Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is now available in early access, with the first players already pouring in for solo and multiplayer adventures. You’d be forgiven for missing this release, however, as review code has arrived very late for most outlets, and it doesn’t appear there’s many critical reviews published just yet.
Famitsu is one of the only outlets to have a review ready, and it’s delivered a 9/9/9/9 score (36/40), which does appear very positive for keen players (via Gematsu).
For reference, GamesHub was able to get a code late Monday (19 May), and we have plans to release our review and early impressions as soon as possible. It appears other outlets are in a similar boat, so there may be some time before Metacritic and OpenCritic is flooded with opinions.
In the meantime, players who’ve already jumped in have turned to Steam to share their thoughts – and with over a thousand reviews banked up, there’s plenty of early player reviews to sift through. With these reviews amounting to a “Very Positive” score, it’s early good news for those looking forward to the game.
So far, the prevailing consensus is that Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is a worthy followup to Fantasy Life on the
Read: Fantasy Life i development challenges detailed by Level-5 CEO
The top-rated review, from Steam user Soraphina, notes the game is “pure joy.” While this user didn’t play the original Fantasy Life, they noted the game is great even as a newcomer, with plenty of cosy vibes, and great options for gameplay.
“The vibe is sweet, colorful, and just the right mix of questing and chill downtime,” Soraphina said. “If you love life sims with a fantasy twist (and a little patience at the start), this one might steal your time too.”
Another Steam user, Melody Knight, has compared the game favourably to Animal Crossing, noting it lacks some of the friction of this beloved game series.
Even with high expectations, user Lenicia has labelled Fantasy Life i as “absolutely worth it.”
“My expectations were high, but Fantasy Life i exceeded them in every way,” they wrote. “It combines life sim elements, cozy RPG mechanics and a beautiful fantasy setting in a way that feels both relaxing and exciting. The freedom to switch between different Jobs and the lovely mix of exploration, crafting, decorating, and completing quests kept me completely hooked.”
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time – Life Guide Trailer
Elsewhere, the game has received strong praise for its cutesy character designs, its silly sense of humour, its relaxed pacing, and its neat blend of different RPG mechanics.
As for what doesn’t quite work as well, users have noted a variety of minor bugbears that dampened their enjoyment, to some degree. Negative reviews include criticism of the game’s basic dialogue, and elements of grinding to level up.
Many players have also criticised the game’s multiplayer functionality, and this appears to be the biggest complaint so far. Reportedly, you can’t make meaningful progress in the game’s story with friends, but you can “exist in the same place.” This functionality also unlocks fairly late the game’s story, so those looking to play co-op may be disappointed.
“You can’t do the main story together (ok, that’s fine) but you can’t do Life Challenges (life quests) either??” one player noted in a negative review. “I’m honestly so disappointed in co-op.”
The better news is that those looking to approach Fantasy Life as a solo adventure will seemingly be pleased by everything else on offer. After a long wait for this sequel, it appears patient fans are being well-rewarded.
We’ll have our own thoughts on Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time live as soon as possible. Keep an eye out as more formal reviews land.
