Update:Bloomberg has corroborated Reuters’ report from earlier today.
Reporter Jason Schreier shared that Bloomberg has seen an email written by Gearbox’s Chief Communications Officer, which notes that there are “many options under consideration”.
The letter reportedly says “The base case is that Gearbox remains a part of Embracer… However, there are many options under consideration, including Gearbox’s transfer, taking Gearbox independent, and others. Ultimately, we’ll move ahead with whichever path is best for both Gearbox and Embracer.”
This letter matches up with Reuters’ report, and reportedly ends by saying that “there will be a lot of speculation in the coming weeks.”
You can check out the original report in our story below.
Original article: Embracer Group is reportedly weighing up options on what to do with Borderlands developer Gearbox Entertainment, including selling the US-based studio, a report from Reuters claims.
Published earlier today, the report states that three people familiar with the situation have told Reuters that a sale is on the table as Embracer Group “looks to shore up its finances”. Gearbox market materials are already reportedly available to view to potential buyers.
Two of Reuters’ sources claim that it’s mainly international gaming groups which have expressed interest but have also cautioned that a deal may not even happen. Representatives from Embracer Group and Goldman Sachs — the company working with the studio to explore a potential sale — have declined to comment to Reuters, with Aream & Co (an investment bank also involved in the deal) not responding to the request.
Embracer acquired Borderlands studio Gearbox Entertainment back in February 2021 for a staggering $1.35 billion, but the company has continued to bring in other developers, including Crystal Dynamics, Square Enix Montréal, and Eidos-Montréal.
Though Capcom hasn’t necessarily abandoned the Mega Man brand as a whole, it’s indisputably reduced how often it produces new games in that celebrated franchise. For example, it’s been 19 years since the last new Mega Man X release (and let’s be real, X8 was a rough entry to end on), but that series now lives on in the efforts of its fans. A few years ago, Battery Staple Games released 20XX, a cute roguelite take on Mega Man gameplay, and now it’s followed up that effort with 30XX. It isn’t without issues, but we’re happy to report that 30XX feels like an overall improvement over its predecessor, and stands as a worthy homage to a beloved series.
Gameplay in 30XX follows the template of classic Mega Man X. You run ‘n’ gun through eight themed levels capped off with a tough boss fight, collecting new weapons or abilities each time you beat another boss, then challenge some extra tough final stages. The gimmick here, however, is that 30XX is structured like a roguelite, so each stage is different each run and there are myriad upgrades you can collect along the way to help even the odds a little bit. There are two playable characters, named Ace and Nina, and they take after Zero and X, respectively. Both have their pros and cons, though we generally preferred Nina’s ranged gameplay over Ace’s sword-swinging skills.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)
A key element that really elevates the fun of 30XX is how smooth the controls feel. In a game as hyper-focused on precision and skill as this, hiccups or sluggish controls could easily torpedo any sense of fairness, but 30XX proves to be consistently tight and responsive. We didn’t notice any frame drops in our experience and the movement tech feels outstanding; characters are snappy and agile, and feel like they can properly navigate the precise obstacles laid out before you.
Throughout each stage, you’ll often come across a few augments—or “Augs”—that will buff up your character for the duration of that run. Augs can do things like bolster your damage output or give a small shield that constantly orbits you and soaks up damage, and given that there are around 240 Augs to discover, there’s quite a bit of build variety you can experiment with. You can also periodically find Cores, which are armor pieces that give you new abilities like a double jump or a short hover. There’s quite a variety of these on offer, too, and we appreciated how much they mix up your approach to gameplay, not to mention that having a decent Core loadout is all but necessary for surviving the later stages.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)
Across a run, you’ll usually pick up a decent amount of a currency called Memoria, and when you inevitably lose, you’ll be sent back to the hub where you can spend it on permanent upgrades. These range from flat increases to your starting health and energy to more general buffs like the ability to choose from more levels when you beat a boss or to recycle upgrades that you encounter during a run. We appreciated having this meta-progression system in place, as 30XX can be an utterly brutal experience and these upgrades help level the playing field a bit. Plus, it’s nice to have another goal to shoot for beyond simply beating the next level, and you’ll likely find yourself attempting yet another run after a loss just to see how the new upgrades affect you.
Speaking of upgrades, a big change here from 20XX is that the new weapons and abilities you get from the boss of each level are tailored to each character, effectively doubling the number of abilities that you can play with. For example, one boss grants Nina a lighting attack that can home in on enemies, while that same boss grants Ace a downward thrust attack that sends out lightning balls scurrying along the floor. We appreciated how this creates new ways to play and makes each character feel more distinguished than before, giving players even more toys to experiment with as they figure out what builds work best for them.
If roguelike randomness isn’t your cup of tea, there’s a new mode called Mega Mode that may be more up your alley. Here, the boss stages are laid out in a cute, selectable grid reminiscent of classic Mega Man games, and though each level is still randomly generated, subsequent attempts after failing will see you running through the same stage each time. This allows you to progress by practicing and learning the level layouts, and when you couple this with the fact that all Augs and Cores stay with your character even after deaths, you have a mode that ultimately feels a lot more friendly to those who want a more traditional platforming experience.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)
And if you’d like some help getting through stages, you can always play in co-op mode, which allows for both couch and online multiplayer. We noticed performance taking just a bit of a hit here, but nothing that notably affected gameplay, and the fun of having an extra character on hand to assist in collecting goodies and overcoming bosses more than made up for any dropped frames. Overall, it feels like 30XX is intended to be played as a more single-player experience, but rest assured that co-op is still an enjoyable time if you want to go that route.
Rounding out the package here is a community mode wherein you play levels designed by fellow players using in-game assets. There are various filters you can use to sort levels by popularity or type, and there are all kinds of off-the-wall ideas here that would never fit in the game proper, but nonetheless add some cool stuff to engage with. We played one stage that lovingly recreated Green Hill Zone in 30XX’s engine—there were even some speed upgrades given out upfront so you could move extra fast through it. Mileage will vary here, of course, but it’s tough to argue against the value that it adds to an already highly replayable game.
While 30XX is an overall great experience, one issue we ran into is that the level design can feel a little hit-or-miss. Though stages are ultimately comprised of handmade sections that are randomly stitched together, they don’t always fit in a way that properly emulates a hand-designed level. For example, we encountered many situations where the difficulty was all over the place—extremely tough sections would be followed by segments that were a breeze, which can make for a rather oddly paced experience.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)
Beyond this, levels get substantially more difficult as you get further into a run, to the point where a stage can feel less like a fair challenge and more like a ROM hack Kaizo level. Having the right upgrades from earlier in the run can certainly take the edge off, but it’s never guaranteed that the upgrades you need will drop, and we experienced many instances where a section was virtually impossible to traverse without taking a lot of damage. If you just want to win at all costs, you can always activate the Assist Mode and tweak various parameters like enemy damage or player health, but this feels like an imperfect solution to a problem that exists at the design level.
For those of you who aren’t put off by the difficulty, you’ll be pleased to learn that there’s a way to make 30XX even harder via the Entropy system. Taking after the Heat system from Hades, Entropy allows you to activate modifiers at the start of a run that raise difficulty, such as negating the effects of healing items or raising enemy health. Each active modifier raises your Entropy level by one, and if you manage to complete a run, you’ll be rewarded with more currency for continuing meta progression. The catch is that you can’t endlessly farm these rewards at the same Entropy level, you’ll have to continuously stack more modifiers to boost your level if you want to keep progressing. Though toying with this was much too tough for us, we nonetheless appreciated that such a system is in place to give even more longevity. Those of you who enjoy a real challenge will have plenty of content to overcome if you’re up for it.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)
Visually, 30XX has gotten quite an upgrade over its predecessor, which featured an art style that made it look more like a mid-effort Flash game. 30XX trades this for a much more visually appealing hi-bit art style that very closely mirrors the visuals of the PSX generation of Mega Man X, and it employs this art style to fantastic effect. Whether you’re stumbling past the dark, stained-glass halls of a cathedral or weaving between foes in a high-tech tropical paradise, each level feels notably distinct from the last and is filled with some excellent spritework, most notably in the detailed backgrounds.
This is matched by an equally great chiptune soundtrack that manages to feel traditional without being overly derivative of past works. The high-energy tracks here do a nice job of matching the often intense pace of combat, and there’s a solid amount of variety here. Music is catchy without being overly repetitive, and it doesn’t distract too much from the action.
Conclusion
Although it can be a bit uneven, 30XX is ultimately an enjoyable take on action platforming with a roguelite twist. The high difficulty, extreme replayability, and gorgeous visuals all come together to make for an action platformer you won’t want to miss out on. Beyond this, Mega Mode makes this one a solid recommendation even for those who don’t usually like roguelites, as it strips out most of the randomness and presents a more old-school challenge. For any fans of Mega Man, retro action platformers, or roguelikes, 30XX covers all those bases and then some, and deserves a spot in your Switch library.
It turns out that at the end of last month, the collection was also updated for both the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. Each game has apparently had some improvements and bug fixes. Unfortunately, the notes don’t go into detail about what has specifically changed, but at the very least each game has been updated.
Here’s the full rundown, courtesy of the official game website:
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series console updates –28th August 2023
FINAL FANTASY (PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch) Ver. 1.0.2 [28/08/2023] ・Improvements to the stability of game functions ・Fixes for several bugs
FINAL FANTASY II (PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch) Ver. 1.0.2 [28/08/2023] ・Improvements to the stability of game functions ・Fixes for several bugs
FINAL FANTASY III (PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch) Ver. 1.0.2 [28/08/2023] ・Improvements to the stability of game functions ・Fixes for several bugs
FINAL FANTASY IV (PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch) Ver. 1.0.3 [28/08/2023] ・Adjustments to some events and battle backdrops ・Improvements to the stability of game functions ・Fixes for several bugs
FINAL FANTASY V (PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch) Ver. 1.0.4 [28/08/2023] ・Improvements to the stability of game functions ・Fixes for several bugs
FINAL FANTASY VI (PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch) Ver. 1.0.4 [28/08/2023] ・Improvements to the stability of game functions ・Fix for a bug where the game would sometimes freeze, preventing further progress if the player tried to escape from battle with a specific timing. ・Fixes for several bugs
And in case you missed it, the remaster collection also got updated back in July – although only a few games had fixes and the updates were Switch-specific:
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series console updates – 7th July 2023
FINAL FANTASY V (Nintendo Switch only) Ver. 1.0.3 [07/07/2023]
Measures have been taken to alleviate an issue where errors sometimes occurred in a specific location after playing the game for long periods etc. Further fixes to this issue are scheduled soon.
FINAL FANTASY VI (Nintendo Switch only) Ver. 1.0.3 [07/07/2023]
Measures have been taken to alleviate an issue where errors sometimes occurred in a specific location after playing the game for long periods etc. Further fixes to this issue are scheduled soon.
Are you still playing the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series on Switch? What game are you currently working your way through? Tell us below.
It’s the weekend and that can mean only one thing — yes, it’s time for another edition of Box Art Brawl!
Before we dive into this week’s contestants, let’s take a look at how things played out last time. Celebrating the release of Sabotage’s excellent RPG Sea of Stars, we took a look at the cover variants from around the world, with you picking the winner. This one was a little closer than we would have expected (then again, both covers are really rather stunning), but it was the lesser-known Japanese box art that secured the win with 53% of the vote compared to Europe and North America’s 47%.
This week, to celebrate the first previews of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, we are taking a look at the origin of the plumber’s last 2D series as we match up two covers from New Super Mario Bros. on the DS. Originally released in 2006, this game kickstarted a new wave of side-scrolling Mario games, from which Nintendo has not looked back since — until Wonder, that is…
It’s a good old-fashioned duel this week, so let’s dive right into things.
Be sure to cast your votes in the poll below; but first, let’s check out the box art designs themselves.
Europe / Japan
Image: Nintendo
Playing things pretty safe, the European and Japanese covers put Mario and Luigi in their iconic jumping pose, with the bros. front and centre. The surrounding enemies make the stage look a little packed, but at least the Koopa’s pose hints at their ‘bah bah’ dance move that would come to haunt the series. If it’s a classic Mario game you’re after, this cover tells you everything that you need to know.
North America
Image: Nintendo
North America opts for much the same cover apart fro- whaaat? Mario’s big now? New Super Mario Bros. was the Mega Mushroom’s 2D debut (after previously appearing in Mario Party 4) and boy does this cover show it off. ‘You thought this was going to be a standard Mario game?’, the cover asks, ‘well think again’.
Of course, the game did end up being pretty standard as far as revolutionising the formula goes, but hey, at least this shows some of the newness of the ‘New’ franchise.
Enough chit-chat, let’s vote!
Which region got the best New Super Mario Bros. box art? (2,275 votes)
Europe / Japan41%
North America59%
Thanks for voting! We’ll see you next time for another round of the Box Art Brawl.
NetherRealm’s new game Mortal Kombat 1 is just weeks out from release, but unfortunately, it’s the latest victim of a leak.
According to a report from MP1st, some stores in certain locations around the world are already selling physical copies of the title, and one individual has managed to get hold of a Switch copy of the game – confirming the base game’s full roster of fighters.
Warner Bros. appears to have taken action against some of these uploads by getting posts removed from social media and websites like Reddit, but there’s now reportedly a fair bit about the game’s story circulating online, as well as photos of the fighter selection screen.
There have also been some early impressions shared about the performance of the Switch version, with direct video footage uploaded. So consider this post a heads-up if you are trying to avoid any spoilers and would rather wait for early access or the full launch of Mortal Kombat 1 on 19th September.
NetherRealm has been busy this week with more official fighter reveals including Megan Fox as Nitara and Jean-Claude Van Damme as a Johnny Cage skin. Ed Boon also appeared on Hot Ones for this special reveal and next week the developer will be hosting its last ‘Kombat Kast’ on 13th September before the game releases.
If we hear about any significant developments, we’ll let you know.
Batman Arkham Trilogy might not be the only major Batman series making its way to the Switch in the near future.
A rating by the ESRB in North America for the action role-playing spin-off Gotham Knights now also mentions the Nintendo Switch as a platform. The rating is ‘T’ for teen – with the game containing “blood, language use of alcohol and tobacco” and violence. Here’s the full rating summary:
The Batman Arkham Trilogy is made up of Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman Arkham City and Batman Arkham Knight. It will arrive on the Nintendo Switch next month on 13th October. You can learn more in our previous coverage here on Nintendo Life:
Would you be interested in playing Gotham Knights on the Switch? Tell us below.
As you might have seen, the original Pokémon journey starring the famous trainer Ash Ketchum and his pal Pikachu is finally coming to an end.
It lines up with the show’s 25th anniversary in North America. While we’ve already heard from Ash’s current voice actor, Sarah Natochenny, about how much of an “extraordinary privilege” it’s been to voice the character for 17 years of this run, she’s now shared a special clip online with her fans.
In it, you can see her filming her “last scene of Pokémon: To Be a Pokémon Master” in the studio and her raw reaction to its completion. She notes how she’s not even sure if she can bring herself to watch it as it’s clearly such an emotional moment in her own career. She also shared another brief message with Pokémon fans, thanking them for their support:
Sarah Natochenny: “The special episodes of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys are now on Netflix. I am so unbelievably fortunate to have voiced Ash Ketchum for the last 17 years. We put so much love into Pokémon: To Be a Pokémon Master. I hope these episodes resonate with you all.”
It’s not just the current voice of Ash saying goodbye, either. The original English voice Veronica Taylor has also chimed in on social media mentioning one last time how much the character meant to herself and also thanking trainers around the globe for their support:
Veronica Taylor: “I loved every minute I spent in the sneakers of this 10 yr old trainer. The best part has been getting to meet all of you trainers around the world. What a truly amazing #pokemon community! Ash Ketchum has brought us all together to strive to be our very best!”
You can watch Ash Ketchum’s final episodes of the latest series Pokémon: To Be A Pokémon Master on Netflix in the US now.
How do you feel about saying goodbye to Ash? Would you like to see him and Pikachu one day return? Tell us in the comments.
It has been an entire year since Splatoon 3 was released (don’t worry, we’re just as shocked as you are) so, naturally, our minds are beginning to drift towards what comes next.
The correct answer is that mysterious ‘Side Order‘ DLC — which is meant to show what would’ve happened if Team Order had beaten Team Chaos. But what about after that? The third entry in the splat-and-swim series was a huge success on launch and with the Inklings now popping up in Smash Bros. and Mario Kart, we think it’s fair to say that the series is here for the long run.
Despite Splatoon’s popularity, however, the three games we have seen so far have stuck to the one formula. Sure, there have been some additions on the Story Mode front and Splatfests now involve three teams (whadda concept!), but overall we have seen much of the same.
So, what does Nintendo have to do to stop this ink from drying up in Splatoon 4 (assuming that there will be one)? A group of our writers have come together to share some thoughts on what we think could mix the formula up — have a read through and see if anything sounds up your street.
Jim Norman, Staff Writer – Storytime
Image: Nintendo
When Splatoon 3 came out, I was so deep in the Splatsville trenches that its similarities to the first two games didn’t bother me that much — Nintendo is onto a winner here and if it ain’t broke, don’t ink it.
That being said, the one thing that I really appreciated in this third entry was the single-player story mode. Splatoon 2 had me on board in this respect, but 3 felt like I suddenly had so much more to do with challenges to complete, new weapons to try, and collectables to, uhh, collect. What’s more, we know that the upcoming ‘Side Order’ DLC will bring yet another helping of it our way so there’s even more to enjoy.
Importantly, I was not alone in this camp one year ago — everyone seemed eager for a little bit of story. This is what I think Splatoon 4 will capitalise on (should one be in the works, that is). An expanded single-player campaign seems like an open goal. The Turf War battles and Splatfests need to stay — it has to still be uniquely Splatoon-y after all — so why not expand the other attraction and pull in players for longer as a result? Online play is great, but we’ve peaked in that department, I’d say. Next up: storytime.
Ollie Reynolds, Staff Writer – A Giant Leap For Squid-kind
Image: Nintendo
I loved the first two games and from what I’ve seen from Splatoon 3 at a distance, it looks like Nintendo has well and truly nailed the fundamentals of the franchise at this stage. So with that in mind, I’d love the fourth entry to really take a few leaps and gambles with the core formula and hopefully evolve it into something that feels completely new.
Just look at some of Nintendo’s other core IPs: Super Mario World, Link’s Awakening, Mario Kart: Double Dash… These were all the fourth major instalments in their respective franchises, and whether you happen to enjoy them or not, there’s no denying that they all demonstrate significant improvements and evolutions from their older siblings. With Splatoon, I feel Nintendo has played it a touch too safe so far, so I’d like to see it take some huge swings with the fourth game.
Alana Hagues, Deputy Editor – Ink Independently
Image: Nintendo
“What would Splatoon 4 look like?” is a pretty good question. Even as a casual Splatoon enjoyer — mostly for the aesthetics and music — I don’t really see Nintendo straying from the formula too much.
But I do think Splatoon could let players be even more creative. I’m sort of amazed there isn’t some kind of stage or level editor yet, and I think players could have so much creating their own stages to share with friends or use to play online. You could even share them like you can in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Getting them to work online might prove challenging, though. Let people create their own music, too — perhaps the “idol group” in Splatoon 4 is your player character and some friends or something.
Outside of that, I think it’s about time a new playable race got added to the games. Something based on sharks, or maybe even playing as a salmonid. Imagine a salmonid with a roller!
Gavin Lane, Editor – Sink or Swim
Image: Nintendo
It would be neat to go underwater. It always felt weird that squid and octopi couldn’t survive falling into the drink.
Obviously, that would necessitate changing up the gameplay (as ink guns aren’t going to splat the same beneath the waves), but there’s potential there for a different mode of team-based shooting. Maybe with darts or ninja starfish, and ejections of ink to enable a stealthy getaway or distract your enemies. A new race of Crustacean Atlanteans (or something) that come on land to do battle and then take you down to their realm.
As someone who dived headfirst into the first game, dried up on the second, and never dipped a toe in the ink of the third, Splatoon 4 will have to introduce something truly new if it’s going to capture my attention and justify another trip to the inkwell beyond the benefits to Nintendo’s balance books. As Ollie said, big swings, please.
Or maybe vehicles. If in doubt, throw a Warthog in there, Chief.
Do any of our ideas sound like a winner to you? Ink the following poll to let us know what you hope to see and then swim down to the comments to share any other thoughts you have on the future of the franchise.
What would you like to see in Splatoon 4? (556 votes)
More single-player story29%
Stage creator mode8%
New playable race5%
Diving into a new location3%
Vehicles4%
Anything, so long as it’s a big swing20%
Eh, do we really need a fourth one?20%
I’ve never played a Splatoon game, how should I know?3%
Super Mario Bros. Wonder will continue the trend of simultaneous multiplayer platforming in the world of Super Mario and this time it’s rolling with quite possibly the biggest roster ever, made up of not only Mario and co, but also a number of extras.
Nintendo recently asked fans on social media what character they would be picking first in this new Switch exclusive when it arrives next month, so we thought we would ask a similar question to our community here on Nintendo Life, and add a poll while we’re at it to see who might even end up being the most popular character.
Keep in mind the “Yoshis and Nabbit won’t take damage, but they also don’t transform with power-ups”. Daisy is also properly playable. So tell us who you’ll be playing as in Super Mario Bros. Wonder in our poll and why in the comments below.
Who will be your main pick in Super Mario Bros. Wonder? (2,590 votes)
So, you’ve picked up Fae Farm — a game that combines the farming stuff that you love with the combat and mining that you also love. Lucky you!
Fae Farm has a ton of systems, mechanics, and other things to learn along the way, and not all of them are immediately obvious. We’ve put together a little starter guide for you to hit the ground running.
And if you’re looking for tips on how to upgrade tools — check out our tool-specific guide!
Beginner’s Tips
Finish Chapter 4 ASAP
Image: Kate Gray
The first few chapters might seem surprisingly dull, and you’ll probably find yourself wondering why this relatively normal farming game has the word “fae” in the title at all. This will be made clearer once you finish the first four chapters, which open up the world much more than before.
It’s a bit of a pain, but that means you’ll have to reach the bottom of the Saltwater Mines as quickly as possible. Make that your main goal for a while, even at the cost of investing in crops and animals, and you’ll find the game gets much more interesting, with magical powers, a new jump ability, a new world to explore, and more characters unlocked, too!
Making money
Image: Kate Gray
While we don’t have a guide to making money just yet, we can give you a few simple tips. The real dosh isn’t in crops, meals, animals, or crafts — it’s in the mines. Specifically, it’s in the gems in the mines, which you can polish using the Gem Polisher workbench to net a nice profit. Level up your pickaxe and your mining skills, or supplement it with food that increases mining skill, and each gem node will drop even more gems, racking up a tidy profit. Gems that are further down in the mines, or in harder mines that unlock through the story, are worth even more.
Shipping Contracts are a good way to make more profit off your items… that is, if they work. We could only get them to work about half the time. But the profit margin on the items that the Shipping Contracts ask for is higher than just selling them normally, and saves you space in the market, too. You’ll unlock the Shipping Contracts after finishing the Saltwater Mines, and they can be found just south-west of town.
Image: Kate Gray
Because your sell slots are limited, you generally want to sell stuff that costs a lot individually. In the early game, eggs, wool, and critter drops are not too bad, but it really will benefit you to unlock the Floating Ruins ASAP (by finishing Chapter 4), or at the very least, having an easy warp down to the lower levels of Saltwater Mines. And on that note…
Invest in fast travel
Image: Kate Gray
Fae Farm’s fast travel system requires seals, which can be crafted at the Seal Crafting Station. Each seal will take a few bits of ore and a few gems, which are found in the mines, usually at about the depth that starts to get hard for your current level.
The Wayshrines are easy enough to unlock with one-off seals, but the mines themselves feature a fast-travel system between floors that allow you to skip to where you were before. These seals are harder to craft, and you’ll need to know exactly how many you need of each kind before heading into the mine, lest you end up seal-less. The Saltwater Mines tend to require 6 of each seal, but later mines are different, so keep an eye on what each floor requires!
And trust us: these seals are worth investing in before anything else that requires ore and gems. Fast travel will save you a hell of a headache, especially because the fast-travel menu tells you the likelihood of encountering a given material on each floor.
Use that map
Image: Kate Gray
You can open your map and select any NPC to get a tracker arrow that will lead you directly to them. From the map, you can also see if they have a quest for you — although most of these will be friendship and romance quests, or job quests. Main quests and festival quests appear as a diamond with an exclamation mark inside, so check up on those as soon as you see them!
Make the most of your time
Image: Kate Gray
The time in Fae Farm is pretty generous — we’d estimate a day takes about 20-30 minutes — but if you’re not careful, you could end up wasting a ton of that time in menus. The clock will only pause some of the time, and you need to keep an eye on it to make sure you know when those times are.
For example, opening the main menu pauses the clock, but your inventory doesn’t. In fact, you can still be hit by enemies with your inventory open, so if you need to take potions or eat food, make sure you’re out of range first. Talking to people and shopping pauses the menu, but going into buildings and selling items at the market doesn’t. Using crafting tables also doesn’t pause the menu, and neither does building on your farm, decorating your house, or having the decor menus open.
A trick we found in the later game was crafting Zoom Potions, which let you move around faster, and we recommend using the main menu to pause whenever you need to.
Sorting storage woes
Image: Kate Gray
Why can’t games get storage systems right? We just want a bottomless cupboard, accessible at all times, with smart sorting, player-friendly UI, and free tea and biscuits on request. Is that so hard?
Fae Farm’s storage system does not have all those things, but it’s still pretty darn good — you just have to know how to use it. Your best friends in terms of the storage UI are going to be these three things:
1. Sorting
Figure out the ZL and ZR menus in the storage interface and you’ll be well on your way to always finding the object you need in your gigantic pile of stuff.
ZR sorts by either type, or alphabetically — useful in some situations, but usually not a massive help if you don’t know the name of something, or can’t remember your ABCs without singing the little song. ZL, on the other hand, allows you to filter by category. These include things like farming (seeds, crops, and fertilizer); alchemy (potions & ingredients); foraging (anything you picked up off the ground); and refined goods (ingots, cloth, but NOT lumber — that’s in raw materials instead).
Unfortunately, you can’t sort your inventory. If it bothers you that your items are all over the place, you can drop them and pick them up again, which will put them back in the top slots, or select individual items and choose “move” to put them somewhere tidier.
2. Storing
Press RB to store everything in your inventory that already has at least one counterpart in your storage. This makes it super easy to drop off everything from mines, fishing, or general adventures in one go. You can use LB to store individual stacks as well.
3. Shortcuts
You don’t have to go into the menu to access your inventory — just press up on the D-pad to open your pockets immediately. Simple!
Breed, baby, breed!
Image: Kate Gray
Breeding in Fae Farm is simple, but time-consuming. Buy an animal at one of the farms west of town, register it at home, and then bring it back to the same farm to get it bred.
Why? Because an animal bred from your own animals will have a larger happiness meter, allowing you to reach higher heights by taking care of it. Which… we think… makes them drop more resources. But it might not. The animal raising aspect of the game is a little confusing.
Pay attention to the seasons
Image: Kate Gray
There are four seasons in Fae Farm — spring, summer, autumn, winter — and each one brings with it new critters, new fish, new forageables, and new crops. The game doesn’t do a fantastic job of telling you this, so we’re telling you this now.
For example, each season has its own wild greens. Spring has arugula, summer has dandelion, autumn has red chard, and winter, collard greens. These greens are all basically the same when it comes to cooking, but they appear differently, and you’ll need to pick them all to fill out your almanac, if that’s important to you.
The mushrooms and nuts that appear in the Spooky Forest are the same, as well as the shellfish in the Saltwater Mines, the berries on bushes, and the forageables in the fae and winter areas later in the game. Make sure to check back to unlock them all in the almanac!
