Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure

• DEVELOPER: Snowcastle Games
• PUBLISHER: Jetpack Collective, The Iterative Collective
• PLATFORMS: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Switch
• GENRE: Adventure
• RELEASE DATE: November 9, 2023
• STARTING PRICE: 24.50€
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC

Out of Early Access is Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure, an intriguing title that combines different genres and offers singleplayer and multiplayer gameplay. It will offer you plenty of content and will keep you busy for hours as you travel around the island. For a year now, the developers have been hard-working on this game, however, despite the large number of good things that are in it, there are a lot of shortcomings, from a large number of bugs, to a bad exploring system, to a not so inspiring combat. Namely, the goal of Snowcastle Games was to create something simple and accessible to all players, with a focus on relaxation and enjoyment, similar to cozy or slice-of-life genres and games such as Coral Island, but with its own flair.

The gameplay is not inspiring

Although the game offers plenty of content, such as exploring eight different parts of the island and constantly upgrading your equipment, you will often face repetitive actions. Survival elements are present and somewhat save the gameplay itself, however the whole game quickly becomes predictable. Passing through the same part of the island at least ten times, then teleport back if by any chance you get stuck somewhere, then return to the base again, that is, a vicious circle is created because you practically do not get many new features by exploring the island. The game mainly focuses on basic elements such as crafting, solving tasks, from main to secondary, and taming various creatures. Apart from that, the main objective is to restore the shrine according to the requirements of Sariel, your guide through this island. Completing the shrine unlocks recipes for a variety of items, from tools to restoration materials, including some that only serve as decorations, which can be absurd when you have to spend half a valuable resource just to get some nice flag…

It is not mandatory to take care of basic needs such as eating, drinking or sleeping. The game has day and night dynamics, but the night will last until you decide to sleep; otherwise, that cycle can last indefinitely. In addition, you must train some of the natural inhabitants of the island, such as Axepeckers or Longhorns, who possess useful abilities for obtaining materials and items. Caring for these companions is essential, including feeding, washing and caring for them. You can connect with them and control them, and the higher level they are, the more powerful they are. However, all this becomes very tiring after a while. Especially since you have to switch between them constantly, take care of them often, otherwise they become unhappy and you can't finish the game without them. Also, I don't understand why can't you order them to attack enemies all over the island.

The mechanics of growing crops, for example, gives me the feeling that it was added just enough to exist. You practically don't need it and the only time you will need it is when feeding your companions, and you can avoid that too. Furthermore, half of the items and resources found in the game, you will need at least once during the gameplay and never again afterwards. The potential for engaging narrative is squandered in favor of a more relaxed gaming experience, i.e. there are almost no interesting NPCs, and after a while you lose the whole point of the story as everything will move very slowly. For example, there are pirates that you have to defeat three times, I just don't understand why this part was added in the first place, it just fails to live up to its promises and feels more like an afterthought than a compelling story.

Really bad combat system

I really don't expect a game like this to have any serious fighting mechanics with various enemies. However, it is very annoying that the enemies are always the same in all situations, there are almost no big changes, from weak slimes to spiky turtles that throw "bombs" at you. You can only use one weapon throughout the game, it's so easy to counter enemies that when you hit them it's like you stun them so they can't attack you. If you get hit, you lose hearts, which you can refill quickly. When we add to that the fact that you explore the entire island in the same way and the goal is only to repair the shrines, it becomes tedious to look at the same enemies. It is not possible to avoid enemy attacks, so it is necessary to continuously press the left mouse button to prevent the enemy from attacking you.

The whole game in general lacks some excitement and everything is too much reduced to relaxation. More linear gameplay is missing for easier unlocking of new content. Why does changing characters completely wipe out your inventory? Why is there no definite explanation of what is what and how to use it in the early game? Why can't we pause the game even if we are playing in singleplayer?

Not everything is so black...

Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure features a charming cartoon art style that perfectly reflects the game's aesthetic. Nice drawings are used in character dialogue, and concept art appears on loading screens during fast travel. The music is relaxing and perfectly fits the atmosphere of the game. The art style and music create the impression that anyone can enjoy the game, adapting to their own pace and skill level.

I really like the whole concept of the game, everything is well thought out, it stands out a bit from some other similar titles and the developers really listen to the feedback and try to fix certain things within the game. Honestly, I haven't come across any huge bugs that affect the gameplay, but there are a lot of them, such as the music cutting off in certain parts of the map. On the other hand, multiplayer brings a certain amount of fun, that is, it is always more interesting when you play with someone.

Also, there are plenty of customization options, be it your characters, buildings, items, or anything else. As I mentioned before, this game really has a lot of content, so expect around 10 to 15 hours of gameplay if you really want to explore everything. This game is significantly enhanced by its calming nature, making it an ideal choice to play after, for instance, Call of Duty.

Ikonei Island draws inspiration from the successful Earthlock RPG series, bringing the rich world-building and magical setting of the franchise to new territory. The game offers a unique experience, but, unfortunately, it is not presented well enough when it comes to gameplay. Don't get me wrong, the gameplay is solid, with no major flaws, but players who are looking for more than relaxation might want more interesting things both in exploring the world and interacting with other characters.

Review copy provided by the publisher