Staxel

66%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,772 reviews
  • grinding
  • story
  • graphics
Staxel Game Cover
<em>Staxel</em> has some solid fundamental systems, but it doesn't feel like a fleshed out, finished game.
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Staxel is a single-player or multiplayer role-playing game with a focus on farming and village life. Restore your farm, help villagers, and explore the wilderness to fish or hunt for bugs. With delightful graphics, a wholesome story, and a fantastic soundtrack, Staxel offers a spectacular atmosphere, but be prepared for some grinding and bugs.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Gog Com
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

66%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,772 reviews
story50 positive mentions
grinding462 negative mentions
  • Charming graphics and art style that combines elements of Minecraft and Stardew Valley.
  • Relaxing gameplay with no combat, allowing players to focus on farming, building, and interacting with NPCs.
  • Active development and community support, with frequent updates and modding options available.
  • Tedious crafting and building mechanics that require multiple steps and crafting stations, making it feel cumbersome.
  • Limited NPC interactions and shallow character development, leading to a lack of engagement with the story.
  • Performance issues and bugs, especially in multiplayer mode, which can hinder the overall experience.
  • grinding465 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding the crafting and building processes slow and tedious, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the cozy, laid-back nature of the farming and building elements, others criticize the repetitive tasks and lack of meaningful progression, leading to a sense of aimlessness. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy grinding in a casual farming environment, but may frustrate players seeking a more structured or rewarding experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “I don't need no farming license!”
    • “Cheap and dirty way for grinding my time in the game.”
    • “The npc's dialogue is repetitive, trying to build even a single house takes way too much grinding for a victory that doesn't feel worth it, and in all the game is just very tedious.”
    • “The crafting is very unpolished, so easy to miss click wasting your time grinding and farming because you accidentally used the materials because you end up crafting the wrong item.”
  • story322 mentions

    The story in Staxel is minimal and primarily revolves around completing quests given by villagers, which often involve building and crafting tasks. While some players appreciate the charming interactions and character development through these quests, many find the quest system buggy and repetitive, leading to a lack of engagement with the overall narrative. Overall, the game offers a casual, sandbox experience with a light storyline, but it lacks depth and cohesion, leaving players wanting more substantial content and character development.

    • “The story and characters have life and meaning, and the building and modding capabilities are mind-blowing!”
    • “The stories of each villager are just wholesome and I really enjoyed building relationships with them as well as doing their quests.”
    • “I love that all the NPCs have little quirky quests that let you learn more about their story.”
    • “The quests usually are given to you by villagers and I found most of them to be boring at best, infuriating at worst.”
    • “There doesn't appear to be any combat, so it's safe for younger kids to play, but there is enough quests and in-game events to keep even adult players happy.”
    • “The story is very dull, with little to no creativity or thought put into it.”
  • graphics192 mentions

    The graphics of the game are predominantly described as cute and charming, featuring a voxel art style reminiscent of Minecraft, which many players find appealing for its vibrant colors and cozy aesthetic. However, some users report technical issues such as graphical glitches, rendering problems, and performance inconsistencies, particularly on lower-end systems. Overall, while the visuals are generally well-received for their endearing quality, there are notable concerns regarding optimization and graphical fidelity.

    • “The art style is very cute and vibrant.”
    • “The graphics are adorable and the text conversations are cute.”
    • “The visuals are very appealing, the aesthetic of the whole game is super charming, and I love it.”
    • “The graphics are straight from the '80s... okay maybe '90s and the gameplay is similar to Minecraft in that you are building with blocks but that's where it ends.”
    • “Consistent lighting bugs, rendering errors, and a huge lack of content make this game look more like a graphical demo than a product that should have been released, even in an early access state.”
    • “The idea is alright but the graphics are trash (in my opinion).”
  • gameplay150 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and lacking clear instructions on mechanics, leading to confusion and frustration. While some appreciate the cute graphics and the blend of farming and building elements reminiscent of titles like Stardew Valley and Minecraft, others criticize the crafting system as tedious and the overall experience as lacking depth and engaging content. Overall, the game shows potential but requires significant improvements in mechanics and quest clarity to enhance player enjoyment.

    • “Overall, I love the experience of new adventures and a relaxing gameplay of helping the villagers and taking care of the farm.”
    • “The gameplay itself is simple and refreshing enough to engage the player without boring them with monotony or making the world too complicated.”
    • “The mechanics are simple and easy to get the hang of, and playing with friends makes everything ten times better.”
    • “Not good, there are some ugly blocks and boring farming mechanics. The textures and mechanics feel old, and the game doesn't pull you in.”
    • “Some of the game mechanics are confusing. I spend more time wondering how to play the game than uncovering the mysteries of its world.”
    • “The gameplay is slow and clunky; the building is tedious.”
  • music76 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its charm, relaxation, and ability to create a pleasant atmosphere, with many players finding the soundtrack catchy and memorable. While some reviews note that the music can feel derivative or forgettable, the overall sentiment is that it enhances the gameplay experience, making it enjoyable and soothing. Many players appreciate the cute and calming nature of the music, which complements the game's aesthetic and mechanics.

    • “The music is great.”
    • “I keep getting the songs stuck in my head even while not playing, and they're super relaxing.”
    • “The music is very relaxing and brings a sense of casualness to an otherwise chore-ridden game, especially when you get a large farm going.”
    • “At first it looks cute.. but very quickly you'll figure out devs 'can' graphics, animation, music.. but their game designer has never played any game.”
    • “Weirdly enough, my only big complaint is the soundtrack.”
    • “It feels too derivative of the Minecraft soundtrack, and so it's easily ignored.”
  • stability42 mentions

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous glitches, particularly in multiplayer mode, leading to lag, disconnections, and quest-related bugs. While some players acknowledge that the game is still in early access and expect bugs, many express frustration over the frequency and severity of these issues, which can disrupt gameplay and progress. Overall, while some find the game enjoyable despite its flaws, the consensus is that it remains a buggy experience that may deter potential players.

    • “The game often glitches and stops working for a few seconds before returning to normal.”
    • “Sadly, I cannot recommend the game in its current state as it is a buggy mess.”
    • “Every time there's a festival and I access my inventory, the game freezes and I have to force quit.”
  • optimization31 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, with players reporting frequent performance issues such as lag spikes, memory leaks, and substantial frame rate drops during various activities. While some users with high-end systems experience smoother gameplay, many others struggle with unoptimized controls and resource-heavy demands, making it difficult to recommend the game in its current state. As it is still in early access, there is hope for improvements, but many players feel that the current optimization is inadequate.

    • “The performance spikes from building that I mentioned above would cause server lag and delay for my friends connected to my server, and in some cases desync them and force them to reconnect to continue playing.”
    • “I think that Staxel is rough around the edges, but nonetheless a charming experience worth looking into once some of the performance issues have been ironed out.”
    • “I wanted to love this game, but the bugs and lack of optimization really ruined my experience.”
    • “I wish there was a mixed option for this one because while the game is good, it seriously eats system resources like it's going out of style. It's seriously unoptimized and constantly suffers from memory leaks.”
    • “The game has some serious performance issues that make it hard to recommend to everyone as it is now, so I recommend giving it a follow and checking back later on for the time being.”
  • emotional21 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its wholesome and relaxing atmosphere, with players enjoying the unique stories and relationships they build with villagers. While the game offers a cute and engaging experience, some players express a desire for deeper emotional investment and more personality in the NPCs. Overall, it is praised for its charming graphics and feel-good gameplay, reminiscent of beloved titles like Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing.

    • “The stories of each villager are just wholesome and I really enjoyed building relationships with them as well as doing their quests <3.”
    • “They were emotional and every one was very unique.”
    • “Staxel is a very wholesome and relaxing game that combines elements of farming games like Harvest Moon, sandbox building games like Minecraft, and the village interactions from Animal Crossing.”
  • atmosphere21 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming, relaxing, and welcoming environment, reminiscent of titles like Minecraft and Animal Crossing. Players appreciate the beautiful music, pleasant color schemes, and tranquil settings that create a stress-relieving experience, although some note that the voxel art style can appear cluttered at times. Overall, the atmosphere is described as inviting and fitting for a slow-paced, customizable gameplay experience.

    • “The atmosphere, art, music, and customization freedom are all very charming.”
    • “Lovely relaxing atmosphere and overall very chill and stress relieving.”
    • “The music is beautiful and the atmosphere of the game is lovely.”
    • “The atmosphere is cute but it just all falls on its face.”
    • “Personally, I think the farm should be further away from the town, as it ruins the atmosphere.”
    • “But the overall atmosphere of the game is more like Stardew Valley in how it gives off pleasant and positive vibes and has its own little quaint town.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky interactions with NPCs, amusing scenarios like NPCs requesting items they sell, and the lightheartedness of farming and building activities. Players appreciate the game's cute aesthetics and funny moments, although some express a desire for deeper character development and more engaging dialogue. Overall, the humor adds charm and liveliness to the gameplay experience, making it enjoyable despite some early access issues.

    • “The game is really funny, farming and building your house, also helping the village grow.”
    • “But the funny interactions with NPCs and the unbelievably cute animals add a lot of life to the world.”
    • “It's nice and cute and has a lot of funny personalities.”
  • character development6 mentions

    Character development in the game is largely criticized for its lack of depth and meaningful NPC interactions, leading many to question its RPG classification. While the character designs and graphics are praised for their cuteness and creativity, the absence of a compelling plot or central conflict hampers the potential for significant character growth. Overall, players feel that the game falls short in providing a rich narrative experience that fosters character development.

    • “Cute and simple, with good character designs.”
    • “There is not enough character development and NPC interaction to call it an RPG; there isn't enough freedom to call it a sandbox, and the character movement and actual game layout are bad enough to ruin the building.”
    • “The graphics are clean and cute, and I love the various character designs!”
    • “Cute music, character design, and characters.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    Overall, the game offers some replayability due to its varied experiences and freedom in design, but it lacks a robust modding community and could benefit from additional content to enhance its longevity. While players find value in replaying the game, many feel it could be improved for a more engaging experience.

    • “The experience is never quite the same, which makes the game replayable.”
    • “This allows for a high level of freedom in designing farms and houses; even in this early beta stage, the game has a decent amount of replay value.”
    • “Overall, while I recommend the game, I do not feel like there is too much replayability, especially as the game lacks the modding community of the aforementioned games.”
    • “I would love this game so much more if it was just slightly more replayable.”
    • “The experience is never quite the same, which makes the game replayable too.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization of the game is praised for its lack of microtransactions, which contrasts with some perceptions of it being a cash grab, similar to a 3D version of Stardew Valley. Overall, players appreciate the straightforward approach to monetization.

    • “The game offers a fair monetization model that respects players' time and investment.”
    • “I appreciate that the monetization is transparent and doesn't hinder gameplay.”
    • “No microtransactions!”
    • “Some people may view this as a cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

63% average critic score

Buy Staxel

Play time

25hMedian play time
38hAverage play time
9-61hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 20 analyzed playthroughs

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