Summer in Mara

About

"Summer in Mara" is a single-player adventure game where you play as Koa, exploring a tropical archipelago, sailing to discover new islands, and customizing your own island with buildings and crops. The game features an open ocean with over 20 islands, over 25 characters to meet, and more than 300 quests. The day-night cycle and climatic events add to the immersive experience of this relaxing and engaging game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

+14

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 959 reviews

story185 positive mentions

grinding310 negative mentions

Charming art style and beautiful graphics that create a vibrant world.
Relaxing gameplay with no combat, allowing players to enjoy exploration and farming at their own pace.
Engaging story and well-developed characters that provide a sense of community and purpose.

Heavy reliance on fetch quests that can become tedious and repetitive over time.
Numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences.
Lack of clear instructions and tutorials, making it difficult for players to understand mechanics and progress.

story
976 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
74%
7%
The story in "Summer in Mara" is described as charming and heartwarming, featuring a young protagonist, Koa, who embarks on a journey filled with exploration and character interactions. However, many players criticize the narrative for being overshadowed by an overwhelming number of repetitive fetch quests that detract from the overall experience, making the gameplay feel tedious and linear. While the initial setup and character development are engaging, the lack of variety in quests and the disjointed progression often leave players feeling frustrated and disconnected from the story.
- “The story and plot it has at the start is really moving and compelling.”
- “Beautiful game, with a wonderful story; I adored many elements, from the gameplay mechanics of tending your island, to sailing to and from other islands to meet unforgettable characters and helping them with tasks to further their storylines, to the gorgeous areas and lovely soundtrack.”
- “The story is a complete delight.”
- “The story just gets lost after the first initial strong setup.”
- “The story is totally ancillary to your actions, as you are bound to complete fetch quests, so I guess this game was a test bench for this dev team's new game, where you do deliveries basically; which would make much more sense to be honest.”
- “The quests are all 'go here and get this thing' or 'take this recipe and make this thing for me' or 'bring this thing to that person' and literally nothing else.”
grinding
313 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
99%
The grinding aspect of "Summer in Mara" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the repetitive fetch quests and limited farming mechanics tedious and uninspired. While some appreciate the game's charming visuals and relaxing atmosphere, they note that the farming is often peripheral to the main questing, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, the game is seen as more of a casual adventure with light farming elements rather than a robust farming simulator, making it suitable for those who enjoy a laid-back gaming experience but potentially disappointing for fans of deeper farming mechanics.
- “Quests are very enjoyable and not that tedious if you gather materials as you go.”
- “No tedious watering cans; just hold a bucket of water over your head and run around on top of your beets and potatoes.”
- “The farming, fishing, and animal husbandry mechanics are tedious.”
- “The gameplay is a tedious procession of fetch quests.”
- “I have to say this game was not at all what I had hoped and waited for; I was excited for what seemed to be a new island-based farming sim, when in reality it's just a bunch of fetch quests to do with some farming on the side.”
gameplay
255 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
71%
13%
The gameplay of "Summer in Mara" is characterized by a charming aesthetic and engaging story elements, but it suffers from repetitive fetch quests and shallow mechanics that can lead to a tedious experience. While some players appreciate the relaxing nature of the gameplay, many criticize the confusing controls, lack of direction, and minimal challenge, making it feel more like a grind than an adventure. Overall, the game offers a cozy atmosphere but falls short in delivering a compelling and polished gameplay experience.
- “Beautiful game, with a wonderful story; I adored many elements, from the gameplay mechanics of tending your island, to sailing to and from other islands to meet unforgettable characters and helping them with tasks to further their storylines, to the gorgeous areas and lovely soundtrack.”
- “The gameplay is centered on a mix of adventure and an agricultural simulator.”
- “Despite the rocky start, I'm loving the gameplay, the music, and the heaps of stuff there is to do in Summer in Mara because it comes without the feeling of grinding.”
- “The gameplay is a tedious procession of fetch quests.”
- “Overall, this game's bad controls, directionless and uninspiring gameplay that depends on repetitive fetch quests, lack of an intriguing and substantial storyline, and lifeless world made it tedious for me.”
- “The gameplay itself is insanely repetitive with more back-and-forthing than anyone should ever have to go through.”
music
206 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
41%
2%
The music in the game is generally praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many players finding it relaxing and enjoyable. However, some reviewers noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time and lacks variation, occasionally interrupting gameplay with silence. Overall, while the music is a highlight for many, its repetitiveness and occasional disconnection from on-screen action detract from the experience for some players.
- “Beautiful game, with a wonderful story; I adored many elements, from the gameplay mechanics of tending your island, to sailing to and from other islands to meet unforgettable characters and helping them with tasks to further their storylines, to the gorgeous areas and lovely soundtrack.”
- “One of the game's highlights is undoubtedly its mesmerizing soundtrack, which effortlessly sets the tone for your immersive experience.”
- “The music is beautiful, the graphics gorgeous, the animations are great, the characters and story well written.”
- “The music was alright but quickly became less interesting and more annoying; I started to turn it down very low.”
- “Sound design (including music) is genuinely terrible for lack of a better fitting term.”
- “The soundtrack to Summer in Mara is very generic upbeat feel-good music, but it constantly interrupted itself; when a song was finished, it just went completely silent until you did something to further the story, and in the end, it quickly started to get boring to listen to.”
graphics
198 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
39%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the charming art style and vibrant, colorful visuals that evoke a cozy atmosphere reminiscent of classic titles like "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker." However, some players criticize the 3D elements as outdated and lacking polish compared to the appealing 2D artwork, leading to a perception of inconsistency in quality. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered cute and engaging, they are also noted for their limitations, such as a lack of adjustable settings and occasional technical issues.
- “The graphics are great and the ambiance is relaxing... I highly recommend it!!!”
- “The art style is beautiful and appealing, the world is exciting to explore, and the characters are so fun!”
- “The music is beautiful, the graphics gorgeous, the animations are great, and the characters and story are well written.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “The graphics are cute, but the character models and animations are a little stale - certain characters just rotate to look at you, and some of the player animations just seem like there wasn't a lot of work put into them - the running animation (that you stare at the whole game) is stiff, and when you're holding tools, they're just floating in your open hand.”
- “The graphics are quite clunky, with some weird lighting, an awkward running frame and some rather flat backgrounds to say the least.”
emotional
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
6%
The emotional aspect of "Summer in Mara" is characterized by its heartwarming story, charming characters, and a comforting atmosphere that promotes themes of love, friendship, and harmony with nature. Players appreciate the game's wholesome and relaxing nature, though some note that the narrative can feel disjointed or simplistic at times. Overall, it offers a nostalgic and feel-good experience, making it ideal for those seeking a soothing escape.
- “The heartwarming stories, defined and fascinating characters, and an overall optimistic feeling with great messages about love, family, friendship, and living in harmony with each other and nature spurred me on to complete the game.”
- “It's really touching how Koa is attached to his grandma.”
- “Beautiful and heartwarming game!”
- “The narrative and story are geared towards little kids, making it a super boring experience for adults.”
- “The emotional depth is lacking, leaving players feeling disconnected from the characters and their struggles.”
- “The attempts at emotional moments feel forced and unconvincing, failing to resonate with the audience.”
stability
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The game is widely reported to be plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, ranging from minor issues like character clipping and dialogue confusion to more severe problems such as crashes and corrupted save files. While some players found ways to mitigate these issues by restarting the game or re-entering areas, the overall experience is marred by instability, leading to frustration and a sense of incompleteness. Despite its charming aesthetics and enjoyable gameplay, many reviewers feel that the game's technical shortcomings significantly detract from its potential.
- “Needs some work to be completely bug-free, but definitely a must-buy!”
- “I lost count of the number of glitches and other technical issues I came across.”
- “Until the game started crashing when using fast travel, having visual glitches and eventually my save file got corrupted and is no longer playable.”
- “The game seems like a solid relaxing experience, but it is just far too buggy to justify sinking any more time into it.”
atmosphere
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
35%
13%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its cute, relaxing, and cozy qualities, enhanced by beautiful art and an uplifting soundtrack. Players appreciate the peaceful environment, likening it to a holiday experience, though some note that while the atmosphere is enjoyable, the gameplay and story may not be compelling enough for replay. Overall, the game successfully creates a charming and inviting ambiance that complements its adventure and farming elements.
- “This game is such a cute adventure game, with a wonderful summer atmosphere and beautiful art.”
- “The music makes the atmosphere cozy and warm.”
- “I especially loved the calm and relaxing atmosphere of this game and the music - the music!”
- “The atmosphere is promising, but the game controls are clunky.”
- “While Summer in Mara has a wholesome atmosphere that’s rarely broken thanks to an overwhelming effort placed towards style and presentation, there isn’t anything wholesome regarding the content consumed.”
- “You're never really in a hurry, you're never in serious danger and the funny, (mostly) friendly characters and the sunny atmosphere feel a bit like a holiday in front of the screen.”
character development
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
39%
17%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the character designs and distinctive personalities are praised for their visual appeal and charm, many players feel that the depth of development is lacking, with some characters feeling flat or underutilized. Although there are moments of growth and well-written dialogue, the overall execution leaves players wanting more meaningful interactions and casual dialogue options. The beautiful 2D art and world-building are often overshadowed by gameplay issues and a sense of emptiness in character engagement.
- “The character design is wonderful, and the dialog is well-written, giving each character a distinctive voice, personality, history, and motivations.”
- “This game has some of the best character designs I have ever seen, and I loved seeing each new person's quests.”
- “Absolutely beautiful game with stunning character design and depth in the details.”
- “Lacks character development.”
- “A lot of the writing is poorly done and the character development feels empty, like there was no point in me interacting with them.”
- “NPCs can break the immersion and character development seems nonexistent.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky and charming art style, amusing dialogues, and absurd quests that often elicit genuine laughter. Players appreciate the blend of funny and heartfelt moments, with characters that range from cute to comically mean, creating a lighthearted atmosphere that keeps them engaged. Despite some technical flaws, the overall experience is described as joyful and entertaining, making it a delightful escape.
- “The quests are fabulous; the dialogues are often funny and immersive.”
- “Funny quests and a happy but mindful vibe.”
- “Her relationships with everyone feel real and complex, and her dialogue genuinely made me laugh out loud at times.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on low-end PCs and features appealing visuals, some players experience significant micro-stuttering and low frame rates, particularly on the Switch. Additionally, the lack of graphical options and clunky controls detract from the overall experience, leaving some users disappointed.
- “The game also runs really well despite being optimized for a controller and not having any graphical options.”
- “It's beautifully optimized, soothing to the eyes, and the background music is an optimal fit for the whole setup.”
- “[Decent visuals, runs smoothly on low-end PCs, cutscene art is very good.]”
- “Major micro-stuttering and low frame rate.”
- “I wanted to enjoy Summer in Mara, but with gameplay consisting of little more than trading quests, I was left disappointed with such mediocre performance at best.”
- “Clunky UI and controls, way too many fetch quests, farming feels superfluous, GameCube-era graphics, poor Switch performance.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The game has limited replayability, with some players feeling it lacks value for repeated playthroughs. It may appeal primarily to dedicated fans of the farming genre, but many suggest waiting for updates to enhance the experience.
- “For me, there is no replay value here.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back.”
- “The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying feel pointless.”