Roots of Pacha is a farming sim set in the stone age. I mean, how much more do I need to write about it?

Warning: Spoilers Ahead

One big piece where I think Stardew Valley has always fallen short is the characters. Maybe because World’s Dawn came out around the same time and one of its strengths was the characters. In any case, Roots of Pacha does not share these same shortcomings. I love these characters. They are warm and loving, but each distinct with their own foibles. My darling Jag is a great example. Sturdy but unyieldingly kind. Terrified of the dark, keeper of the light, supportive of all his clan. (Somebody online said they wondered if Jag waits for the last ones going to festivals because he won’t leave anyone behind after what happened to him T0T).

I’m a sucker for pixel art so that’s an easy point.

The farming is fantastic. The Idea system is well thought out and is such a fun way to unlock new methods and facilities. I loved when a villager would pop up and tell me about their big idea for keeping animals or watering my crops. It’s a romantic concept and a novel one in a genre that could easily decay into stagnation. Leveling up the crops is also a great addition which helped me keep interest after endgame and plays in great with the theme of the whole game.

Festivals are diverse and have an interactive aspect that I love. Too often these games just have a gathering with no participation in the actual ‘event’. It’s a pitfall that the Marvelous Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons games have fallen into in the past pretty heavily. Go to a festival, say hello, leave. Not a problem in this game. It’s a small thing really but it really resonates with me.

Look, farming games are my jam. I have opinions. And this game is rad.

Honestly, I don’t have a lot a lot of criticism. There are a few parts of the game, like the other villages, that could be expanded upon, but the devs have a lot of exciting stuff planned for the future. I may even start a new file! Maybe. I would probably be really boring and partner with Jag again, he is so precious. More endgame content could be added as well, but again, the devs have plans. So far, they’ve done a solid job of updating and listening to player feedback so I do have great hopes for the future of the game.

Bottom line – it’s great, go play it.