Review of Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

Oh man, “Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time.” Honestly, it feels like this wild mashup—like if “Animal Crossing” and “Zelda” decided to throw a party. You start playing and, before you know it, hours slip away—like where did they even go? So many quirky characters, and the story? Way goofier and more in-depth than you’d expect. Leveling up different jobs is like falling into this really comfortable groove, you know? You think you’re just chopping trees one minute, and then boom—you’re in a boss fight. How is that not entertaining?

So, at first, everything feels pretty standard—just another life sim, right? You’re mining, fishing, helping the locals, chilling. But then, out of nowhere, you’re tossed into this GIANT map with colorful baddies and puzzles. You’re like, “Wait, this is a life sim?” Just when you think you’ve got a handle on things—BAM!—you’re suddenly building a village, then WHAM! rogue-like dungeons. My brain was like, “Okay, what’s next?” Half the time, you’re tackling straightforward tasks like chopping wood—then a huge tree-monster pops up. Never a dull moment.

And just when you think stuffing all these cool bits into one game would be a mess, it isn’t. It’s like mixing all your favorite foods into one dish, thinking it’ll be gross, but then it’s somehow the best thing ever? Battles, cozy chores turned epic, the whole package just works. Levelling up careers and running around doing errands feels super rewarding. Whether you’re cooking, smithing, or exploring, it’s like… it makes sense.

Let’s talk about the story. Classic fantasy land craziness: time travel, dragons, all that jazz. It’s got this whole job thing—14 Lives to dive into, all tied to some ancient culture. The plot is silly but surprisingly good. I found the archaeologist guy, Edward, oddly entertaining, and there’s a cheeky bird called Trip—he’s like that one friend who’s always ready with some snarky comment but never gets annoying.

Sure, the grind’s hefty, but nowhere near a deal-breaker. The biggest bummer? Sometimes you just don’t have it in you to chop hundreds of trees or farm endless veggies. Thankfully, you can kinda bypass the grind with options like skipping crafting minigames. Crafting and gathering are repetitive, but Fantasy Life i gives you ways to dodge the boring bits and chase those rare items instead.

Home is where you decorate Frank’s friends’ houses—sort of like “Animal Crossing” lite. Craft your own furniture, give gifts to villagers, toss in some artsy stuff once you spruce up your town enough. It’s not as deep as you’d hope, but a fun distraction in between forging swords or hunting treasure. And hey, you need a place for all that cool loot, am I right?

Combat feels kinda like a breather, stepping back from the plants and veggies to test out those warrior skills. Four combat Lives—Paladin, Mercenary, Hunter, and Magician. Simple, sure, but sometimes that’s all you need. Enemies abound in wide-open areas, from daily bunnies to boss dragons. Your adventuring buddies add skills to your crew, though their repetitive banter might drive you nuts.

Multiplayer is, well, there. Friends visit, see your setup, help defeat monsters, but it’s all timed which, let’s be honest here, just feels pointless. Running roguelike dungeons together? Now that’s a laugh and a half. Penning it down, even with its quirks—the solitude, fights, crafting frenzies, it somehow all makes sense. Just one of those crazy fun games.