A Charming Little Life | Everafter Falls | PS5.

Publisher: Akupara Games
Developer: SquareHusky
PS5 Review

*Disclaimer: I was sent the code for this game for PS4 in return for a review, all opinions are mine and mine alone.

As I sit here typing this up I realise I have an issue, that issue is cosy games. I cannot get enough of them, their popularity is growing in a very positive way. It's opened the world of gaming for a lot of people who have discovered that not every game is met with difficulty and shooting, instead they can relax in a world of cuteness and calmness and Everafter Falls definitely is one of them games! It doesn't take itself too seriously and even gives a mention to some other very cosy games when you first enter Everafter Falls which was a nice little touch. Yes, Everafter Falls is another farming sim, we have seen them time and time again but they all have their own unique quirks and styles. Everafter Falls is a world full of animal creatures instead of humans. Packed full of different activities such as farming, fishing, exploring and even combat players get hours of fun with your very own pet cat.

Let's Get it Started!

I was first given a choice of what I wanted my farm to look like, there were 3 different choices; Standard, Mini and Moat, just like my friend Leeks I chose the standard layout, it seemed like the easiest choice and I could eventually build upon my land without being restricted to a smaller size or being surrounded by water. Next was my favourite part, the character customisation, I was impressed with the choice we was given, especially because i got to choose the colour of my cat and her name! I gave my cat the same name as my own little kitty Gizzy to make it feel a bit more personal, if there is a choice to go on adventures in a game with my indoor cat I may as well take advantage of creating her in game form, even if I did make her pink.

Entering the world of Everafter Falls on a rainy evening we make our way to our farm whilst meeting the characters we start our new lives with. It's all a lot to unpack at the start, you did just find out your previous life was all a simulation and this is the real world for you now, it sounds too farfetched doesn't it? You go with the flow and start your new life that you have no memory of, I guess that means it's time to make new memories! From this moment, you're put in charge of your own farm and given responsibilities, the towns people are now going to rely on you for help.

I found myself walking around the map as far as I could to get to know every character and memorise where they are situated/lived in order to stop checking the map, it didn't work very well as they would be all over the map exploring for themselves. Gathering materials was something I ALWAYS make sure I do in games, I get worried I will run out of what I need and then soon discover I don't have enough storage, anyone else do that? No problem though, a lot of what I had already gathered was used to complete quests, I finished some quite quickly by planning a head with my material gathering, then things started to slow down, I would have to learn how to get hold of certain materials for machines to better my farm.

A handy feature that made my life easier was my pet cat, they are more than just a pet they help you with the farming grind and will dig, plow and water your plants for you. As someone who has played many farming sims it can be a hassle to stand around doing it yourself, you can select 6 patches of land for your cat to work on before selecting more. Another feature I love are the card cookies you can eat, they offer a choice of abilities to help you, your farm and gameplay, the most recent one I used was a fishing perk to slow down the spinning wheel, it was much needed, I still have a lot of practicing to do when it comes to catching fish. 

When collecting materials I came across the museum and aquarium, I donated a good variety of shells, fish and marine life to fill up the fish tank, players will need a fishing-rod to collect the fish, this is something that will be given to you to make very early on in the game. I'm a little impatient and will grind my life away until I get all of the equipment I need, instead I ended up taking my time, slowing down and taking it all in rather than rushing. This is how I discovered the ghosts called spooklets who bring you home when you're out too late, I would have stayed out all night playing in the dungeons if it wasn't for this. If you want to experience the gameplay with someone else there is an added split screen feature, I would have loved if I could play online with my friends or sisters but split screen will do me just fine too. 

The charming thing about this game is just how well it all slots together, from the music to the graphics everything about this game has a charm about it, I will be honest, I needed something to fill the Animal Crossing void for me as I no longer play it as much, Everafter Falls has everything I wish Animal Crossing had and more. They've also made sure to implement accessibility features for players who need it which I will always welcome in the gaming world, some of the features are disabling the flickering effect, colorblind assistance and tone down colours. I myself ended up turning on tone down colours, it was needed when my eyes weren't feeling the best. I'm so happy I was given a chance to play and review Everafter Falls, its taken a spot in my heart, fellow cosy gamers like myself are going to get hooked on it! The release date will be tomorrow, June 20th, be sure to check it out!

Have a cosy day

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