DISCLOSURE: This game was reviewed on the following platform: PC – Check out our Review Policy page for more information.
Whether you’re an experienced farming sim connoisseur, or it’s your first time delving into the genre, you probably noticed the hype around Sun Haven and, I must say, it’s hyped for a very good reason!
Coming to us from an indie developer team Pixel Sprout Studios, funded through a Kickstarter page starting all the way back in 2020 and eventually amassing $85,000 in funding, this game surely seems promising. More than 40% of the funds gathered were allocated to art, and it absolutely shows!
Is the early access version worth your $25? Read on and find out for yourself!
Graphics (Art)
Something everyone seems to be talking about is the graphics, or in this case the pixel art.
Pixel art isn’t known for being very visually appealing, or at least not as much as some other art styles tend to be. However, that is most certainly not the case with Sun Haven, as its art is one of the most talked about things in the community right now.
It’s absolutely stunning, enough to grab the attention even of those who normally aren’t fans of pixel art, and that’s no easy feat!
Visually, Sun Haven has the potential to go further than its predecessors (Stardew Valley, Littlewood, etc.), if it hasn’t already. It definitely deserves all the praise it’s getting. The developers certainly got their money’s worth in this department.
Let’s see what other aspects of the game look like.
Customization
Even though it could also fit into the ‘graphics’ category, Sun Haven’s customization system is beautifully done. It offers a great deal of freedom and diversity, therefore it earned its own special section.
Once you load up the game for the first time, right away you’re given the opportunity to express yourself through your character – 6 unique races (Human, Demon, Elf, Amari, Angel, Element), wings, body types (instead of gender options), countless clothing options as well as even more color combinations, etc…
If you’re someone who enjoys carefully crafting your character to match your personality or perhaps your imagination, you’re going to love this part of Sun Haven.
Another aspect of the game that Pixel Sprout Studios absolutely nailed. Let’s see what’s next!
Content
As is the case with most games from the genre, there’s an almost endless amount of things to do.
The game does a good job of keeping you not only busy but also entertained.
With an interesting story you can follow to get to know the game that isn’t just a barebones tutorial, land you can farm on (after cleaning it out first), and properties you can decorate (own multiple houses/apartments in different zones), but that’s not all!
Another aspect of the game that is definitely worth noting is dating. This part of the game is more lacking than the others mentioned so far, but it’s far from a deal-breaker. The game has a lot of dateable NPCs, which is something to look forward to, especially if you’re a fan of the roleplaying side of the game.
It’s not all rainbows and sunshine as it was a very glitchy feature even as recently as a week ago, but the devs work fast and they listen to their community very carefully so these issues are usually ironed out fairly quickly.
On the topic of dating, dateable characters could use a little bit more “feelings”.
When you interact with them, the dialogue is very well-made – every NPC has an entirely unique personality, and depending on what you say to them, they’ll give you varying responses. Despite this, their avatars will not change.
This results in the game being slightly less immersive than it had the potential to be, but it’s understandable considering it’s still in early access. High hopes overall!
Something many players found really cool is the apartments. You unlock one once you get to the Withergate Arena zone, along with an apartment you also get a rather large rooftop farm plot.
Combat
Fighting is usually not the main focus of games in this genre, so this section is going to be relatively short in comparison with previous ones, but it’s still worth mentioning.
Combat is not a very big element of Sun Haven, but they did a good job of giving it depth regardless. You should be able to make quick work of most hostile NPCs in the early game, and as you gain experience (be it from the story or farming), you’re going to unlock skill points to put into the talent tree you like the most – you can choose from melee (sword), ranged (bow), and magic (spells).
Every tree comes with its own unique playstyle, but you have not been forced down one single path. You can put points into all trees if you’d like, and build your character as a hybrid.
Sun Haven Review
Summary
The highlight of the game is definitely the freedom you’re given on all fronts – combat, customization, dating, etc. The story has a lot of room for growth, be it through regular updates or DLCs.
Overall, Sun Haven is a wonderful surprise for everyone that was waiting for the ‘next big thing’ in the farming RPG genre, with a balanced focus on all aspects of the game.
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