I think this was a very fair review. Not every game needs to be Rune Factory with calculating soil percentage. Nothing wrong with a chill, easy game, IF that’s what you’re looking for. 😊
I must thank you because although the lack of challenge and "mobile game-ness" of this game wasn't for you, this review actually made me super interested in the game! My work has been extremely stressful lately in terms of mental load and I like to wind down with stuff that doesn't require me to think. I quite enjoy the mobile game esque loop but as one might imagine it often comes bundled with exploitative in-app purchases so I love it when I can get that from a one time purchase ❤
I always trust your reviews most ^-^ You often mention important aspects many other reviewers don't, which I really appreciate! Thank you for this review, Josh :)
@@JoshGamingGarden Do you want to made your own curator page in "Steam", where potential buyers of the farming games can see, if you recommend/not recommend some games or if you are showing somewhat neutral (informative) review?
Very fair review - I will still be buying it and playing it because I definitely feel like I need a completely mindless game, there are a lot of games that have consequences or managements or challenges, I struggle to find one that is just mindless and relaxing, so I'm excited to play Luma Island, I love the exploring and figure out how to get from A to B, and the little Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider style dungeons to try to get across safely. This is the game that I've been looking for to add to my game collection.
This format honestly feels like what I wanted out of the Harvest Moon mobile game. Simpler mechanics that you can mess around with but cool stuff to see. Bummed because the demo had be so stoked for this one.
my girlfriend loved the demo and i gifted the gane to her as a birthday present so i will play it in coop with her for a while. she just wants something relaxing without thinking too much to wind down so i think its perfect for that. and maybe the devs will make it deeper later
I hope they don't change the format much. That's exactly what I'm looking for. There are a lot of similar games that require brain power, let's just have one that looks great and doesn't.😅
I see Luma more as an adventure/exploration game rather than a farming sim and everything I've seen looks fun on that front. I'm excited to play the full version once I get home from work.
I've felt a similar way about games like Forager where playing almost feels compulsive even though by the end of it I didn't actually enjoy it at all. Games like that make me feel very bad so I go out of my way to avoid them, I really appreciate you're so honest about games that rely on loops like this. Having said that, I see in the comments quite a few people who also appreciate the review because this is just the sort of game they're looking for, which in my opinion is the sign of a very well done review. Keep up the great work Josh!
I feared it would be like that after my demo play. It's got all the mechanics and looks great but felt shallow. It's sad when the heart of the game is missing.
@@toastee5421 As the others explained heart means the most important part. But I suppose that's subjective. Like the review said it's mobile game like. You do the thing to level up to do the thing again. You unlock a secret and get another chest of ingredients to make more items to sell to level up and do it all over again. Open up a new biom and it's more dungeons with more chests as rewards with more ingredients to make things and sell to level up. Your doing the mechanics for the sake of doing the mechanics. Like with Stardew, you have the mechanics but you have bigger goals. Like fixing the town center, which is full of mysteries, especially the first time playing. Fields of Mistria you are doing it all to rebuild the town and uncover the mysteries of the mine/spirit in it. Luma Island, it seems like there's no reasons to do anything. I need a bit of story to keep me interested. I find I am attracted to survival games but have realized they never keep my interest. I need a bit more story and obvious deeper goals than doing the thing just to do it. Sorry for being wordy. I do find it kind of hard to explain. The comment of it feels empty some how is a good TDLR
@@TamanduaGirl Been playing the game for about 8 hours. I think I understand why the dev didn't put too much challenging elements on the game. They did it on purpose to make a very relaxing game, and they did it right I guess.
Lost in Blue, thats a game i havent heard of in yeaaaaars. I still remember the first time i got trapped in the secret cove picking bamboo then i watched the girl slowly starve.
So happy that I found your channel! Love watching your videos on good games but also actually having a place to get info on upcoming games going over the pros and cons so I know what I’d be getting into! You and EliTheGaymer are the best cozy game channels going IMO!
I really appreciate the way you expressed your opinion in this review, as it really helps me set my expectations! I think if I had seen your Fae Farm review before I'd bought it, I would have had a better sense of what to expect and been less disappointed. There's nothing wrong with a game that is easy and a bit of a grind, but given the hype around both of these games and the way they are presented, I was expecting the community aspect and storyline to be a lot more in-depth!
Yo you kept it real. Love that. Glad I subbed. As soon as I heard you can't eat the food, my heart sunk. I'll prolly get everholm now. At least till it gets developed more
Hi Josh, I love your reviews every time ! You give constructive feebacks and I love your examples, your arguments...Thank you so much for your work, you really are my favourite youtube channel on cozy games. Have a great day !
After only watching the Conclusion, since I don't want to spoiler myself beyond the Demo, I'll still buy Luma Island. Considering that I play and greatly enjoy games like Core Keeper, World End Diner or Terra Nil, where you pretty much just play for the sake of playing too without a super big and deep story, socializing aspects or anything other like that, I'm sure I'll enjoy Luma Island a lot too. It'll be nice to have this one farming game where your focus is on farming, crafting and exploring and not having to worry about gifting villagers and plan out your marriage. Depending if they keep updating the game, it might turn out to be one of those where you play a good amount, put it to the side, and come back to it every now and then if you feel that farming & crafting itch again for a day or two (that's how I play World End Diner). ♥
I’m so glad I saw this before purchasing on launch. I had really enjoyed the demo but that was bc I spent all 5 days just exploring the island, which I agree is a fairly positive aspect of this game. But I had not gotten far into the profession (I chose cook), so it’s disappointing to hear that the gameplay outside of exploration is shallow and there isn’t much purpose to what you’re doing other than for money, which I don’t find appealing. Thanks again for sharing!
I am a virtual hoarder and in the tutorial I just ran around cutting grass because it is so satisfying xD Thanks for your review. I am only in for an hour but it feels so good to me. I just like collecting various stuff.
it's nothing like fantasy life. Fantasy life had a plot, the characters were more than just NPCs, the farming of materials felt rewarding, the professions were great, each of them with their own story, there were challenging moments... and all of that is NOT in this boring Luma Island.
So for someone who's 'meh' on farming mechanics generally but likes decorating and exploring, this would probably be pretty fun for me? I was mostly interested in the Fishing / Archaeology professions, anyway.
Same, for once I don't want to start with farming and just go direct into fishing! I don't mind the loop of gathering ingredients to crafting something better and selling them. I mean the important thing is how fun is it to gather those ingredients. Am I supposed to explore new areas to find new mushrooms? Kill certain monsters for the 5% chance drop? Fish at a certain time and certain place? If they make these mechanics fun and interesting that is all that matters. I do think we should be able to use what we are crafting though. Food can give HP or sth. Right now I don't know how you supposed to restore your hp while fighting.
I think you'd have an okay time, though the exploration side of things is somewhat limited. Fishing is also very simple, since there are only 12 to catch (and you still need to craft them into other things to make money.) @BelloWenN HP isn't a thing at all. Most enemies just make you lose a few items if you're hit, and you can just pick them up again straight away.
Me too ! As soon as I discovered there were professions, I wanted to be an archeologist or treasure hunter. I'm bummed it seems shallow, the concept was awesome. Are you going to buy it still ? Idk what to do, maybe get on sale later.
@@Em-fz5uh I mesn, it's 20% off now already, and I don't have anything else atm, lol. I think if the devs add more stuff over time it could grow into something pretty good?
@@Rietto it has potential for sure ! And it’s true that it’s already on sale, my cheap self might wait for a larger one later lol. I’m the opposite I have so much stuff to play on my switch and steam libraries (and just got kynseed). But all that being said, I might get it now, it seems so good arg what to do.
You perfectly summarized how I feel about this game! I am just a little above 20 hours as well. It is visually stunning (that was one of the first things that caught my eye) and was so promising with the different professions! But you indeed quickly realize if you try multiple ones that they are all built on the same system which I find a bit disappointing. I wish the loot you find would be tied to the profession you currently have, like what am I gonna do with all the pirate stuff if I am in the Brewer profession? Oh I know, I will sell it... 🙃 On the other hand I do love the exploring of it, it is versatile with the different biomes and caves, and I enjoy discovering all the hidden secrets and I will definitely play it till I discover everything! I am just not sure I will start another gameplay, if I know all the profession routes go the very same way you know. Anyway, great review! 💜
Oooo I like the cozy casual aspects to it. Going to Stardew lately after playing games with more accommodations was super frustrating. So that’s nice. One thing I love about Littlewood is that one button does everything. But in a 3D game like this I could see it being problematic. Another important thing for me is being able to hold a button down for repeated actions rather than multiple taps. Great review. Thanks for the info!
Your review is actually very accurate and exactly what I felt too, but that isn't a bad thing for me. I don't mind the "playing for the sake of playing" and I actually enjoyed fae farm (the price is too high for the content tho, so I still don't recommend it...). I also played Luma with a friend and it's a nice game to just grind and chat in and help each other's job out. I can see how playing alone would feel very mobile-gamey and mindless.
Just the fact that you mentioned the Lost In Blue games in comparison makes me happy. I've been looking for a similar, chilled out LiB-style island exploring game (with a less-frustrating crafting & health monitoring mechanic) for so long and I doubt it'll ever get a Switch port. I did download the Luma demo, but life sorta got in the way and never really played it. I might actually give it a try now.
Good review. Definitely seems like a good game if all you want to do is explore and find all the secrets, just a weird choice to add survival elements without the survival and really not do much with it. Mobile game was definitely my thought looking at it, but yeah this game really could do with pairing upgrade path for things like needing to swap from blacksmith to jeweller to make exotic wepaons/armor. More or less the Palworld approach for upgrades (without the guns or creature capturing obviously) where it starts out with primitive setups and you slowly work your way towards later tech to end up with power generators for automation and to allow the player to light up their homestead like a Christmas tree if they wanted.
6:16 I had that happening to me with Rune Factory 4, where the game kept me engaged going from one objective to the next, but I wasn't having fun. I was technically entertained but I wasn't enjoying myself, it's hard to describe but it feels like doing homework: you might be absorbed with it but is not enjoyable
So many things you’ve mentioned I never thought about. I would likely play this hard a day or two and then quit based on what you’ve said. I’ll keep an eye on it though thanks for sharing.
Completely agree with this review. Enjoyed the demo and just assumed the full game would have a lot more about it based on feedback from the play testers and demo users. Maybe the devs are planning more, but I don't know. It needs to be less grindy, there needs to be an eating/sleeping requirement (if not essential then at least a benefit to these things - gives you more power or something), things you craft need to be useful outside your profession (e.g. to other players in your group or to you when you switch professions), there needs to be more of a disadvantage to dying (at the moment I just allow spiders to kill me for a quick way to exit the cavern, LOL), and I wouldn't mind if the graphics were improved (even on Ultra it looks like a slightly poorly upscaled version of a mobile game). Villagers don't seem to be important (there little in the way of relationship you can create with them). The map rotation is so confusing - if they added a compass pointer to North it would at least help understand which way you're walking. Oh and if you try to clear a nice area in front of your caravan to walk around in it just gets overgrown quickly again (not a cosmetic issue - it actually slows down player movement). I was hoping for a cross between Stardew Valley and Captain Toad. At least I didn't pay £30 for this. Hopefully it'll improve in the next few months.
Hello Josh 👋🏻 I feel completely the same way as you about luma island 🏝️ nice and ok, but not stunning (in short because have said everything). I have played the demo and this was enough to know where the game is heading for 🙈 it's not a game for me, but for my friend. And an hour ago she sent me a game code 🎁😅 sadly I know I will not enjoy this game but for her I will play it... Just a few times✨💕 I would really like to play fea farm again... For me it's the better choice between these two games🥰 but this is my opinion.
Okay, hearing you explain this game and the same feeling you get from it as with Fea farm, makes sense to me. This game won't be for me. I get bored pretty fast with this.
Will this not be a mobile game? I think it would be nice. It could be a good game for children, I think? 🤔 The progression between farm items to forest items and etc. might be shallow, but I think there should be enough distinction for children to feel they've progressed. Also, worry-free games were absolutely my faves growing up, though I like the management and progression gameplay.
Excellent review. You saved me some time and money, thank you. I am tired of the same rehashed mechanics. The graphics look phenomenal and a huge improvement from others, it reminds me most of the 2D Zelda games which is a huge compliment
Thank you for your honest review, this doesn't look like something I'd be into after hearing this. Everyone else has been hyping it up, but the way you laid it out... I'm gonna pass.
Not every game has to be Stardew valley with a million overwhelming things to do. I loved Littlewood and this looks like a similar go-at-your-own-pace vibe. Thanks!
I truly appreciate your honesty when reviewing/showcasing games for us! This game seems to me to be an entry level game to gaming. As well it seems very “mobile-esk! “ I had my eye on it, curious, but it’s a big Nope for me.
I feel like we played two different games. I played early access and it’s incredible!! One of the best games I’ve played in ages. Played the full version, though. Not the demo.
From your review it seems the game is closer to moonstone island style than RF or story of season series with hiw it focus more on chill exploration no punishment for the player. I just hope the changing class aspect were like fantasy life game where you gain exclusive rights to do more stuff so the game encourage your to constantly change it
I played Fae Farm, and at first, I was impressed-wow! But the deeper I got into the gameplay, the more meaningless it felt. I stopped feeding the animals because it took too much time, and the only consequence was that they were a bit sad-nothing serious. I rushed through the plot just to finish the game and get married, but the marriage was such a disappointment-they didn’t even sleep in the same bed! Overall, Fae Farm was just okay. Luma Island, as you mentioned, looks very similar, and now I know I don’t need a second Fae Farm experience-thank you for pointing that out! 😊 Oh, and does Luma Island have romance options? That’s really important to me!
i was afraid of this after thinking more about the game after playing the demo. there's not much to DO... just craft stuff for money, and explore. i guess you rebuild the buildings in town too after the earthquake, so that's something. but yeah, i figured there wasn't much point to the game other than the exploration
I feel like the gameplay loop works so much better than Fae Farm. But yeah, it's definitely a simple grind game that should be fun with a couple of friends.
What would you recommend for the gamers you mentioned in your conclusion? Because I was looking forward to play it with my dad, but we like time management and a little bit more of a challenge.
This doesn't look compelling enough to be worth a pickup when I've already got a backlog and there are a couple of new things looking to catch my attention in the next couple of weeks (the Medieval Dynasty autumn update on Nov. 27, Greece for Euro Truck Simulator 2 on Dec. 4.) I don't like the idea of a Skinner box progression loop with single-use resources that are only good for selling.
Played an hour so far and I'm having fun but my biggest nitpick is the grind for materials since I watched someone do 100 days and one of their most complaints was how the tool upgrades barely make a noticeable difference until a few upgrades later. I do think the temples do get challenging and they'll probably be more stressful/harder than most people in the cozy community would like. I already don't really like that the trees/crops are so high maintenance which probably leans more to a tedious/annoying thing. For sure seems like a very questy and grindy game overall though. It was so interesting to hear your review after watching 5 hrs of someone playing it
Yeah, the tool upgrades are annoying... It's so subtle until you actually get to the next tier of ore. You don't get that feeling of becoming more efficient. 😭
Irritation is when your chopping around either mine or on island; You got to switch out tools every half second from axe; the pick axe; also weapon to switch around. It is a pain in the ass to do so. Torches needs to last a little longer; flares need to last longer.
Thanks for the review! The presentation looks amazing, but as a fan of HM/RF who couldn't enjoy modern farming sims other than Eastward Octopia, it sounds like I should pass on this one as well.
I'm curious does everything matter when you play as one of the more challenging level choices? Because if yes, that would make it alot more interesting for that. Although I work alot and struggling to find a farming game that you can just relax with. I think this one is going to be a favourite for me - hopefully! Just bought it. I love your review tho, and feel better knowing what to potentially expect hopefully devs add alot more into the game as it progresses. :)
I was completely unimpressed by the Luma Island demo. I thought the characters mostly looked terrible. I thought that the gameplay was unintuitive. The thing I disliked the most was the incredibly low drop rate of materials, and the amount of materials I needed even at the beginning. I felt like I was being punished for playing it. Just not for me, I think. I'll enjoy watching other people play it.
I had played the demo to and loved it but: Way are we even earning money? Does not look like we can decorate our home or buy a house or new clothes. I mis the building a house. I would not mind if there was a survival option with health and need to sleep.
You can buy blueprints for bigger houses with money! You can't decorate them, they also don't replace the caravan, but they work as fast travel points to other biomes. Money also unlocks some blueprints.
This is exactly how I was feeling when I played the demo. It felt like something was missing, but I didn't know what until I watched this review. It was definitely the feeling of it being shallow. Thank you for the review!
This game looks so cute and I was looking for a relaxing multiplayer game, but the crafting/farming/monster collecting being so pointless ruins it for me. Thank you for reviewing games in an honest way.
It almost feels like a cozy farming game for people who either actively dislike or just can't get into cozy farming games? Like the lack of typical limitations/expectations of the genre can be very freeing & welcoming to newcomers & those just looking for a mostly brain off experience. But stripping pretty much everything away may also almost completely trivialize the game for vets expecting something close to the depth they're used to. 🤔
I just burnt out on this game after a couple of long play sessions. Starting the Forest, all my progress went in the toilet and I'm starting over with garbage tools. Wow, am I tired of hitting a rock or a tree sixteen frikkin times to get through it, especially after grinding for many tool upgrades. LI didn't feel that grindy at first, but it ground me down.
That's riiight! Why crafting only for money? That's so boring. If all people crafting only to sell the items, where the need to play together at all? I thought the no energy only for demo so people can play longer... Even if with no energy, they can choose to make 'hunger' for example, or eat something to increase drop items etc. This is disappointing :(
I'm interested in knowing about NPCs? Do they talk to you? Do they have a unique personality? Are they even of any interest at all? I feel like you can tell if a Game is shallow just by that
I wish brewing was better - seemed to just be a chef job. I expected it to be a mox of gathering and crafting - like glass blowing, fish scales for filtration, cross pollenation for different hops and grapes. But it was just farming and crafting like a chef 😢
I played the demo and didn't like the game from that experience. It felt shallow and pointless. I just didn't enjoy the game progression. I was very disappointed as I loved the graphics etc. I thought it was just me as so many were raving about it 😅. I watched your review to see if I was missing something, as it could be better than I thought, but you've confirmed my opinion. Not for me. I want games with story and purpose. Thanks for another great review 😀
Hmm from your review alone I’m definitely mixed on it. I do enjoy games like Fae Farm but there’s just something about the way you describe it that makes it feel off from that. Sort of reminds me of Fantasy Life with the whole job system, but there they actually fleshed each job out fairly well. Having a single action button is a huge turn away. Definitely got to watch more reviews on it, but my gut feeling is saying it’s a skip for me
Food buffs in a game with no health/Stam? Not worried about details like this. I’ve been wanting a game to just chill with and the demo has had me excited to play more. I knew I could put hours into this and walk away feeling happy with how the farm is coming out. Haven’t had that since stardew. Doesn’t look shallow to me. It depends on what you’re going for I suppose.
Shallow story wise! But I’ve been playing and I’m excited. I love putting a show on my second monitor and mindlessly chopping away at stuff lol. I’m playing with my fiance and I feel like chopping and stuff is faster that way.. we built our cottage in about 30 irl minutes.
Kinda curious, is Fae Farm (wt DLC) worth it today? I tried the demo on Xbox and I dont like how I cant name my character and I felt like Im playing an MMO that got turned into a SP game.
If you didn't like the demo, I don't think your experience would be much different with the full game and DLC. It adds a bit of content, but the core of the game and main mechanics are all the same.
I tried the game in beta and there was no map (or I'm just stupid), I was stuck by the shops for SOO long which made me want to uninstall it and never open it again. Did they add a map at all?
Based on your description, it really does sound like a mobile game. I get the sense that while the development team knows how to create an RPG (artistic details, exploration, etc), they might not know how to make a raising simulation game. They probably have only a vague understanding, like "a raising simulation game needs to keep players engaged for a long time." As a result, they referenced mobile simulation games to design that aspect, inadvertently replicating the repetitive and addictive gameplay model typical of mobile games.
Imo they knew what they were doing and made a game easy to port to mobile. I thought it would be a mobile game as soon as I saw the graphics for some reason, even though they’re really nice. But I think we can give the devs the benefit of the doubt that they know how to research and do their jobs and actively chose to create simple gameplay like this (it’s great for families playing together with younger children, which was likely an audience they had in mind for the simple gameplay)
I think this was a very fair review. Not every game needs to be Rune Factory with calculating soil percentage. Nothing wrong with a chill, easy game, IF that’s what you’re looking for. 😊
That's exactly what I'm looking for! ☺️
I must thank you because although the lack of challenge and "mobile game-ness" of this game wasn't for you, this review actually made me super interested in the game! My work has been extremely stressful lately in terms of mental load and I like to wind down with stuff that doesn't require me to think. I quite enjoy the mobile game esque loop but as one might imagine it often comes bundled with exploitative in-app purchases so I love it when I can get that from a one time purchase ❤
There was a demo out before the launch and the "no brain required" is the main reason for getting it now. Exploration also felt rewarding.
Check out Littlewood too! Always helps me sleep at night
I agree. It’s a great game to relax and relieve stress.
Very fair point!
I always trust your reviews most ^-^
You often mention important aspects many other reviewers don't, which I really appreciate! Thank you for this review, Josh :)
Thank you so much, glad the review was helpful!
@@JoshGamingGarden Do you want to made your own curator page in "Steam", where potential buyers of the farming games can see, if you recommend/not recommend some games or if you are showing somewhat neutral (informative) review?
Very fair review - I will still be buying it and playing it because I definitely feel like I need a completely mindless game, there are a lot of games that have consequences or managements or challenges, I struggle to find one that is just mindless and relaxing, so I'm excited to play Luma Island, I love the exploring and figure out how to get from A to B, and the little Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider style dungeons to try to get across safely. This is the game that I've been looking for to add to my game collection.
These are the main reasons for which I'm also getting this game. I loved it since the demo, the final version must be even better.
This format honestly feels like what I wanted out of the Harvest Moon mobile game. Simpler mechanics that you can mess around with but cool stuff to see. Bummed because the demo had be so stoked for this one.
my girlfriend loved the demo and i gifted the gane to her as a birthday present so i will play it in coop with her for a while. she just wants something relaxing without thinking too much to wind down so i think its perfect for that. and maybe the devs will make it deeper later
I hope they don't change the format much. That's exactly what I'm looking for. There are a lot of similar games that require brain power, let's just have one that looks great and doesn't.😅
I see Luma more as an adventure/exploration game rather than a farming sim and everything I've seen looks fun on that front. I'm excited to play the full version once I get home from work.
I've felt a similar way about games like Forager where playing almost feels compulsive even though by the end of it I didn't actually enjoy it at all. Games like that make me feel very bad so I go out of my way to avoid them, I really appreciate you're so honest about games that rely on loops like this. Having said that, I see in the comments quite a few people who also appreciate the review because this is just the sort of game they're looking for, which in my opinion is the sign of a very well done review. Keep up the great work Josh!
I feared it would be like that after my demo play. It's got all the mechanics and looks great but felt shallow. It's sad when the heart of the game is missing.
Heart? What...
@toastee5421 They're just saying it feels like the main pieces of the game are missing.
@@toastee5421 It feels empty somehow. Maybe because it lacks of purpose and challenge.
@@toastee5421 As the others explained heart means the most important part. But I suppose that's subjective.
Like the review said it's mobile game like. You do the thing to level up to do the thing again. You unlock a secret and get another chest of ingredients to make more items to sell to level up and do it all over again. Open up a new biom and it's more dungeons with more chests as rewards with more ingredients to make things and sell to level up.
Your doing the mechanics for the sake of doing the mechanics.
Like with Stardew, you have the mechanics but you have bigger goals. Like fixing the town center, which is full of mysteries, especially the first time playing.
Fields of Mistria you are doing it all to rebuild the town and uncover the mysteries of the mine/spirit in it.
Luma Island, it seems like there's no reasons to do anything.
I need a bit of story to keep me interested. I find I am attracted to survival games but have realized they never keep my interest. I need a bit more story and obvious deeper goals than doing the thing just to do it.
Sorry for being wordy. I do find it kind of hard to explain. The comment of it feels empty some how is a good TDLR
@@TamanduaGirl Been playing the game for about 8 hours. I think I understand why the dev didn't put too much challenging elements on the game. They did it on purpose to make a very relaxing game, and they did it right I guess.
Lost in Blue, thats a game i havent heard of in yeaaaaars. I still remember the first time i got trapped in the secret cove picking bamboo then i watched the girl slowly starve.
So happy that I found your channel! Love watching your videos on good games but also actually having a place to get info on upcoming games going over the pros and cons so I know what I’d be getting into! You and EliTheGaymer are the best cozy game channels going IMO!
I really appreciate the way you expressed your opinion in this review, as it really helps me set my expectations! I think if I had seen your Fae Farm review before I'd bought it, I would have had a better sense of what to expect and been less disappointed. There's nothing wrong with a game that is easy and a bit of a grind, but given the hype around both of these games and the way they are presented, I was expecting the community aspect and storyline to be a lot more in-depth!
5:20 thanks so much for this anecdote I was holding off on Luma Island because I’m horrified of spiders so glad we can toggle them off ❤️
Yo you kept it real. Love that. Glad I subbed.
As soon as I heard you can't eat the food, my heart sunk. I'll prolly get everholm now. At least till it gets developed more
Hi Josh, I love your reviews every time ! You give constructive feebacks and I love your examples, your arguments...Thank you so much for your work, you really are my favourite youtube channel on cozy games. Have a great day !
Thank you Florence, I try my best to make them as informative as possible!
You should try the archeologist job - its more like a dungeon crawler adventure
He did that. 6:52
@alexnoman1498 ah sorry I was watching while doing my morning routine must have been brushing my teeth. Apologies
Glad I subbed, your reviews are really fair and understandable. You focus on the important parts.
After only watching the Conclusion, since I don't want to spoiler myself beyond the Demo, I'll still buy Luma Island. Considering that I play and greatly enjoy games like Core Keeper, World End Diner or Terra Nil, where you pretty much just play for the sake of playing too without a super big and deep story, socializing aspects or anything other like that, I'm sure I'll enjoy Luma Island a lot too. It'll be nice to have this one farming game where your focus is on farming, crafting and exploring and not having to worry about gifting villagers and plan out your marriage. Depending if they keep updating the game, it might turn out to be one of those where you play a good amount, put it to the side, and come back to it every now and then if you feel that farming & crafting itch again for a day or two (that's how I play World End Diner). ♥
It’s incredible! I’ve played the full version. 👍
@@Kyser2024 Playing it since yesterday too and love it as much as I thought I would love it so far. ♥
@@watershinefarm100
I’m so glad I saw this before purchasing on launch. I had really enjoyed the demo but that was bc I spent all 5 days just exploring the island, which I agree is a fairly positive aspect of this game. But I had not gotten far into the profession (I chose cook), so it’s disappointing to hear that the gameplay outside of exploration is shallow and there isn’t much purpose to what you’re doing other than for money, which I don’t find appealing. Thanks again for sharing!
I am a virtual hoarder and in the tutorial I just ran around cutting grass because it is so satisfying xD Thanks for your review. I am only in for an hour but it feels so good to me. I just like collecting various stuff.
This reminds me of Fantasy Life
it's nothing like fantasy life. Fantasy life had a plot, the characters were more than just NPCs, the farming of materials felt rewarding, the professions were great, each of them with their own story, there were challenging moments... and all of that is NOT in this boring Luma Island.
So for someone who's 'meh' on farming mechanics generally but likes decorating and exploring, this would probably be pretty fun for me? I was mostly interested in the Fishing / Archaeology professions, anyway.
Same, for once I don't want to start with farming and just go direct into fishing! I don't mind the loop of gathering ingredients to crafting something better and selling them. I mean the important thing is how fun is it to gather those ingredients. Am I supposed to explore new areas to find new mushrooms? Kill certain monsters for the 5% chance drop? Fish at a certain time and certain place? If they make these mechanics fun and interesting that is all that matters.
I do think we should be able to use what we are crafting though. Food can give HP or sth. Right now I don't know how you supposed to restore your hp while fighting.
I think you'd have an okay time, though the exploration side of things is somewhat limited. Fishing is also very simple, since there are only 12 to catch (and you still need to craft them into other things to make money.)
@BelloWenN HP isn't a thing at all. Most enemies just make you lose a few items if you're hit, and you can just pick them up again straight away.
Me too ! As soon as I discovered there were professions, I wanted to be an archeologist or treasure hunter. I'm bummed it seems shallow, the concept was awesome. Are you going to buy it still ? Idk what to do, maybe get on sale later.
@@Em-fz5uh I mesn, it's 20% off now already, and I don't have anything else atm, lol. I think if the devs add more stuff over time it could grow into something pretty good?
@@Rietto it has potential for sure ! And it’s true that it’s already on sale, my cheap self might wait for a larger one later lol. I’m the opposite I have so much stuff to play on my switch and steam libraries (and just got kynseed).
But all that being said, I might get it now, it seems so good arg what to do.
You perfectly summarized how I feel about this game! I am just a little above 20 hours as well. It is visually stunning (that was one of the first things that caught my eye) and was so promising with the different professions! But you indeed quickly realize if you try multiple ones that they are all built on the same system which I find a bit disappointing. I wish the loot you find would be tied to the profession you currently have, like what am I gonna do with all the pirate stuff if I am in the Brewer profession? Oh I know, I will sell it... 🙃 On the other hand I do love the exploring of it, it is versatile with the different biomes and caves, and I enjoy discovering all the hidden secrets and I will definitely play it till I discover everything! I am just not sure I will start another gameplay, if I know all the profession routes go the very same way you know. Anyway, great review! 💜
Oooo I like the cozy casual aspects to it. Going to Stardew lately after playing games with more accommodations was super frustrating. So that’s nice. One thing I love about Littlewood is that one button does everything. But in a 3D game like this I could see it being problematic. Another important thing for me is being able to hold a button down for repeated actions rather than multiple taps. Great review. Thanks for the info!
Your review is actually very accurate and exactly what I felt too, but that isn't a bad thing for me. I don't mind the "playing for the sake of playing" and I actually enjoyed fae farm (the price is too high for the content tho, so I still don't recommend it...). I also played Luma with a friend and it's a nice game to just grind and chat in and help each other's job out. I can see how playing alone would feel very mobile-gamey and mindless.
Just the fact that you mentioned the Lost In Blue games in comparison makes me happy. I've been looking for a similar, chilled out LiB-style island exploring game (with a less-frustrating crafting & health monitoring mechanic) for so long and I doubt it'll ever get a Switch port. I did download the Luma demo, but life sorta got in the way and never really played it. I might actually give it a try now.
Your reviews are always useful and to the point. Love your channel!
I really do appreciate these honest reviews. This looks good on the surface, but definitely doesn’t have the depth I’m looking for.
Hell yeah Josh, should have assumed you would have played Lost in Blue. A series I want so desperately to make a come back.
Thank you for this comprehensive review! Since I really don't like Fae Farm, I know this one isn't going to be for me!
Good review. Definitely seems like a good game if all you want to do is explore and find all the secrets, just a weird choice to add survival elements without the survival and really not do much with it.
Mobile game was definitely my thought looking at it, but yeah this game really could do with pairing upgrade path for things like needing to swap from blacksmith to jeweller to make exotic wepaons/armor. More or less the Palworld approach for upgrades (without the guns or creature capturing obviously) where it starts out with primitive setups and you slowly work your way towards later tech to end up with power generators for automation and to allow the player to light up their homestead like a Christmas tree if they wanted.
Thanks for the review, it helped me decide to take it off my wishlist for now. I’m not in the mood for a grind to grind game
I was definitely looking forward to your review 🎉
Thank you for the informative and fair take on the game.
6:16 I had that happening to me with Rune Factory 4, where the game kept me engaged going from one objective to the next, but I wasn't having fun. I was technically entertained but I wasn't enjoying myself, it's hard to describe but it feels like doing homework: you might be absorbed with it but is not enjoyable
This game has to be one of my fave cozy games this year 😭
It’s fantastic!
Thank you Josh for the review! This is the reason why I subscribe your channel 😊
so nice to hear lost in blue mentioned! loved those games and never met anyone that knows what they are lol.
So many things you’ve mentioned I never thought about. I would likely play this hard a day or two and then quit based on what you’ve said. I’ll keep an eye on it though thanks for sharing.
Finally, was waiting for your in depth review on the game. 🤔
I like this analysis! Very good point about keeping you hooked on a shallow and mindless game.
Completely agree with this review. Enjoyed the demo and just assumed the full game would have a lot more about it based on feedback from the play testers and demo users. Maybe the devs are planning more, but I don't know. It needs to be less grindy, there needs to be an eating/sleeping requirement (if not essential then at least a benefit to these things - gives you more power or something), things you craft need to be useful outside your profession (e.g. to other players in your group or to you when you switch professions), there needs to be more of a disadvantage to dying (at the moment I just allow spiders to kill me for a quick way to exit the cavern, LOL), and I wouldn't mind if the graphics were improved (even on Ultra it looks like a slightly poorly upscaled version of a mobile game). Villagers don't seem to be important (there little in the way of relationship you can create with them). The map rotation is so confusing - if they added a compass pointer to North it would at least help understand which way you're walking. Oh and if you try to clear a nice area in front of your caravan to walk around in it just gets overgrown quickly again (not a cosmetic issue - it actually slows down player movement). I was hoping for a cross between Stardew Valley and Captain Toad. At least I didn't pay £30 for this. Hopefully it'll improve in the next few months.
I love your reviews! Thank you so much.🙏🏽💖
this game might even remind me of Dreamlight Valley, a game where you can just play and do whatever and use resorces eventually do decorate.
man i just wanna say 1 thing
The game look very beautiful and soothing XD
Hello Josh 👋🏻
I feel completely the same way as you about luma island 🏝️ nice and ok, but not stunning (in short because have said everything). I have played the demo and this was enough to know where the game is heading for 🙈 it's not a game for me, but for my friend. And an hour ago she sent me a game code 🎁😅 sadly I know I will not enjoy this game but for her I will play it... Just a few times✨💕 I would really like to play fea farm again... For me it's the better choice between these two games🥰 but this is my opinion.
Thank you for your perspective on this.
FIRST, love your content FR!
Thank you!
Okay, hearing you explain this game and the same feeling you get from it as with Fea farm, makes sense to me. This game won't be for me. I get bored pretty fast with this.
Oh noes, I really was hoping this was like Fantasy Life. Thanks for the great review Josh, sadly I have to pass on this game.
Thank you for the video. I think it's very cute how you pronounce Luma haha 🌈
Will this not be a mobile game? I think it would be nice. It could be a good game for children, I think? 🤔 The progression between farm items to forest items and etc. might be shallow, but I think there should be enough distinction for children to feel they've progressed. Also, worry-free games were absolutely my faves growing up, though I like the management and progression gameplay.
It would be amazing as a mobile game without microtransactions! I don't think they've announced anything in regards to other platforms though!
Excellent review. You saved me some time and money, thank you. I am tired of the same rehashed mechanics. The graphics look phenomenal and a huge improvement from others, it reminds me most of the 2D Zelda games which is a huge compliment
Thank you for your honest review, this doesn't look like something I'd be into after hearing this. Everyone else has been hyping it up, but the way you laid it out... I'm gonna pass.
I think it would benefit to being able to use your items like fantasy life where the professions make your job easier in different ways.
Not every game has to be Stardew valley with a million overwhelming things to do. I loved Littlewood and this looks like a similar go-at-your-own-pace vibe. Thanks!
Oh I loved Lost in Blue, I put a lot hours into them. I might check this out.
These reviews are greaat because they make me appreciate alll of rune factory games' features! It's not easy to make great farming sim rpgs!
I truly appreciate your honesty when reviewing/showcasing games for us! This game seems to me to be an entry level game to gaming. As well it seems very “mobile-esk! “ I had my eye on it, curious, but it’s a big Nope for me.
I feel like we played two different games.
I played early access and it’s incredible!! One of the best games I’ve played in ages. Played the full version, though. Not the demo.
From your review it seems the game is closer to moonstone island style than RF or story of season series with hiw it focus more on chill exploration no punishment for the player. I just hope the changing class aspect were like fantasy life game where you gain exclusive rights to do more stuff so the game encourage your to constantly change it
I played Fae Farm, and at first, I was impressed-wow! But the deeper I got into the gameplay, the more meaningless it felt. I stopped feeding the animals because it took too much time, and the only consequence was that they were a bit sad-nothing serious. I rushed through the plot just to finish the game and get married, but the marriage was such a disappointment-they didn’t even sleep in the same bed! Overall, Fae Farm was just okay.
Luma Island, as you mentioned, looks very similar, and now I know I don’t need a second Fae Farm experience-thank you for pointing that out! 😊
Oh, and does Luma Island have romance options? That’s really important to me!
No, there is no romance (or any kind of relationships) in Luma Island!
i was afraid of this after thinking more about the game after playing the demo. there's not much to DO... just craft stuff for money, and explore. i guess you rebuild the buildings in town too after the earthquake, so that's something. but yeah, i figured there wasn't much point to the game other than the exploration
Thanks for the review. I realized it was not for me :)
I feel like the gameplay loop works so much better than Fae Farm. But yeah, it's definitely a simple grind game that should be fun with a couple of friends.
grapich looks very nice for the eyes. every cozy game really need coop feature.
What would you recommend for the gamers you mentioned in your conclusion? Because I was looking forward to play it with my dad, but we like time management and a little bit more of a challenge.
This doesn't look compelling enough to be worth a pickup when I've already got a backlog and there are a couple of new things looking to catch my attention in the next couple of weeks (the Medieval Dynasty autumn update on Nov. 27, Greece for Euro Truck Simulator 2 on Dec. 4.)
I don't like the idea of a Skinner box progression loop with single-use resources that are only good for selling.
Played an hour so far and I'm having fun but my biggest nitpick is the grind for materials since I watched someone do 100 days and one of their most complaints was how the tool upgrades barely make a noticeable difference until a few upgrades later. I do think the temples do get challenging and they'll probably be more stressful/harder than most people in the cozy community would like. I already don't really like that the trees/crops are so high maintenance which probably leans more to a tedious/annoying thing. For sure seems like a very questy and grindy game overall though. It was so interesting to hear your review after watching 5 hrs of someone playing it
Yeah, the tool upgrades are annoying... It's so subtle until you actually get to the next tier of ore. You don't get that feeling of becoming more efficient. 😭
Thank you for this review
Irritation is when your chopping around either mine or on island; You got to switch out tools every half second from axe; the pick axe; also weapon to switch around. It is a pain in the ass to do so. Torches needs to last a little longer; flares need to last longer.
Thanks for the review! The presentation looks amazing, but as a fan of HM/RF who couldn't enjoy modern farming sims other than Eastward Octopia, it sounds like I should pass on this one as well.
I think the points are fair, I had some concerns after trying the demo too but I think it will still be fun for a while
I like a game where you.dont have to.think too much sometimes.this game is brilliant to just chill out with
I'm curious does everything matter when you play as one of the more challenging level choices? Because if yes, that would make it alot more interesting for that. Although I work alot and struggling to find a farming game that you can just relax with. I think this one is going to be a favourite for me - hopefully! Just bought it. I love your review tho, and feel better knowing what to potentially expect hopefully devs add alot more into the game as it progresses. :)
I believe they removed that option in the full game! I saw a few ppl complaining abt it.
I was completely unimpressed by the Luma Island demo. I thought the characters mostly looked terrible. I thought that the gameplay was unintuitive. The thing I disliked the most was the incredibly low drop rate of materials, and the amount of materials I needed even at the beginning. I felt like I was being punished for playing it.
Just not for me, I think. I'll enjoy watching other people play it.
I had played the demo to and loved it but: Way are we even earning money? Does not look like we can decorate our home or buy a house or new clothes. I mis the building a house. I would not mind if there was a survival option with health and need to sleep.
You can buy blueprints for bigger houses with money! You can't decorate them, they also don't replace the caravan, but they work as fast travel points to other biomes.
Money also unlocks some blueprints.
You had me at Lost In Blue!
They need to bring that series back 😭
not to be too mean but this game seems like the sims 4 to me... all look and no substance
This is exactly how I was feeling when I played the demo. It felt like something was missing, but I didn't know what until I watched this review. It was definitely the feeling of it being shallow. Thank you for the review!
This game looks so cute and I was looking for a relaxing multiplayer game, but the crafting/farming/monster collecting being so pointless ruins it for me. Thank you for reviewing games in an honest way.
It almost feels like a cozy farming game for people who either actively dislike or just can't get into cozy farming games? Like the lack of typical limitations/expectations of the genre can be very freeing & welcoming to newcomers & those just looking for a mostly brain off experience. But stripping pretty much everything away may also almost completely trivialize the game for vets expecting something close to the depth they're used to. 🤔
Golden sun with farming vibes
I just burnt out on this game after a couple of long play sessions. Starting the Forest, all my progress went in the toilet and I'm starting over with garbage tools. Wow, am I tired of hitting a rock or a tree sixteen frikkin times to get through it, especially after grinding for many tool upgrades. LI didn't feel that grindy at first, but it ground me down.
That's riiight! Why crafting only for money? That's so boring.
If all people crafting only to sell the items, where the need to play together at all?
I thought the no energy only for demo so people can play longer...
Even if with no energy, they can choose to make 'hunger' for example, or eat something to increase drop items etc.
This is disappointing :(
I'm interested in knowing about NPCs? Do they talk to you? Do they have a unique personality? Are they even of any interest at all? I feel like you can tell if a Game is shallow just by that
The NPCs are only there to give you quests, and they don't have much personality or interesting dialogue unfortunately.
I wish brewing was better - seemed to just be a chef job. I expected it to be a mox of gathering and crafting - like glass blowing, fish scales for filtration, cross pollenation for different hops and grapes. But it was just farming and crafting like a chef 😢
I played the demo and didn't like the game from that experience. It felt shallow and pointless. I just didn't enjoy the game progression. I was very disappointed as I loved the graphics etc. I thought it was just me as so many were raving about it 😅. I watched your review to see if I was missing something, as it could be better than I thought, but you've confirmed my opinion. Not for me. I want games with story and purpose. Thanks for another great review 😀
That lost in blue deep cut ✊🏽
I have a need, a need for crafting.
I think I'll skip this one. Unfortunately, just doesn't sound like it's for me. I really hope everyone else has fun with it, though!
Hmm from your review alone I’m definitely mixed on it. I do enjoy games like Fae Farm but there’s just something about the way you describe it that makes it feel off from that. Sort of reminds me of Fantasy Life with the whole job system, but there they actually fleshed each job out fairly well. Having a single action button is a huge turn away.
Definitely got to watch more reviews on it, but my gut feeling is saying it’s a skip for me
Food buffs in a game with no health/Stam? Not worried about details like this. I’ve been wanting a game to just chill with and the demo has had me excited to play more. I knew I could put hours into this and walk away feeling happy with how the farm is coming out. Haven’t had that since stardew. Doesn’t look shallow to me. It depends on what you’re going for I suppose.
Shallow story wise! But I’ve been playing and I’m excited. I love putting a show on my second monitor and mindlessly chopping away at stuff lol. I’m playing with my fiance and I feel like chopping and stuff is faster that way.. we built our cottage in about 30 irl minutes.
can you move the buildings/machines once they're built? I can't find the option to do that.
I believe you have to remove them and place them again. It gives you all the materials back tho !
Kinda curious, is Fae Farm (wt DLC) worth it today? I tried the demo on Xbox and I dont like how I cant name my character and I felt like Im playing an MMO that got turned into a SP game.
If you didn't like the demo, I don't think your experience would be much different with the full game and DLC. It adds a bit of content, but the core of the game and main mechanics are all the same.
Lack of consequences makes me not want to play
ya, they really released a game as "full" when it is clearly very early access.
Boy you're hardcore
@@Reptonious It's valid criticism. Maybe they should make this a game mode instead of the standard.
How many hours of story content is there? Thank you
What games do you recommend that have 100s of hours of adventure and wonder, I play single player games. Thank you
I tried the game in beta and there was no map (or I'm just stupid), I was stuck by the shops for SOO long which made me want to uninstall it and never open it again. Did they add a map at all?
They improved the map a lot. I’m directionally challenged so I do get lost a lot. I play with my fiance who is great at in game maps and we’re fine.
Based on your description, it really does sound like a mobile game. I get the sense that while the development team knows how to create an RPG (artistic details, exploration, etc), they might not know how to make a raising simulation game. They probably have only a vague understanding, like "a raising simulation game needs to keep players engaged for a long time." As a result, they referenced mobile simulation games to design that aspect, inadvertently replicating the repetitive and addictive gameplay model typical of mobile games.
Imo they knew what they were doing and made a game easy to port to mobile. I thought it would be a mobile game as soon as I saw the graphics for some reason, even though they’re really nice. But I think we can give the devs the benefit of the doubt that they know how to research and do their jobs and actively chose to create simple gameplay like this (it’s great for families playing together with younger children, which was likely an audience they had in mind for the simple gameplay)