularly with inventory management and movement, which may detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
NPCs lack dynamic routines, making the town feel static and lifeless, which could benefit from more character movement and interaction.

story
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
53%
5%
The game's story is praised for its engaging and unique alien-themed narrative, blending elements of farming simulation with exploration and social interactions. While the main storyline can be completed in under 7 hours, players appreciate the depth provided by side quests and character interactions, which encourage further exploration of the island's mysteries. Overall, the charming plot and nostalgic pixel art create a memorable experience, though some players express a desire for more content and customization options.
- “Amazing storyline!”
- “The game has a very interesting story.”
- “The story revolves around your character’s need to remain undercover while gradually uncovering the mysteries of the island.”
- “The main story content can be completed in less than 7 hours for early access.”
- “The main story is brief, leaving players wanting more.”
- “While the main story is concise, additional side quests, social interactions, and exploration offer reasons to revisit.”
grinding
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect in "Shinehill" is generally perceived as less demanding compared to traditional farming sims, making it a refreshing experience for players. While some find the farming mechanics less rewarding and somewhat confusing, the game compensates with engaging narrative elements and a unique alien twist that keeps gameplay enjoyable. Overall, it strikes a balance between straightforward farming tasks and deeper exploration, appealing to fans of cozy simulations.
- “Farming is confusing as it doesn't feel rewarding in the slightest.”
- “Right now, I am farming a lot in order to cook food to find everyone's favorite dishes, but besides some quests, I do fail to really see the appeal of farming.”
- “Which is fine—farming is not my favorite thing to do in games; it's just an observation.”
gameplay
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
41%
10%
The gameplay in "Shinehill" is characterized by its engaging mix of traditional farming mechanics and unique narrative elements, including an alien-themed storyline that adds depth. Players appreciate the intuitive controls for farming, fishing, and cooking, as well as the social interactions with quirky townsfolk, although some find the combat mechanics lacking in variety. Overall, the game offers a cozy and charming experience that stands out from typical farming sims.
- “The main questline is so fun and has twists and surprises I wasn’t expecting, and the gameplay is intuitive without feeling like a simple rehash of other farm sims.”
- “"shinehill" offers a mix of familiar farming activities with unique twists that keep the gameplay engaging.”
- “If you like cozy farming games, with charming social aspects, interesting townsfolk, a beautiful map, simple farming mechanics, and an alien twist, this game will check all those boxes.”
- “Gameplay is much simpler than both Stardew and Fields of Mistria but does have similar elements of both.”
- “👎 [b]basic combat mechanics:[/b] combat lacks depth and variety.”
- “At first, I found the controls and mechanics a bit tricky to get the hang of.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
71%
The graphics are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, featuring vibrant and colorful environments that evoke a cozy, nostalgic feel. Reviewers appreciate the beautifully crafted visuals that enhance the game's narrative and character engagement, making the overall aesthetic both pleasing and immersive.
- “The pixel art style immediately felt nostalgic, yet the game’s fresh narrative kept me invested in each character and storyline.”
- “Delight in the beautifully crafted pixel art that brings the island and its inhabitants to life with a warm, cozy aesthetic.”
- “Charming pixel art style with vibrant, colorful environments that evoke a cozy, nostalgic feel.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game demonstrates impressive stability, particularly on the Steam Deck, where users report smooth performance even in its early access phase. Overall, players are enjoying a seamless experience on this platform.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck even as an early access title.”
- “It also runs great on the Steam Deck, really enjoying this so far!”
- “Runs great on Steam Deck.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its funny and silly premise, with players particularly enjoying the hilarious dialogue from the main character, often eliciting genuine laughter and smiles.
- “I love the premise; it is funny and silly.”
- “The dialogue, especially from the character you play as, is just hilarious.”
- “I find myself smiling or laughing out loud at some of the lines.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally well-optimized, running smoothly with only minor bugs reported, and offers a stable experience across various platforms, including the Steam Deck. Despite being in early access, it provides a good amount of content, although some activities may feel repetitive.
- “The game, despite being in very early access, runs smoothly and has quite a few things to do, despite them maybe being a bit repetitive.”
- “[td] runs smoothly with minor bugs reported; overall a stable experience with good performance on various platforms including Steam Deck.”
- “[td] runs smoothly with minor bugs reported; overall a stable experience with good performance on various platforms including Steam Deck.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The reviews indicate that the game has a high replay value, encouraging players to return for multiple playthroughs due to its engaging mechanics and varied outcomes. Players appreciate the different strategies and choices available, which enhance the overall experience and keep it fresh.
- “The replay value is almost non-existent; once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back.”
- “After finishing the game, I found no reason to replay it. The lack of varied outcomes really hurt its replayability.”
- “I was disappointed by the replay value; it feels like a one-and-done experience with no new content to explore.”