Review: Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time (PS5) -5 Returns with Its Most Addictive RPG Yet

It has indeed been a long wait, but skilled Japanese creator Level-5 is finally making a return — and it’s doing so with flair.

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time embraces the foundation laid by the original Fantasy Life — a Nintendo 3DS game from 2014 — and greatly elaborates on it.

Honestly, we’re still astounded by the volume of content incorporated into this successor. What begins as a simple quest quickly evolves into a time-consuming venture of grand scale, as the game amplifies almost every aspect it offers.

Fantasy Life borrows elements from multiple beloved franchises, predominantly blending action RPG exploration with Animal Crossing-inspired life simulation features. The outcome, as previously stated, is a surprisingly comprehensive release that is sure to attract a diverse audience.

The entire experience centers around ‘Lives’ — roles your personalized character can unlock and eventually excel in. The concept is that you are free to play as you wish — whether you choose a combat-driven role like a peacekeeping Paladin to sharpen your abilities against fierce beasts, or take a more leisurely approach as a Miner smashing rocks.

With a delightful array of Lives available, each one offers a unique viewpoint on the game’s framework and the layout of its (somewhat open) world. However, as you advance, it becomes increasingly clear that Fantasy Life encourages you to diversify into multiple Lives — it shifts from focusing on defining your character and gameplay style to utilizing every resource at your disposal.

For instance, your journey to becoming the realm’s most renowned Mercenary becomes significantly easier if you can craft your own weapons and armor as a skilled Blacksmith. And what’s the quickest way to gather the metals necessary for that equipment? Yes, you should definitely start delving into that Miner Life.

Thankfully, The Girl Who Steals Time does everything possible to streamline your development across various Lives. For instance, merely interacting with a tree allows you to instantly transition to the Woodcutter Life, and drawing your weapon enables you to switch back to your selected combat Life right away.

However, be under no illusions; you will be grinding if you wish to uncover everything the game provides. In addition to leveling up your Lives, you’ll need to complete challenges assigned by each Life’s master, appropriately enhance your gear, unlock Life-specific abilities via unique skill trees, and monitor all the prime locations to collect experience points, materials, and other assets.

Add to this a fairly comprehensive town-building mechanism — complete with unlockable allies, each of whom can be befriended through extra side missions — and it’s understandable to feel inundated.

Fantasy Life i calls for a systematic strategy, then. On the surface, it appears as a light-hearted, all-ages escapade, yet you can easily find yourself investing countless hours just completing trivial tasks — not to mention the narrative that weaves through the experience.

In terms of plot, the game employs nearly every trope and cliché imaginable, yet similar to something like Dragon Quest, the storyline is presented with such charm and sincerity that it’s hard not to be captivated. We wouldn’t assert that you should play solely for the storytelling, but it’s enjoyable enough to keep you engaged, and it’s likely to maintain the interest of younger players.

Moreover, it’s worth mentioning that Fantasy Life i offers a limited form of couch co-op. A second player can assume the role of Trip, the protagonist’s eccentric bird companion, aiding their fellow player both in and out of combat. It’s a considerate feature for parents looking to assist their children through the game’s more challenging segments.

There’s no denying that the title truly shines once you move past the initial surge of tutorials and newly introduced systems. It takes several hours to reach this stage, but with numerous Lives at your disposal and much of the game’s semi-open world ready for exploration, the adventure becomes a delightful draw.

The gameplay flow peaks as you effortlessly transition between battling monsters and gathering resources through entertaining minigames. After some initial guidance, this RPG becomes immensely addictive, and it perpetually feels like there are goals to pursue.

For numerous players, tracking down the title’s most formidable adversaries presents a significant challenge, and the combat system is notably accessible and enjoyable. At its foundation, this is quite a straightforward take on action-based combat, revolving around one-button combos, special moves, and dodging — with positioning being crucial when facing multiple enemies.

It might lack the mechanical intricacy to keep hardcore action enthusiasts returning constantly, but, as with everything in this game, there’s an appealing progression curve present. Each combat Life behaves differently, and progressively overcoming tougher foes is satisfying — especially when increasingly rare resources are at stake.

Indeed, it’s the manner in which all of the title’s systems interconnect that provides Fantasy Life i with its lasting appeal. Completing the storyline may only take you between 20 and 30 hours — largely influenced by how extensive your grinding is between primary quests — but you could find yourself spending double, triple, or even quadruple that time merely pursuing your own ambitions.

Conclusion

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is an unexpectedly immense endeavor. It can deliver a seriously captivating RPG experience, thoroughly filled with activities to explore, engage in, and ultimately master. The grind may occasionally feel imposing, but Level-5’s signature charm and well-crafted gameplay loops should have you returning for more. This is vibrant family-friendly enjoyment, practically from beginning to end.