Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin

“This rice is anything but bland.”

“A delicious action/management hybrid, ideal for lovers of Japanese atmospheres and for those who appreciate the two genres that characterize it.”

“Move over, Uncle Ben. There’s a new rice god in town. Sakuna of Rice and Ruin lets you have your grains and eat them too by serving up a nice heaping of action alongside one of the most detailed and meticulous systems for rice farming that you’ll ever see in a game. Admittedly, the agriculture side can feel like work sometimes and gameplay can become a bit repetitive as you go through multiple years. Its uncanny attention to detail and refreshing take on the farming genre, however, makes Sakuna a game worth adding to your daily diet.”

“Lovers of Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon may not find this game to be exactly the kind of farming they enjoy – it's more like, you know, actual farming, with all the tiny changes in fertiliser recipes and water temperature that farming requires. But for anyone who needs to practise mindfulness, patience, and appreciation for the small things (all 2,000 of them), Sakuna: Of Rice And Ruin may just be the therapy you need.”

“Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin combines complex rice farming and grappling hook based combat to create a truly memorable experience.”

“The art style is vivid and manages to not look realistic but still be immersive, and the simple act of being Sakuna and exploring the visuals around me is enough to want to keep playing. In some ways, the game reminds me of Animal Crossing games, where the loop slows me down and keeps me engaged in the little wonders of life around me.”

“Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is a charming experience, and its charming cast keeps things surging forward, even while the main story drags on for a bit. There's certainly a bit of a learning curve, and the game could do a better job with tutorials, but there are deep systems to dig into once players get the hang of them.”

“Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is charming and challenging in all the right ways. Even now, as I sit here spending time working on this review, I wish I were playing the game. In spite of a few frustrating puzzle sections here and there, Hinoe calls to me. Knowing that my rice needs tending to and my pantry probably needs more dried meat so we can make it through the winter is all I want to focus on. That's when you know a game has its hooks in you. Pretty, addictive hooks that have me all in.”

“In the evenings you can spend time with your new human family to chat and eat a meal using the food that you’ve gathered and grown yourself. Watching Sakuna slowly mature and start to care about more than just herself is a truly heart-warming journey. Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is an absolutely wonderful blend of farming simulator and action RPG. Whether you’re fighting off hordes of demons or trying to find the best way to manage your crop, there is constantly something new to learn and discover in this charmingly unique adventure.”

“Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin succeeds at offering both an exploration-based beat 'em up adventure and a relaxing life-sim experience. The combat may not be perfect and the difficulty feels uneven at times, but the addicting gameplay loop and charming world more than make up for it.”

“Combat is fun, and it ties into the simulation elements well. However, the pacing and repetition makes it difficult to fully appreciate it all”

“Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin delivers a remarkably in-depth set of mechanical systems. The interplay is impressive, even if the execution is somewhat flawed.”

“If a quirky action game with RPG progression and relaxing agricultural activities seems like your kind of thing, trust your gut on this one. The Nintendo Switch version is solid enough for me to recommend it.”

“Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin has a lot going for it, from a fun and quirky protagonist to snappy combat and gorgeous visuals. Above all else, though, it's one of the most immersive and rewarding farming experiences in gaming. To slowly toil through each step of the process and eventually reap your rewards is a delight, and even if the combat encounters can sometimes become a frustrating chore, the slow process of cultivating the rice harvest is always a treat.”

“Sakuna unfolds as an original action J-RPG, that feels different and it's fun. if you connect with it, you'll find that it's hard to put it aside, even if it can fail in grind and repetition, everything it's well dosed and executed, without the usual problems found on other Nintendo Switch ports. A superb RPG surprise to finish this crazy year.”

“This unusual take on virtual farming has you battling demons – when you're not tending to rice paddies”

“Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is a fun and entertaining game. I was quickly swept in by its charming characters, great writing, and rice farming simulation. Unfortunately, a lot of the game mechanics hold it back including the brutal day and night cycle and having to wait an entire game year just to level up Sakuna to make the game a little easier.”

“Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin seamlessly blends 2D platforming action with 3D farm management.”

“Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is a wonderful mix of the two ideas. As a platformer, the game wouldn’t have enough driving force, and would wear out quickly. For farming, while it’s truly lovely, there’s too much downtime with not enough to do. Each of these things in a game of their own would be draining, but together it creates a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup of a game that deserves recognition and continues to feel fresh and enjoyable even after 20 hours in.”

“Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is a breath of fresh air that shouldn't be overlooked. It's hard to believe that a game with this much detail and depth is from just two developers. The team at Edelweiss have created such a unique game with amazing production and polished gameplay. There are a few little features like enemy repetition and lacklustre level layouts at times that could be improved. However I think Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is definitely one of 2020's exceptional releases.”