There is such a wide variety of games available to players at any given time that it can be overwhelming. I enjoy a variety of genres and have been eating up recent releases from the last year from Super Mario Bros. Wonder to Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II, and each task and ask for different skills and dedication from their audiences. No matter the difficulty setting or level, most of the times games require the utmost attention and can be both a brain and energy drain. Sometimes, you just need to sit back and actually relax after a long day of work, and that is where a game such as Simpler Times. by developer Stoneskip, comes into play.
Simpler Times is not a long game. Simpler Times is not a major drain on your psyche. Simpler Times is just like this sentence structure – simple! The game is all about listening to some relaxing, lo-fi music as you take on the role of a girl working on different projects in her room across the four seasons. Accompanying the events is a subtle story about growing up and going off on your own (it even begins with her packing and getting ready to live away from home for the first time).
The game takes a moment to get used to the controls, as you do not move with d-pad or joystick – it is actually in the vein of a point and click adventure game with drag and hold controls for items. Once you understand it, it is quickly intuitive. The game is then all about solving different, but low-key puzzles, completing objectives like taking photos, painting portraits, or viewing constellations, and enjoying the smooth jazz and other tunes on your vinyl record player. This is also a very neat trick – certain records will switch the seasons to the next setting at a previous place in the main character’s lifetime. All of these events and objectives will be catalogued in the scrapbook, which also contains pages for the stickers you collect throughout the game, which can be placed on your suitcases at the end.
Overall, Simpler Times is not an adrenaline rush of a game, and that is the point. The game will not take you longer than an hour or so to beat, and is more about its relaxation and meditation to some light story elements. At ten dollars, it is prices incredibly well (consider something like a comic book lasts less than half the time and can be four to right dollars!). If you are in the mood for something laid back after work instead of getting angry at Elden Ring for the hundredth time, I definitely recommend checking out Simpler Times.
Score: 8/10
Simpler Times is available for PC via Steam for $9.99.
Related: Reviews by Matt O’Toole
Your local neighborhood nutjob, gamer, and teacher! I'm an avid fan of many genres such as platformers, shooters, horror, etc. I am also an avid tabletop gamer - hugely into the worlds of Warhammer and all of their spinoffs. I'm a big believer in being objective - even if something is not my cup of tea, I want to talk about it on the objective level - is it well made, crafted with love, and with care for the fans? If so, that's a good game in my book for someone and well worth their hard earned dollarydoos!
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