In the farming adventure-RPG Deiland: Pocket Edition, the player takes control of Arco, who has been tasked with looking after a tiny planet. Arco must protect and develop his planet by chopping down trees, planting crops and looking after animals. There is a highly creative and chilled-out aspect to the game, with a relaxing soundtrack, colorful graphics and the ability to decorate and make Arco's planet feel like home. This gameplay loop will be perfect for Nintendo Switch-owning fans of Stardew Valley and similar farming games.
There is more to Deiland than just its gameplay, though. Developer Chibig, who also released Summer in Mara, plans for Deiland to surprise players with an interesting storyline about the history of the planets and Arco. The plot will have a foreboding element and the player will have to fight the darkness of the universe and evil creatures invading Arco's planet. Deiland's campaign has over 100 quests and more than 12 NPCs to meet, which is good news for players wanting a more task-orientated farming simulation.
With sandbox elements like crafting, mining and farming, Deiland bears a strong resemblance to Stardew Valley but has a refreshing change of scenery as the game is set in space. Players can sell crops in Deiland to advance through the game, which unlocks more features such as being able to mine the planet's core, exposing plenty of mysteries along the way.
Both Deiland and Stardew Valley have a day and night cycle that moves through all four seasons. This impacts gameplay, as certain crops are only available at certain points of the year. While in Stardew Valley the main difference between daytime and nighttime was the darker scenery, in Deiland, nighttime on the planet means players will be able to witness meteor showers, shooting stars and the aurora borealis.
In Deiland there is a survival aspect, similar to Stardew Valley's energy system. Looking after Arco's health and energy means being able to fight the aforementioned invaders. However, not all visitors are bad news, as the player is frequently visited by spaceships with NPCs to befriend, alongside traders to buy and sell with. Players can also hitch a ride on spaceships to visit other planets and explore them for resources or to complete quests.
While Stardew Valley has appeased players for years, those looking for a new farming experience should take note of Deiland's unique atmosphere and setting. The game appears to have a good balance between letting players have free roam over their planet and pushing them towards a campaign with various interesting characters. Deiland: Pocket Edition releases for Switch on April 15, and is an updated version of the 2018 Steam version. Both releases seem to have the same concept, while the Pocket Edition has updated graphics and a fine-tuned storyline.