Sun Haven

About

Sun Haven is a single player and multiplayer casual role playing game with fantasy and romance themes. It was developed by Pixel Sprout Studios and was released on March 10, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

Sun Haven is a multiplayer fantasy farming simulation game that features farming, fishing, fighting, and crafting. Players can customize their characters from seven races and over 2000 options, and build up farms in three different cities with up to eight players. The game includes a main questline, RPG-style skill progression, and seasonal festivals, with combat involving sword and crossbow fighting against various monsters.

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85%

Audience ScoreBased on 14,878 reviews

story917 positive mentions

grinding3.9k negative mentions

The game features a rich and engaging story with unique characters and humorous dialogue that enhances the overall experience.
Players appreciate the charming pixel art style and vibrant graphics, which create an immersive and cozy atmosphere.
The gameplay offers a blend of farming simulation and RPG elements, with a variety of activities and no stamina system, allowing for a relaxed experience.

The game suffers from significant bugs and performance issues, particularly in multiplayer modes, leading to a frustrating experience for many players.
Many players find the grinding aspect excessive, especially in late-game scenarios, and feel that the farming mechanics are too shallow.
The monetization practices, including overpriced DLC and cosmetic microtransactions, have drawn criticism for prioritizing profit over player satisfaction.

grinding
3,895 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
99%
The grinding aspect of "Sun Haven" has received mixed feedback from players. While many appreciate the extensive content and variety of activities, including farming, mining, and combat, some find the game excessively grindy, particularly in late-game scenarios where resource gathering and leveling can feel tedious. The lack of automated farming systems, such as sprinklers, adds to the repetitiveness, making tasks like watering crops cumbersome. Overall, players who enjoy grinding and a mix of RPG elements in their farming sims may find "Sun Haven" rewarding, while those seeking a more streamlined experience might feel overwhelmed.
- “The leveling is consistent (not too grindy/not too easy), you don't seem to have to talk to everyone daily.”
- “It's not grindy and you get the materials required pretty quickly, no stamina depletion when you cut trees or water crops, and that's a huge plus.”
- “Not too grindy, decently fast-paced without feeling rushed, lots of quality of life.”
- “Game is also super grindy with what feels like no real reward.”
- “The farming aspect is too shallow.”
- “The dialogue is flat and often skippable, and the progression is extremely grindy.”
story
3,818 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
73%
3%
The story in *Sun Haven* is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its depth and engaging quests that provide a rich narrative experience. While some find the pacing overwhelming due to the abundance of quests and the lack of a cohesive main storyline, others enjoy the freedom to explore and progress at their own pace. The game features a variety of unique characters, each with their own backstories, and integrates fantasy elements that enhance the overall gameplay, making it a compelling choice for fans of farming sims like *Stardew Valley*. However, some players express disappointment over bugs and unfinished storylines, indicating that while the game has potential, it still requires further development to fully realize its narrative ambitions.
- “The story is well done, and what I appreciate most is that you’re never forced down a single path.”
- “The story is engaging and well crafted, and a lot of the dialogue is so genuinely funny that I laughed out loud several times on my first playthrough.”
- “The story is rich and well written, taking you on adventure after adventure through magical, gorgeous landscapes, to meet some odd and unique characters that imbue you with wisdom and life lessons along the way.”
- “The story is very weak, predictable, and flat as of right now.”
- “The main quest line is very short and unfinished.”
- “The quests are repetitive and feel like a grind, with minimal payoff in terms of story progression.”
gameplay
1,465 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
65%
5%
The gameplay of "Sun Haven" is characterized by its blend of farming simulation and RPG elements, offering a rich variety of mechanics that enhance player engagement. Many players appreciate the absence of a stamina system, allowing for a more relaxed experience, while the customizable day length and diverse skill trees add depth to gameplay. However, some users have noted issues with bugs, clunky mechanics, and a lack of polish, which can detract from the overall experience, especially in multiplayer settings. Despite these drawbacks, the game is often compared favorably to "Stardew Valley," with many finding it a charming and addictive alternative.
- “The gameplay is more complex, and there is more storyline than I had anticipated.”
- “This game is perfect for those who love rigid-routine gameplay, trying to chase time while playing as efficiently as possible.”
- “The gameplay loop is fun, you have a good amount of map you can explore, there are a lot of characters to meet, the art style and soundtrack are continuously amazing, and there is no energy to keep you in check.”
- “Also encountered between 5-10 gameplay-affecting bugs.”
- “However, the worst mechanic is the crafting system for the simple reason of how many crafting things there are and how complex it gets.”
- “The gameplay loop is repetitive and the amount of side quests is small as well.”
graphics
1,145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
54%
3%
The graphics of "Sun Haven" have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising the game's charming pixel art style and vibrant colors that enhance the fantasy setting. While some users appreciate the adorable and whimsical visuals, others express concerns about graphical glitches and inconsistencies in character designs. Overall, the game's aesthetic is often compared favorably to titles like "Stardew Valley" and "MapleStory," with many finding it visually appealing despite some technical issues.
- “The graphics are absolutely gorgeous, and I love having a fantasy game where there are fantasy races that are integrated into society rather than just being the whole point of killing and stuff.”
- “The art style is beautiful, from the sprites to the character close-ups, even the backgrounds and unique building architecture.”
- “The graphics are stunning and the overall experience is fantastic.”
- “But the biggest issue I have is that the art style feels unpolished, ugly, and hard to look at.”
- “The graphics are unpolished.”
- “It's riddled with bugs, the game mechanics are cool in theory but poorly developed, the graphics are alright but the character portraits are riddled with glaring issues.”
stability
610 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent bugs and glitches that can significantly disrupt gameplay, especially in multiplayer modes. While some users find the issues manageable and still enjoy the game, many express frustration over game-breaking bugs, crashes, and a lack of timely fixes from the developers. Overall, the game is perceived as unfinished and overly buggy, leading to mixed recommendations from the community.
- “Now that it's (mostly) bug free and has significantly more content, it's pretty damn good.”
- “No glitches so far while playing, so I'm happy about that.”
- “I personally haven't experienced any bugs, and I have a very basic and cheap PC, so I think it runs great and feels great as a game.”
- “The game is a buggy mess and is just often unplayable.”
- “The multiplayer is buggy, with time being easily exploitable to being endless if the host is inactive, lots of audio, visual and syncing issues.”
- “The game is still full of bugs and glitches while the devs continue to release paid dlc and address basically none of the issues.”
music
430 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
45%
4%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its charm, soothing quality, and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety. Many appreciate the unique soundtracks for different areas, but some feel that the music does not reach the memorable heights of titles like Stardew Valley. Additionally, concerns about sound balancing and the potential commercialization of the soundtrack through DLC have been raised, indicating a desire for more transparency and credit for the artists involved.
- “The music in all areas is hypnotizing, and the storyline and relationships are phenomenal.”
- “The soundtrack complements the visuals well, switching between calming daytime themes and more intense battle or nighttime tracks.”
- “The whimsical art style, soothing music, and endless customization options make the game feel both cozy and enchanting.”
- “The music doesn't shift between seasons either, which gets repetitive fast.”
- “The basic background music in the game is mediocre.”
- “The music tends to be simple and way too repetitive to the point that I play without it and just open some 'farming game music' on YouTube.”
character development
124 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
47%
5%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the diverse and unique character designs, as well as the depth of backstories and interactions available, particularly in romantic contexts. However, some critics point out that many characters feel one-dimensional, lacking significant growth or meaningful interactions outside of scripted events, leading to a sense of superficiality in character relationships. Additionally, concerns about oversexualization and inconsistent art quality have been raised, impacting the overall perception of character development.
- “The character development is wonderful and the stories are so fleshed out.”
- “Unique character designs like Karish, Vaan, and Catherine; the beautiful music (and each character has their own cool theme song!); the main quest's writing is also interesting when weaved with the gameplay.”
- “The character designs are gorgeous, I love every single look and little detail put into the game, would definitely recommend the developers should keep up the awesome work!!”
- “All the characters feel like cardboard cutouts of one specific personality trait; there's no real character development and no real impact on their lives or yours.”
- “There is very little character development for a majority of the romanceable characters; as the player gets to know them more, they hardly change, if they change at all.”
- “The dialogue and character development—and designs—come across a little lackluster; progression flow feels messy and the key system in the mines is annoying.”
optimization
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
56%
30%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting performance issues such as lag, stuttering, and crashes, even on high-end systems. While some improvements have been noted, particularly for the Steam Deck, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, leading to a frustrating experience for many users. Players recommend waiting for further updates to address these optimization concerns before fully engaging with the game.
- “The optimization for the Steam Deck is much appreciated; it's not perfect but much improved from no optimization at all.”
- “Despite its current bugs and performance issues, Sun Haven is a fun and promising game.”
- “The game plays in a similar fashion to things like Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley, etc. however, the pacing has been optimized in such a way that you don't have much of that early game tedium that is all too common with titles like these.”
- “My PC specs are good; this is just poor optimization.”
- “The game suffers from performance issues, unstable multiplayer mode, and inaccessible saves.”
- “Game is terribly optimized and it's been like this since the beginning; multiplayer is buggy and inconsistent as hell, can't run the game without an issue popping up every other in-game day.”
humor
112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
3%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with many players appreciating its quirky dialogue, funny character interactions, and lighthearted tone that adds charm to the farming simulation experience. While some found the humor to be hit-or-miss or overshadowed by gameplay issues, the overall consensus is that the game successfully incorporates a variety of amusing elements that enhance enjoyment and engagement. Players often highlight the witty writing and humorous situations as standout features, making it a fun and entertaining experience.
- “I love the humor in this game.”
- “This game has a fantastic balance between farming and fighting, multiple fun locations to discover and hilarious character lines.”
- “The story is engaging and well crafted, and a lot of the dialogue is so genuinely funny that I laughed out loud several times on my first playthrough.”
- “The dialogue is unfunny and unoriginal.”
- “The attempts at humor fall flat and feel forced.”
- “I found the jokes to be stale and lacking creativity.”
emotional
97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with many players praising its wholesome charm, heartfelt storylines, and engaging character interactions that foster emotional connections. However, some users express disappointment over shallow narratives and buggy gameplay that detracts from the overall experience, leading to feelings of frustration and emotional distress. While the game has the potential for deep emotional engagement, it often falls short due to inconsistencies in character development and gameplay mechanics.
- “The story is really wholesome and well-written.”
- “I stopped playing for a while because my computer broke, but when I came back to playing, I was struggling with my mental health a bit and playing it really relaxed me and made me feel a lot better. I've started waking up naturally earlier in the day just because I'm so excited to play it every day.”
- “I cried tears of joy playing this game; Stardew ain't got anything on Sun Haven.”
- “On top of the boring story and shallow NPCs, avoid this game.”
- “It's a very boring story in places and very grindy.”
monetization
93 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
24%
73%
The monetization practices of the game have drawn significant criticism, with many users labeling the DLC as overpriced and a blatant cash grab, often feeling misled by advertising that does not accurately represent the content. Complaints also highlight excessive in-game advertisements for cosmetic microtransactions, which detract from the overall experience and suggest a prioritization of profit over quality and player satisfaction. Overall, the game's monetization strategy has left a sour impression, leading many to recommend alternatives that offer a more respectful approach to both players and developers.
- “It also has cosmetic-based microtransactions, but I never felt compelled to purchase, and it's not tossed in your face.”
- “Anyone trashing it for cosmetic-only microtransactions (that keep the studio profitable, paying developers' salaries, and releasing new content updates fairly often) can be quickly dismissed.”
- “- The DLC packs are sound packs and cosmetic-only DLCs, so monetization is kept to perfectly reasonable levels.”
- “The DLC is overpriced, with one being misleading in terms of advertising, excluding things that are seen in the screenshot.”
- “It's such a soulless cash grab that it's offensive.”
- “The game's DLC model feels like a cash grab; the price is way too high for simple cosmetics (and there are still no credits to the developers in-game).”
replayability
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
67%
6%
Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its diverse character customization options, multiple story arcs, and various gameplay styles, including different races and skill trees. Players appreciate the engaging interactions with NPCs and romanceable characters, which further enhance the replay value. However, some reviewers note that certain repetitive elements and a lack of complexity in quests may limit long-term replayability for some players.
- “The different story arcs and paths you can take make for good replay value.”
- “The replayability is high because of the different races, skill trees, and many romanceable characters.”
- “The amount of content and replay value in this game is absurd, especially with the near constant massive updates from the devs.”
- “But there is no replayability for me anymore.”
- “While the narrative is generally captivating, some quests could benefit from additional complexity and branching choices to enhance replayability.”
- “At $24.99 and 60 plus hours I got my money's worth no doubt, but don't expect this to be the kind of game with replay value like others in the genre (unless modders do the devs' job for them and do a rehaul of several aspects of the game).”
atmosphere
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
52%
5%
The atmosphere in "Sun Haven" is widely praised for its cozy, enchanting, and immersive qualities, featuring beautiful graphics and relaxing music that enhance the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the diverse environments across different towns, each with unique vibes and characters, contributing to a serene and engaging atmosphere reminiscent of games like "Stardew Valley." Overall, the game successfully creates a charming and inviting world that encourages exploration and community-building.
- “The music is atmospheric, the art is gorgeous, and the story of each character is unique and worth playing over and over again.”
- “The attention to detail in both the environment and character designs creates an immersive and enchanting atmosphere that is a joy to explore.”
- “This game's serene and restorative atmosphere provides a truly wholesome experience.”
- “Its definitely got a bit more depth than Stardew Valley, but lacks in general charm and atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere there is chaotic and anxiety inducing.”
- “Things like animation, which are a little awkward, lack of combat content, and probably just polishing up the visuals a little more to be more seamless with the atmosphere.”