Ashwood Valley is essentially a reskinned Stardew Valley, which isn’t a bad thing. A lot of games take inspiration from one another, and the influence that Stardew has definitely shows in this title. That said, the two couldn’t be more different. So, let’s get into it in this Ashwood Valley Switch Review, where I tell you all about my experience with the game.
Ashwood Valley Switch Review
You begin in a sickeningly sweet pink map during early Spring, and must navigate your way around to find the few NPCs. The story follows you and your sibling, who turns himself into a cat and accidentally teleports you both into this new and magical land.
Together, you must cultivate a new life whilst trying to find your way home and undo the spell that has befallen your now feline brother. Cute and simple; I like it!
Except, that’s it. After the initial lore, I felt lost and overwhelmed. One of the early-game quests prompted me to introduce myself to the locals, of which there weren’t many, and they were sparsely located around the vast and otherwise empty map.
Speaking of maps, I wish this game offered a small corner map, as I was so easily turned around and couldn’t find my way. Don’t get me wrong, you can view the map if you open your menu/inventory, but it doesn’t have a live cursor to track movements, nor is it helpful when traversing, since you need to stop to access it.
The NPCs themselves weren’t that engaging, so I found myself avoiding them for most of the early game. Except that sweet old lady who gave me free seeds, she is based.
I think overall, Ashwood Valley just begins a little…slow? Maybe I’d be more keen had I played Stardew Valley and understood the motives, but I found myself in a boring cycle of wake up, water crops, pet and feed whatever animal I could find, sleep, repeat.
Aside from the map issue, my only other main problem resided in the controls themselves. Sometimes the game would feel unresponsive and difficult, especially when trying to select the correct tile to hoe, harvest, water, etc.
That Aside, Did Ashwood Valley Redeem Itself?
After fumbling through early-game progression and getting a handle on things, I did find Ashwood Valley quite relaxing and cosy, a very popular and beloved genre when done right.
I think this game serves a classic purpose; it’s simple, sweet, and enjoyable if you already know you like lazy farming simulators that let you take things at your own pace.
It’s fun to farm, plan your crops and their layout per season, and tend to the animals that you eventually tame. I was a big fan of noticing that tamed animals changed colours depending on their feed.
Overall, I think Ashwood Valley need to invest more in plot and engagement. It’s all well and good having cute maps and designs, but without lore, nothing is compelling me to appreciate the overall game. Would I recommend it? Maybe if it was on sale, which it currently is via the Switch Store!
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