She Said, He Said is a new review segment at The Otaku Authority where we show two sides of the same coin. We offer two points of view (Jenn Covey and Ross Smart) from geeks who love consuming media in all of its forms and look at them in different ways.
SHE SAID
Let me first say that I am new to the whole cozy games genre, and this is one of the first games I started to play, after paying off my debt to a raccoon and taking over my Grandfather’s farm . Rest assured, this isn’t a review of either of those games, but rather an intro as to how I came to play Sun Haven, as it’s hard to deny their influence.
While not actively looking for multiplayer games, I always kept an eye out for anything that looked interesting. One night while browsing social media, I saw an Ad for Sun Haven, which called itself a cozy game with D&D flavor. This intrigued me, despite not being an avid player of either, and I decided to head over to Steam and check it out. It was listed at $23.99 and was on sale for $19.99 so I grabbed it to see what it was all about.
Initial loading of the game took quite a while, which took me by surprise, but as you read, you’ll come to understand. Character creation offers 7 races: Human, Elf, Demon, Angel, Amari, Element and Naga. Each race is fully customizable from hair, horns, aura, hairstyle, eye shape, etc. down to the color and season of the clothing worn. Each race is easily distinguishable from each other and each comes with a unique gift, or skill. For example, if you’re starting as a Demon, you’ll get a perk called Shadow Rush that will increase your movement speed by 75% for 5 seconds, which is very valuable for many reasons, including combat (yep, I said combat!).
There are 5 areas to use skill points in: Exploration, Farming, Mining, Combat and Fishing are the main areas to choose perks, and the ability to level those perks. Some are hilarious, some are a bit repetitive but they’re all mostly useful, especially crafting meals, desserts, snacks and drinks for unique buffs, mana and health.
One of the things I really enjoy about this game is the ability to purchase pets, which include puppies, kittens, sharks, bunnies, kitsune, snakes, plus there are pet drops from the seasonal bosses (for more seasonal boss info see He Said review section). Not only can you purchase or be gifted pets, but the pet shop sells collars/tags so that you can name your pets, and even more, your livestock! Chickens, sheep, cows and pigs can be purchased at the home base farm and housed in barns for easy collection of resources, and all pets respond adorably to affection.
There are several options for how long you’d like your day to be, ranging from a few minutes to almost an hour. Bedtime is at midnight, and the clock turns red starting at 10pm. One of the most notable things about Sun Haven is that actions are not dependent upon your energy level. You can do whatever you’d like, barring combat, without needing to eat or replenish energy to continue activities. If you aren’t in bed by midnight, however, no amount of snacking or taking potions will help.
There are a couple things I’d like to see changed, such as items automatically being placed into your hot bar, rather than your inventory. Likewise, when putting things into storage, the hot bar is not considered and items there must be placed manually into storage instead of being included in the “place all” or “take all” function. Also, even though the blog indicated that romanceable characters will be extended to actual players who co-op and not just villagers, that option hasn’t been included, despite an announcement 2 years ago. (hint hint!)
While co-op is still a little awkward in terms of quest completion, currency/resource sharing/museum collections, and opening shortcuts with local beasties, I anticipate that to be smoothed out in the future. Sun Haven does have a very active Discord, so the community is heard when things go right or wrong and we are appreciated.
As someone who is new to this genre mixing, I’ve fallen in love with this game and will keep playing long after the main questline is completed. It’s clever, with engaging dialogue, rewarding side quests, colorful and realistic graphics plus a genuine sense of family when you get to know your neighbors and the townsfolk. Grab a straw hat and your baby dragon and dive in, adventurer!
HE SAID
It’s hard to deny the influence of one of the games that started it all, because even when writing a review of a very different game that just happens to share a genre with it, like Sun Haven, I find it almost impossible not to mention it. And to some, like myself, Grandpa’s farm was appealing but was also lacking a certain something. This lead me to another, an engaging game with a dark underworld tone and was the first game of that kind that really hooked me, and I wanted more. Along came Sun Haven, a delightful 16-bit style Farming Sim and Fantasy RPG hybrid with colorful graphics and a pleasant world to be a part of.
Sun Haven is a game with a lot of freedom of choice when it comes to crafting and the upgrades associated with it. The upgrades that come with delving into crafting are essential to making a functional and interesting looking living space and farm.
All of the crafting stations in the game build off of each other and it makes investing in the crafting perks feel rewarding throughout, and the growth and customization that is made available in small doses at a time would make any completionist salivate. Speaking of collecting, the museum, a staple feature in many games of this type, also feels very rewarding throughout, gifting rare items and outfits that give bonuses to various stats that remain useful through the game’s many quests and trials (not that any situation feels all that dire mind you, it is a “cozy” game through and through).
Difficulty definitely isn’t a huge factor in Sun Haven, and nothing I’ve encountered has a strict time limit that can’t also be redone very easily. Also, if you prefer a more or even less realistic world atmosphere, you have options for “invincibility,” “No Weather Effects,” and “Turn off Bosses” among others if you just want to tend your fields without the threat to your life or to your crops.
The game’s “Bosses” are seasonal creatures that technically can be beat solo, but the game maneuvers you into requesting the aid of townsfolk, and in rare cases, allows your co-op partner to assist. The bosses are a nuisance if not handled quickly but in all fairness, do drop very useful materials and items for crafting and farming. It’s a bit of a letdown, however, to see that they come back seasonally, which feels repetitious, considering how short each season is.
Multiplayer is where this game truly shines, creating a virtual place to live with friends or a loved one, that is a blast and can be very engaging and memorable, if not occasionally rough around the edges while in co-op mode. The small issues present when trying to complete the main quest together, but do not come close to overshadowing the time that can be had building barns, caring for animals (though currently caring for animals is very basic,) and of course growing crops. Not to mention the quests to conquer and the favors to dish out.
I feel Sun Haven is a game that has a lot to offer to several different types of gamers, and with updates coming pretty frequently, it’s always becoming more so. It’s fun as a time waster or as a much more dedicated experience, and it does a great job of making you feel like you can play how you want and never pushes you in a certain direction; a perfect cozy game for those that love them, or even just as a small side game in between big releases. It’s a great time, and at the end of day that’s what gaming is all about.
This is the first installment of She Said, He Said. We hope you enjoyed it.
Sun Haven is available now on Steam and Nintendo Switch
Solid first review from the She Said He Said team this game was not on my radar but nothing like an honest set of reviews to peak one’s interest in what sound like an fun multiplayer that is alway improving