reviews went out today. this thread is kinda rushed, so I'll be adding more as I go
80 average on Metacritic and Open Critic
Switch
PC
PS4
Hey Poor Player - 4/5
The Escapist - 8
Game Informer - 7.5
Nintendo World Report - 9
RPG Fan - 85
RPG Site - 6
Dual Shockers - 7.5
The Guardian - 4/5
Siliconera - 7
Gamekult - 5/10
Switch up - 88
Switch Watch - 9
80 average on Metacritic and Open Critic
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin combines side-scrolling action with deep crafting and farming simulation. Players take on the role of Sakuna, a spoiled harvest goddess banished to a dangerous island with a group of outcast humans. As she explores the beautiful, forbidding environments of the island...
www.metacritic.com
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin Critic Reviews
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin has been reviewed by 71 critics and currently has a 'Strong' rating. Read and browse them all to learn what the top critics in the video game industry are saying.
opencritic.com
Switch
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site
Buy Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.
www.nintendo.com
PC
PS4
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin - Digital Deluxe Edition
Sakuna Of Rice and Ruin Digital Deluxe Edition Contents ●Sakuna Of Rice and Ruin game ●Digital soundtrack with 42 tracks ●4 Exclusive PS4™ Themes ●PSN Avatar Set with 9 avatars Spoiled harvest goddess Sakuna finds herself banished from her opulent celestial home to an island overrun with...
store.playstation.com
Hey Poor Player - 4/5
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin isn't perfect, but the good more than outweighs the bad here. It's just frustrating for me personally, cause there were so many things about the game that could have translated to a perfect experience. There's just too many missteps for that. Thankfully, what's here is still very much worth the price of admission. If you want a game you can sink hours and hours into while enjoying a meandering and surprising story, you have to check this one out.
The Escapist - 8
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is ultimately a charming and fun adventure. The farming mechanics could have been explained more explicitly, but once everything clicks, you come to appreciate how well both the farming simulation and sidescrolling action adventure aspects complement each other. Sakuna starts off as a spoiled goddess with no concern for anyone but herself. But as she learns the value of hard work through harvesting rice and bonds with her group of outcast humans, she truly grows into a heroine fit to conquer the Isle of Demons.
Game Informer - 7.5
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is full of highs and lows. From one moment to the next, it can be a lot of fun. Farming and fighting are each entertaining independently, but the systems supporting those central concepts feel unrefined. Combat is cool, but the pacing interrupts its momentum. The rice-based progression is interesting, but the story and characters are not. All of these trade-offs prevent Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin from delivering its full bounty, though you can still reap the benefits of its novel combination of ideas.
Nintendo World Report - 9
As we come to the end of 2020 (thank god), any gamer's thoughts turn to their Game of the Year contenders. While it's going to be very difficult, if not impossible, to knock Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 off the throne, Sakuna: Of Rice & Ruin, is, at least, a close second (Tony Hawk also isn't on Switch). When I first heard of this game, it looked like a lovely combination of Muramasa: The Demon Blade and Harvest Moon. As it turns out, that's not too far from the truth, and let me tell you--it works.
RPG Fan - 85
In the end, Sakuna left me aglow with a warm nostalgia reminiscent of PlayStation 2 favourites like Okami, Odin Sphere, or Dark Cloud. Sakuna is a solid title with a lot of fun to be had. It has ambition, charm, and a whole myriad of interlocking systems to dive into. Despite some tedium in the early game and a dearth of content in the late game, the overall package is strong. The rhythm of the gameplay loop never loses its ability to calm and easily leads to a state of video game zen. One part beat 'em up RPG and one part farming sim, Sakuna truly excels in how well it blends these two genres. As far as I am concerned, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is worth playing not just for those interested in either genre, but for people who want a taste of what indie titles can be.
RPG Site - 6
I jive a lot of what Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin sets out to achieve conceptually as it juggles between tight fast-paced action RPG combat and thorough rice farming mechanics. Edelweiss unfortunately fumbles on key areas to an otherwise charming title. Platforming is a hassle most of the time, especially in later areas. Every system feels a step too steep into resource micromanagement, and it made me feel as if I was always playing on a tight schedule rather than being able to progress at my leisure. I wish I loved this game more, because there is a lot of heart, but sadly I came away merely lukewarm from the experience.
Dual Shockers - 7.5
Still, this is absolutely a title worth supporting. I respect that Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin was made, and can appreciate how much of a dedicated passion project this is. If any of this sounds like it's up your alley, I strongly urge you to check it out. There's certainly nothing else quite like it in this genre combination, that's for sure, and hopefully you'll get more out of it than I did.
The Guardian - 4/5
Sakuna is more than the sum of its parts. Individually each element is just a bit lacking: the exploration is limited, the pacing a little tedious, the combat doesn't quite have the depth of a true action-brawler and even the farming proves repetitive. But just as sunlight, fertiliser, water and toil together produce a bountiful harvest, all of this game's elements come together to make something hearty and unexpected.
Siliconera - 7
is a game that grows on you. People accustomed to farming simulations like Story of Seasons or even Rune Factory will find themselves forced to suddenly pay way more attention to the process of growing crops than before, then be patient since it will be in-game years before you "get good" at growing crops. Folks coming in because the combat seems satisfying will have to understand this is a game where constantly revisiting areas and keeping up with farming will be necessary to make any sort of significant progress. And everyone will have to deal with the fact that the lighting system and fonts will sometimes make you strain your eyes as you try to get things done. It definitely builds into something enjoyable, but it takes its time getting there and makes you work for it.
Gamekult - 5/10
Switch up - 88
Switch Watch - 9
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