Welcome to EXPlay, (Explain & Play) the review series where we care not for scores but tell it how it is when it comes to every game we get our hands on, whilst also taking the time to include some lengthy gameplay, to give you the reader, the chance to shape your own impressions and views whilst watching and reading.
In this explanatory review, we’re covering Roots of Pacha by developer Soda Den:
Roots of Pacha (The Explanation)
Roots of Pacha takes the simulation farm-building genre and places you in a prehistoric era of civilization to build out something wholly unique. You start off the game by selecting whether you are playing in single-player or multiplayer. For the majority of my experience with the game, I was only in the single-player mode. Next up is the character selection screen, which you can randomize. I chose to go through the multiple options to create a character that I felt embodied my caveman era.
There are a lot of options in creating your character’s look from eye color, hairstyle, whether you have a beard, gender, and so much more. There are options for everyone here, and I was surprised by the amount of options in this indie title. Once you have your options selected and clan named, it’s on to the world of Roots of Pacha. I, of course, named my clan, Miketendo64000bc.
Roots of Pacha has a pixel-art style that is vibrant. It is hard to not compare or call the game “Stardew Valley with dinosaurs and cavemen”, but the game is so much more than just that. When you start up the story the various characters introduce you to a shaman Tetih which shares some of the history of the group and their need to move. As a clan, your people were forced from their previous land and set up a new camp.
In my introduction time in Roots of Pacha, I met several NPCs in my clan. Each character was unique in their design and had their own story to tell. The first two characters I met, Igrork and Maeri, set me off to cultivate the land and help our village set up to grow food. Similar to Stardew Valley, you start with a plot of land that has been overrun by stones and shrubs. Making space on your field uses up your daily stamina. As you harvest the various items you gain some resources like stone, plant fibers, and wood. These resources are later used to help build items that will make production easier.
NPCs give you quests which might mean looking for seeds to plant or certain items that need to be given to someone else. The early game seemed a bit heavy on learning the mechanics of Roots of Pacha, but that was due to the tutorial in the opening hours. Encountering different NPCs also helped you learn who they are and how you could help them, as well as building relationships with them which helped the overall clan mentality. Roots of Pacha encourages you to work together for the greater good of the community by giving items each day into a contributions pot.
Roots of Pacha is a very colorful game and overall has a design that appeals to me as a simulation fan. I do feel like the various systems found in Roots of Pacha could be overwhelming to some people. I also wasn’t 100% sure I was playing how the developers wanted me to in the opening hours. At times I just felt lost.
One thing I liked about the map system in Roots of Pacha, was that icons for each person were shown on the map. This was helpful for me when I needed to look for someone specifically and that person wasn’t just sitting in one area. Each NPC has its routines and tasks as well since they are also contributing to the overall clan growth.
I imagine that if I dug deeper into the various mechanics of the game and spent more time learning the system, Roots of Pacha would begin to show its potential. As far as farm-building simulation games go there is a lot here to learn. If you are itching for something similar to Stardew Valley that has an emphasis on societal contributions, Roots of Pacha, may be a game for you.
Roots Of Pacha (The Gameplay)
Game Specifications:
Developer: Soda Den
Publisher: Soda Den
Platform: Nintendo Switch (eShop)
Category: Simulation, Role-Playing
No. of Players: 1 (Single System), 1-4 (Online)
Release Date: NA| EU: November 28, 2023
Price: $24.99
File Size: 1007 MB
Nintendo.com Listing
