Round Up: The Reviews Are In For Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

Level-5’s latest title Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time launched earlier this week and has generally garnered positive feedback from fans. Now, as part of an update, the initial assessments are starting to emerge online for the Switch edition of the game and other platforms.

IGN‘s “in progress” evaluation highlights how this fresh installment “appears to have achieved the equilibrium between everyday cozy activities and more adventurously intense exploration, making it challenging to foresee what might transpire next”. It also notes that the characters and narrative thus far are both “delightfully quirky and more profound” – with the RPG-like Life system of leveling being “easy to get deeply engaged in”.

CGMagazine engaged with the PC iteration of the game, giving it a rating of 9 out of 10 and declaring it an enhancement over the series in “every possible respect” while also presenting one of the most “content-rich games of the year”.

“Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is an essential title, even if you’re not usually a fan of simulation or farming games, marking it as one of Level-5’s finest releases to date.”

Tech Gaming awarded Level-5’s new title a rating of 93% on PC, characterizing it as a “captivating and content-rich life simulation RPG that adeptly fuses crafting, combat, and exploration” although it expressed that the multiplayer mode was “restricted” and “combat merely satisfactory”.

“The game’s heartfelt storytelling and an evocative soundtrack render it a thoroughly fulfilling solo journey.”

Some gamers have also appeared to be taken aback by the design choices within the multiplayer aspect of the game.

YouTube channel Miss Bubbles tested the Switch version, but will likely be opting for other versions of the game. Regarding the gameplay on Nintendo’s system, the combat was “smooth and adequate” and performance-wise, the experience was “decent”.

“I sincerely hope that the confirmed Switch 2 upgrade will be a substantial improvement, but for now, I will just be gaming on Steam Deck.”

Additionally, SwitchUp’s YouTube assessment was much more favorable towards the Switch version, giving it a rating of 91% and labeling it as “unmissable”. In terms of performance, online the frame rate reportedly aims for 30 but experiences notable drops during busier scenes. In single-player mode, though, the frame rate is more uniform and visual fidelity is enhanced, and in handheld mode, the experience remains “about the same”, with loading times under 10 seconds.

“I would rate the visuals and performance 17 out of 20…Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is a delightful experience; it easily ranks among my top five games of the year thus far.”

If you remain undecided about the new Fantasy Life game for Switch, you might want to contemplate the Switch 2 paid upgrade. As previously outlined, this version of the game is anticipated to include enhanced resolution and frame rate. The cost for this upgrade hasn’t been disclosed yet, but it is anticipated to be just a few coins.

Keep an eye out for the Nintendo Life Switch review of Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, which should be available on the site at some point next week. We’ve also got some direct video footage of the Switch launch on our YouTube channel.

Are you engaging with the new Fantasy Life game? Have you explored the Switch version, or are you waiting until the Switch 2 is released? Share your thoughts in the comments.