Homestead Arcana
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Critic Reviews for Homestead Arcana
Homestead Arcana has some interesting ideas, but cumbersome farming and a lack of interesting things to do make it hard to recommend.
Homestead Arcana is a surface level farm-life sim/adventure game that can be best described as a vegetable that is too misshapen to be sold in the grocery store on its own. Rather bound up with the other 'rejects' for a cheaper price.
Homestead Arcana is a farming simulator at heart, inspired by the myths and legends of magic. If you’re looking for a magical challenge, running through the Miasma is certain to provide that thrill. It is a cute casual adventure RPG that is sure to keep any fan of anime entertained for hours.
Homestead Arcana is a welcome addition to the cozy gaming space. A complete lack of combat, interesting magical farming techniques, and rewarding yet tense exploration that focuses on using spells to outwit your opponents rather than destroy, all contribute to an experience that manages to elevate itself and stand out. It may lack the engaging side content that ultimately keeps many around games such as this once the critical path is completed, not every game needs to be a time-devouring behemoth, and some may actually appreciate the breezier experience that Homestead Arcana presents. If you’re looking for a distraction from the genre’s heavy hitters, then the adventures of Billie and Huckleberry are well worth experiencing.
Homestead Arcana's world is creative and the lore that unravels about the player's family history is interesting, particularly when it comes to Huck, who's voiced by the impeccable Yuri Lowenthal. It's clearly designed to be a slow-paced game, which in its own right isn't a bad thing, but some of the ways it goes about achieving this can feel frustrating. However, for those willing to sink the time in, Homestead Arcana could be a good fit for players looking to journey through a magical story alongside an adorable companion.
Homestead Arcana is the next big step for Serenity Forge with a masterpiece of a game. From the well thought out sights, plant life, and even the occasional hostile animal to the incredible storytelling. You'll find yourself losing more time than any game should let you, but you won't regret a single second of it when you're out exploring and learning more about what happened before the Miasma took over.
Overall, I would have to say that Homestead Arcana is aggressively okay. It tries really hard to be fresh and different, and I appreciate that. However, the amount of empty space makes it feel unfinished. There was a bug that seemed to ruin my playthrough, and there were no NPCs to talk to give me a better sense of place. While I had a cat to chat with for the couple of hours I played and a shopkeeper showed up every morning, it was so lonely and vast that I felt how the world was falling apart. This could have been used to the game’s advantage, but it just fell flat instead of using that space to remind you of what you left behind to become a farmer at the very edges of the safe zone. I like Homestead Arcana; I feel like it has a lot of positive things about it. Unfortunately, I don’t think it is in great shape currently.
