Deiland (2018)

The concept of Deiland is charmingly unique. You are a boy named Arco, and you are the sole inhabitant of a small planet named Deiland. The gameplay mainly involves activities around the planet. These can be briefly described as farming, managing materials/resources, and alchemy (creation of potions). The game also features simple combat mechanics. While this description sounds simple, Deiland is almost deceptive regarding the amount of content it has. If you stick with it, you'll find yourself unlocking more and more things to do as the hours tick by.

Your planet eventually gets visits from a number of characters, who serve as merchants and quest-givers. Quests usually require you to collect certain things, or make certain things based on recipes. A few quests are combat-based. This is where Deiland's first major problem lies. Quests are dependent on each other to some extent, but the game gives you no indication as to how they connect. For example, completing an early quest for a certain character may require you to complete a later quest for another character so that you have a certain item or ability. Of course, there's no penalty for the quest remaining unresolved for any length of time, but this breaks the sense of progression so badly that you feel frustrated.

Yet another problem is a reliance on random events for certain quests. For example, a quest may require you to collect a specific item that is dropped by a specific enemy. The problem is that you have no control over when enemies appear and which type of enemies appear. This is extremely frustrating, and you may end up spending a lot of time waiting for the right enemy to spawn. You can always occupy yourself with activities around the planet, but that only goes so far. Planting a cherry tree and watering it is fun for the first few times, but it becomes boring after the 50th time.

At the time of writing this review, I have played Deiland for around 14 hours. I consider that a fairly significant time investment, and I do consider Deiland to be a good game. However, I can't bring myself to give it more than three stars. The major problems described above significantly hamper the overall experience of Deiland. I think Deiland nails the basics really well, but overall, I wish it was put together a little bit better.

Deiland involves nurturing a tiny planet, helping visitors, and slowly uncovering the secret that lies at its core. While the plot is simple and straightforward (sinister entity threatens the universe), the constant supply of quests and upgrades make a strangely compelling experience.

Deiland is technically a sandbox-RPG but, compared to others in the genre, the freedom it provides is very limited. Features like the cabin, lake, mine, and even crop plots are limited in both location and quantity, preventing you from coating the entire surface with farmland. Certain features like wells, flowerpots and trees can be placed almost anywhere, however it’s a good idea to leave a clearing so that visitors can land their spaceships.

Although it’s crammed with cuteness and charm, Deiland is also incredibly simple and straightforward. Combat involves hitting the various enemies with whatever tool you happen to have in your hand, and later includes casting simple spells. There are no real weapons to speak of, and creatures are mostly easy to defeat.

All of which means that Deiland is great for younger gamers, or for families to enjoy together (although the experience is strictly single-player). As a chilled, low-stress experience that strikes the right blend of cuteness and charm, Deiland certainly delivers, even though it lacks the depth and complexity of sandbox games that appeal to an older audience. Yes, there are a few bugs, but they don’t get in the way of the magical fun on offer.