Fae Farm Brings the Action and Storyline That Most Cozy Games Are Missing

As someone who has been a fan of farming simulations and RPGs since childhood, Fae Farm instantly caught my eye when I learned about it at this year's E3 event.

Marketed as a "magic-infused cozy farming sim," Fae Farm takes players on a journey to improve the enchanted island of Azoria. You'll get to farm (of course!), fish, catch bugs and build relationships with Azorian locals. And like most "cozy" games—the rote work becomes addicting, like a chaotic compulsion to ultimately create the world of all words. I can attest because, on the first day of gameplay, I devoted eight hours to it.

Below, find my honest review of Fae Farm, played on PC.

Designing Your Character

When you first launch the game, Fae Farm greets you with an invitation to name your character—which is also the display name of the Phoenix Labs account you must create—and the "world." But unlike other farming sims like Animal Crossing, the name you choose is actually your save file, so don't feel too pressured to conjure up something creative. The island uses the default name, Azoria.

From playing other games, I've gotten used to only selecting your name one time. Of course, I didn't realize that my Phoenix Labs user would also be my character in Fae Farm. I actually ended up completely deleting my save and tried to make a new account before I realized that you can, in fact, change your name on their website. It's a feature I wish more games had (and I would've appreciated it if it was a smidge more obvious in Fae Farm).

Then, you choose your character's body type, facial features and hair and skin color. The swatches are on a giant color grid, so you can get very accurate to your actual appearance or go full fantasy with a more vibrant tone. After you finish designing, you choose your pronouns and the voice you'd like your character to have.

(Fae Farm via Phoenix Labs)

I have to give the Fae Farm developers major points for their inclusivity with this game. You have multiple bodies to choose from. The hair offers different textures, from straight to kinky, as well as a hijab option. Without any gender lock, the possibilities are endless—you can make a feminine-presenting character with a masculine voice and vice versa.

Once you enter the game, the amicable mayor of Azoria, Merritt, offers you to name your house, also referred to as the homestead. Again, I had another case of thinking long and hard about the name I would select, only to fall slightly disappointed that it was virtually meaningless because the map displays your home as "Homestead."

 

Also read about: Sea of Stars Is a Satisfying, Retro-Inspired RPG Sure to Delight Both New and Old Fans

 

Chapter-Based Storyline

The first chapter of the game is the tutorial. Merritt teaches you the ways of living in Azoria, from generating your first farming plot near your homestead to gathering materials around the island and crafting new furniture. She then introduces you to the townies, who teach you how to fish, catch creatures and sell items at the marketplace. 

The second chapter (and possibly the shortest) brings context to the rest of the game. You go on a quest with the spellcaster Alaris to clear the thorns in Azoria, and he later rewards you with a magical staff to extinguish more weeds throughout the island on your own time.

(Fae Farm via Phoenix Labs)

By chapter three, I got into the mode of having a guided experience through the game. And honestly, I preferred it. I often get bored with other farming simulations because the game is only about building your world, but there was more purpose in Fae Farm. It's a very nice break from doing nothing but farming, fishing and having mindless conversations with the NPCs.

I won't spoil the rest of the game for you, but it's worth discovering. It gets more action-packed with combat, and, of course, you'll unlock new powers and abilities as you upgrade your tools. You'll also discover new parts of the world, including the Fae Realm, which may or may not be the cause of Azoria's frequent natural disasters.

 

Also read about: Disney's Illusion Island Has One-of-a-Kind Charm and Family-Friendly Fun

 

The Mechanics

I'd like to believe I have precise hand-eye coordination, but Fae Farm definitely put that to the test.

One of my qualms with the game is that I had trouble understanding the controls of the game (as a native English speaker). For example, when I started fishing, I nearly ran out of fish to throw my line to because, at first, it was very challenging. Turns out, there's a lot of back and forth, and with the weaker fishing rod, you're basically fighting with the fish before it either gives up the battle or breaks your line. Once I started fishing regularly, it was straightforward, but the initial learning curve was mildly annoying.

(Fae Farm via Phoenix Labs)

Almost all other aspects of the game were easy to catch onto, even combat, which initiated the "relaxing" nature of cozy games.

Throughout the game, you can talk to Azorian citizens to create platonic and romantic relationships. I found the interactions underdeveloped and would've liked to see more personality between the characters. It was sometimes hard to avoid developing romantic relationships because it would increase the connection when I didn't necessarily want to. However, there is some intention behind it because you can get the character of your dreams by repeatedly interacting with them and giving gifts. As you grow the relationship, you'll unlock romantic quests that ultimately lead to marriage. However, there is hardly any incentive to be married, and it costs 10,000 florins (the currency of Azoria).

 

Also read about: The 5 Easiest Video Games for Beginner Gamers

 

Bottom Line

There really is a lot to love about Fae Farm.

First, I loved the art style. It reminded me of an MMORPG I played during the early 2010s, Free Realms, another human-fairy hybrid story. And the "chibi" like characters are reminiscent of the MySims franchise from the 2000s. So, it was refreshing to see a retro-feeling aesthetic without going full into the '80s aesthetic with a stereotypical 8-bit design.

The storyline motivated me to continue playing. When I think of games like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, only the first few moments are exciting, and then it becomes watered down. With Fae Farm, even if you're 50 hours deep into the game, there are still new characters to meet and areas of Azoria to unlock. Hopefully, Phoenix Labs will offer ongoing development similar to Disney Dreamlight Valley.

(Fae Farms via Phoenix Labs)

I played the game on my gaming computer, but I do believe this game is better suited for Nintendo Switch. If you prefer to play with WASD, you'll likely have no problem with the computer mechanics, but I have always preferred using the arrows. From what I understand, there is no option to change the control keys, so it took some time to get acclimated to everything.

In my experience, Nintendo Switch games have had a mostly universal control scheme, so I imagine Fae Farm would've used the typical buttons, and I would have gone through the game much more smoothly if I went through it on that console.

With that said, I was very impressed, considering Phoenix Labs is an independent company and Fae Farm is their second game overall. Despite the minor tweaks I would make to the relationships, this game is definitely entertaining with a rich storyline. It's one of those games I can see enjoyable for players of all backgrounds, ages and experience levels.

 

Curious about our other favorite video games? Read HERE for our complete review The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood.