Reviewed on: PC
Code provided by the publisher.
Dozens of video games have attempted to replicate the cozy farming simulation effect that took the world by storm after Stardew Valley was released, but not all have succeeded. Not only that, but very few games have tried to make it into a charming MMO like Loftia. Developed by Qloud Games, Loftia lets you create your dream home and build a bright future in this solarpunk-inspired online world. I’ve kept an eye on this game’s development for quite some time, so I’m excited to share my thoughts on the Early Access build of Loftia.
Loftia pulled me in fast, and I’m not sure whether to blame the addictive gather-and-salvage gameplay, the whimsical art direction, or the optimistic sense of community. Although it’s only in Early Access, Loftia immediately felt like it had a strong direction for its identity and how it differs from other games in the genre.
In this multiplayer world set in a solarpunk futuristic version of our own world, you can customize your eco-friendly home, grow budding gardens, and take on quests that have you save the world of Loftia from strange earthquakes and other environmental issues. It starts off simple, until you’re quickly thrown into the deep end and have to juggle salvaging materials, crafting, building, fishing, decorating, and more.
I often find many cozy games derivative and lacking a sense of identity, but Loftia truly feels like its own horse in this large race of competing cozy games. Perhaps its multiplayer aspect sets it most apart, making you feel much less alone in a world otherwise populated by a small group of NPCs. This is especially true when you get a notification that a treasure hunt is about to begin, or you get the chance to sign up for a community farm minigame. In these games, you get to gather with other players at specific times of the day and work together to earn prizes.
There are also community projects where all players of Loftia must work together to donate certain items for the possibility of fun rewards. I constantly felt compelled to log back in just to see if I could finish a few more quests or make more money and unlock fun clothing or furniture items.
This is a paid game that has completely optional microtransactions that are limited to cosmetics, but if it were free-to-play, I could assume that much of the fun cosmetics would be locked behind a paywall. Without ever paying an extra dime, I had a wide range of clothing and furniture to unlock solely through gameplay progression, and I never felt like the microtransactions were forced upon me.
I still have much to explore and complete as of writing this, making the Early Access version of Loftia quite packed with content. It’s nice to know that, hopefully, within a year or two, Loftia will be even more polished than it already is. The only bug I came across was my character suddenly looking different in cutscenes, like having freckles and vitiligo when I never added those features.
Nonetheless, there were barely any other issues, although for a game that looks like it could run on a very basic PC, it made my high-end gaming rig run hot. It may simply be a sign that I should dust my fans or replace my thermal paste, but I was shocked at how loud my fans were while running Loftia, which is unlike most of my other less graphically-intensive games. I’m not sure if I’m the only one experiencing this issue, but it’s still something worth pointing out.
Verdict
Loftia is a lovely surprise to come out during an already packed month of November. This cozy game’s Early Access launch feels like it could pass for an official release, and I’m eager to continue playing well after launch. Loftia’s online world is reminiscent of games many of us grew up with, like Toon Town and Club Penguin. For those of us who miss those days, or for any other cozy game lover who yearns for a community-driven MMO, I can easily recommend Loftia.
