Fae Farm Review

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Fast Facts

The Cosy Farming Era

In recent years there has been an abundance of farming RPGs to choose from. Though they’ve always been around, the era of “cosy” games has now truly taken off, and with it this particular genre has grown massively. Every time a game in the genre comes out, as a farming sim fan, it always catches my eye!

Fae Farm is one of the latest additions to the genre, but is it the cream of the crop or does it wither away in the vast sea of cosy games? Let’s find out.

Not Your Ordinary Island

After a message in a bottle invites you to the mysterious land of Azoria, you soon discover that it isn’t your average island getaway. Strange whirlpools – which you luckily managed to survive – are both preventing anyone from reaching and leaving the island. Worse still, thorns and mist cover the land, and the only way to get rid of something magical is to harness some magic yourself…

The story revolves around restoring the island back to its original glory and helping the people, reuniting humans and fae, while also developing your homestead. It progresses well in linear fashion as you play through the chapters, and has a more substantial story than in other similar games that I have played.

The concept doesn’t sound too different from your average farming sim, but the magical element is quite unique! You are able to cast spells with a staff, fight strange creatures called Jumbles in the mines (more on that later!) and become one with the Fae realm.

That’s not to say that magic hasn’t been included in other similar games, but I do think it has been developed in the world of Fae Farm beyond just farming. Not to spoil anything, but the cause of the whirlpools is a sweet surprise, as are the beings you meet along the way.

Crops and Critters

Of course, a farming game wouldn’t be complete without growing your own produce and raising farm animals. The available fruit and vegetables are not much different to our real-life ones, with familiar crops such as turnips and beans available as well as varying growth and seasonal periods. Be sure to keep them watered! Your crops can be sold on their own, used as ingredients in recipes then sold, or else eaten by yours truly to refill your energy bar. If your energy bar runs out you are unable to use your tools – such as your axe to cut trees, or your pickaxe to mine.

The farm animals, however, are where Fae Farm stands out. They’re not your usual cows and pigs, and are instead unique creatures such as Cottontails and Mamoos. Though bearing similarities to the farm animals of our world, they have cutesy, fantastical designs, and I loved their names. Look after them well every day and you will be provided with animal produce to sell.

Mining Time

Like looking after your crops and animals, mining is an integral part of Fae Farm. Here is where you’ll find ores – such as topaz and aquamarine – and resources such as clay and stone. These are used in most crafting recipes to decorate your home and farm, so regular trips down the mine are needed.

The mines are where the crafty Jumbles reside – unusual creatures who attack on sight. They have some really cool designs, such as floating anchors, walking pocketwatches and elephant-like cannons. They add a fun challenge as you’re mining as they’re quite persistent, however they aren’t incredibly difficult to defeat.

The mining element of Fae Farm reminds me of Stardew Valley, not just with having enemies waiting, but also how you progress through the levels in the mine. In the Saltwater Mine, there are 25 levels to go through. You must find a button hidden beneath one of the ores to open the next door, or else craft seals to open the doors forever once having gathered the necessary materials. You can then fast travel between levels, which is super handy for quick trips – especially as you can only get certain materials at particular levels.

Quest for a Friend

Azoria is home to a diverse range of people, each waiting to help you in their own way, and ask for your help in return. There are many manned shops for you to buy goods from, including seeds, item upgrades, clothing and more. These shops also offer many side quests in addition to the main story quests. I was surprised by how much there was to do! Often, the main quests require some grinding, usually to get some form of materials, so that was already fairly time consuming.

This meant that there were so many side quests that there was always something to do. The repetitive nature of farming sims, though I love it, can sometimes make you feel bored by the end of the game day after doing your daily tasks, opting to sleep to bring a new one around. Fae Farm didn’t feel this way at all, being almost overwhelming (but in a good way!) with its choices of how to spend your time.

Each character has their own personality and vibe, from Argyle who loves frogs, to Cleo the adventurer. They all have a unique look, whether that is their hair colour, race, or even species, which was very refreshing! Chatting to each character every day and giving them gifts can befriend them, and offer you friend quests. Or, you can take your relationship a step further and complete romance quests for them, with the option to marry someone eventually. This just adds to the endless list of things to do in the game.

You can also enjoy Fae Farm with up to four friends. Unfortunately I didn’t know anyone else with the game to test this out with. However, as multiplayer is a relatively rare option to have in farming RPGs, I imagine this can be a ton of fun!

In Control

The controls in Fae Farm are simple and quick to grasp, particularly if you have played similar games before. Switching between tools with the scroll wheel is handy, as is the fact that your tool can automatically switch to the one you need (for example, your watering can if you stand by your crops).

Perhaps one of the most important mechanics to an avid farming sim player is a game’s fishing mechanic. To fish in Fae Farm, you cast your line out and jiggle it to lure a fish in. Once the fish has bit your lure you can start to reel it in, but it will try to escape. If you reel too much, your line will turn from white to red. If this happens, stop reeling or else you’ll lose your catch! Each fish is different in how often it tries to swim away, so some are more difficult to catch than others. I definitely prefer this mechanic to that in other games, despite it being a challenge at times.

Amazing Azoria

The graphics of Fae Farm were stunning on my PC. The world is soft in its shape and colour, yet rich with environmental detail. There are many different materials scattered around, and many different critters like frogs and butterflies to encounter. The magic in the game world also makes Azoria feels alive. Pair this with the cutesy design of the characters and creatures, and it screams “cosy gaming”.

What I also love about the world of Fae Farm is how fluid it feels. Your character movements are incredibly smooth, no matter whether you’re running and jumping on mushrooms across the map or swimming through the beautifully animated water. Even the smaller animations of trying to use an empty watering can or your character shivering and frowning in the cold of the rain are done exceptionally well. Graphics are not always prioritised in farming games, and do not need to be amazing if the gameplay is fun. But these little details set Fae Farm apart from other, similar games in the genre.

Alongside gorgeous visuals, Fae Farm also features storybook-esque illustrations in its cutscenes. It also has an almost medieval soundtrack with jaunty flutes, making the game feel truly fantastical and magical. The UI is also designed nicely, and I loved the icons in the menus. Everything was clear to understand and there wasn’t too much information dotted around the screen like in some RPGs.

Prime Cosy Gaming

Although Fae Farm can seem overwhelming at first due to the vastness of what is offered to do and learn, the abundance of things to do makes it well worth buying. I feel like I am still yet to scratch the surface, and am eager to play more. There is plenty left to do to expand my farm and discover every little secret of Azoria. Though parts are synonymous with the genre, it has enough of its own charm to feel unique.

With an adorable and impressive style, a story to unravel, an option to play with friends, a wealth of quests and crafting, Fae Farm is peak cosy gaming. It is another farming sim to add to your growing wishlist, especially with its first DLC just having been added. It’s exciting to know we may get even more content down the line as well!

Rapid Reviews Rating

4.5 out of 5

4.5

You can find and read our reviews on OpenCritic.