SUMMERHOUSE
- March 8, 2024
- Friedemann
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"SummerHouse" is a single-player strategy game boasting wonderful gameplay, spectacular graphics, and an exceptional soundtrack. Players craft a neighborhood of cozy homes in various settings with no goals or challenges, creating a dense and highly emotional atmosphere. This small-scale building game is perfect for those seeking relaxation and creativity.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game is incredibly relaxing and charming, providing a cozy atmosphere for players to unwind.
- The pixel art style and soothing soundtrack create a delightful experience that evokes nostalgia.
- Unlocking new building blocks and characters adds a fun element of discovery and creativity.
- The user interface can be frustrating, with slow scrolling and a lack of organization in the item selection.
- There is a limited variety of building blocks and customization options, which may lead to repetitive gameplay.
- Some players find the lack of clear instructions and controls challenging, making it difficult to fully enjoy the game.
- graphics198 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their stunning pixel art style and vibrant aesthetics, creating a relaxing and immersive atmosphere. Players appreciate the option to toggle between pixelated and smoother graphics, enhancing accessibility and personal preference. While the visuals are generally considered beautiful and charming, some users noted minor glitches and a limited block palette that could affect long-term engagement.
“The stylized pixel graphics and lighting are beautiful.”
“The pixel graphics are beautiful and greatly complement the creative nature of the game.”
“The music is peaceful, the graphics are beautiful, and it's satisfying to see what kind of place you can build and try to create different kinds of neighborhoods with different vibes using the same building blocks.”
“No option to turn down graphics settings, cranks my computer to max, runs at 200 frames but fan is screaming like a plane.”
“The only reason this game is successful is due to the marketing and graphics.”
“One of many examples of how you can just genuinely make a bad game, but as long as it fits into a certain genre or 'aesthetic,' and you market it correctly, people who don't know any better will buy it with a smile on their face.”
- music128 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and soothing qualities, enhancing the overall calming atmosphere and providing a perfect backdrop for creative building. Many players appreciate the ambient sounds and gentle melodies, which contribute to a zen experience, making it ideal for unwinding after a stressful day. However, some users express a desire for a more diverse soundtrack and additional music options to further enrich their gameplay experience.
“The ambient sounds, music, and atmosphere are just a joy to sit and watch and listen to!”
“The music is peaceful, the graphics are beautiful, and it's satisfying to see what kind of place you can build and try to create different kinds of neighborhoods with different vibes using the same building blocks.”
“It's a game that lets you create your own little stories in your head about the towns you create, all whilst the ambient soundtrack really sets the mood.”
“You can't really call it music, sometimes it's there and sometimes not, just a few notes.”
“If there was relaxed and suitable music in the game, the fan wouldn't bother me so often.”
“You really need suitable music and better field recordings for this.”
- gameplay60 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as simple and relaxing, often described as a sandbox experience focused on creativity rather than structured challenges. While some players appreciate the meditative atmosphere and aesthetic appeal, others criticize the lack of depth and variety, noting that the gameplay can become repetitive after a short time. Many hope for future updates to introduce more mechanics and items to enhance the experience.
“Awesome game to relax with its soothing sound, gameplay, and atmosphere.”
“Its simple & satisfying gameplay, meditative & peaceful atmosphere, and minimalist design make this a stunning achievement.”
“Makes for a relaxing gameplay where you can go at your own pace.”
“The art is generally quite nice, but the UI, controls, and gameplay are really badly designed.”
“There's no deep gameplay; it's purely a sandbox with no other aim than to create something you like.”
“Once you've played 20 minutes, you've seen all there is gameplay-wise, but that really only matters if you're constantly looking for new things to stimulate you.”
- story42 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
The game lacks a defined narrative, functioning primarily as a sandbox experience where players can create their own stories through gameplay. While some players enjoy crafting personal backstories for their villages, the absence of missions, objectives, or character interactions leaves the overall story feeling minimal and unstructured. The gameplay encourages creativity, but those seeking a more guided or story-driven experience may find it lacking.
“I feel like I blinked and suddenly I had 5 adorable little meticulously decorated villages full of little people, each with their own little backstory that I made up in my mind.”
“Draw the blinds, steep some tea, set the game weather to rainy, and build a little storybook neighborhood.”
“The story in my head was that the area was the final stop on the bus line, a tiny forgotten part of town, but each square foot was bursting with people with little clues on who they are.”
“There's no story unfortunately, just a pure sandbox mode.”
“The story is non-existent and the gameplay is extremely basic, all because that's how it's supposed to be!”
“It doesn't have a lot of diversity, it doesn't have a defined objective, it doesn't have a story behind it; imagine that you paid for a casual Android game.”
- atmosphere40 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its beauty and tranquility, featuring relaxing music, soothing sound effects, and a charming aesthetic that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the meditative and immersive qualities, allowing for creative exploration in a cozy, nostalgic environment. Despite some limitations in content, the atmospheric design and subtle soundscapes create a delightful backdrop for gameplay.
“The atmosphere is great and I can definitely see myself spending a lot of time on this game.”
“Its ambiance and vibe create a soothing atmosphere, allowing you to fully immerse in the experience of creative exploration.”
“It's not very interactive, but the atmosphere and the small surprises that happen are enough to make it worth the $5 price.”
“From the moment you dive into summerhouse, you'll be enveloped by its cozy atmosphere and nostalgic vibes.”
“Such a lovely game; I couldn't find anything wrong with the art style and atmosphere even though the content (blocks, furniture, plants, maps) is quite limited.”
- emotional29 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly positive, with many players expressing that it evokes strong feelings, including nostalgia and joy, often leading to tears of happiness. The heartfelt music, touching developer commentary, and cozy atmosphere contribute to a relaxing experience that resonates deeply with players, making it a beloved choice for those seeking comfort and emotional connection. Overall, it is described as a labor of love that effectively captures the essence of warmth and community support.
“This game is so beautiful I cried 5 times.”
“I can't even put into words how positively nostalgic and emotional this game makes me.”
“Their heartfelt gratitude for the community's support shines through in every pixel, making this more than just a game—it's a labor of love, shared with fellow summer enthusiasts.”
- replayability18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as limited, with many users expressing a desire for future content updates, such as larger maps and additional features, to enhance long-term engagement. While some players appreciate the creative freedom to mix and match elements, they note that the lack of unlockables and new content could hinder replay value over time.
“The replayability is high considering you can mix and match however many times you want and there's no limit as to how many things you can put in one landscape.”
“It's pretty short in terms of unlockables, but the replayability is all down to your creativity.”
“It would be nice if there were future features to increase replay value, such as bigger maps (longer roads?), workshop support, or asset packs.”
“I just don't see much replay value here.”
“Sadly, unless new content is installed, replayability over a long period of time could be very limited.”
“Unless the developer plans on expanding the game, eventually it's not going to have too much replay value.”
- stability8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game experiences notable stability issues, with users reporting frequent glitches that disrupt gameplay, particularly when selecting items. While the graphics are generally well-received, these technical problems detract from the overall experience.
“It glitches out and moves the icons all over the place when trying to pick items to place.”
“The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling that the developers lack commitment to improving the title. Players express frustration over the disparity between advertised features and the actual gameplay experience, leading to disappointment and a sense of wasted investment.
“It seems like yet another cash grab from this group that doesn't really commit to their titles.”
“I can't refund it as I spent too long hoping I could make it work, but I am hoping maybe in the future this will be much more playable without making basically exactly what's in the videos for advertisement.”
“There are several advertisement signs but only one lamp, and none of them light up at night.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Players consistently express that the grinding required in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it feels like one would need a second life to fully engage with it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a relaxing house-building experience complemented by humorous secrets, enhancing its overall charm. Additionally, the artistic direction contributes to the lighthearted tone, making it an enjoyable experience.
“Great relaxing house builder with some funny secrets and amazing artistic direction!”
