Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin - Nintendo Switch review

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Do you like Japanese folklore, funny side-scrolling action games, and crafting? Look no more! "Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin" is here!


Spoiled harvest goddess Sakuna finds herself banished from her opulent celestial home to an island overrun with demons. In the untamed wilderness, she must rediscover her birthright as the daughter of a warrior god and harvest goddess by weathering the elements, fighting monsters, and cultivating rice, the source of her power. By her side in this forbidding place is her guardian Tama and a group of outcast humans. Together, these unlikely companions must join hands to tame both the soil and the demons of Hinoe Island.

Developed by Edelweiss, the indie team behind the acclaimed Astebreed, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin combines side-scrolling action with deep crafting and rice cultivation in a powerful tale about finding one's place in the world.


At first Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin reminded me of the Fire Emblem series, due to the farm hub (similar to the base from FE) and the minimap used to navigate through the stages of the game. The difference is of course gameplay, while Fire Emblem was a turn-based strategy, SoRaR is a dynamic platformer with lots of jumping, slashing groups of (not so scary) monsters, and gathering resources.


Also, the resources deteriorate over time and we have to work hard on our farm. Which reminded me a bit of Harvest Moon, only in a very limited form, where you sow and harvest (no dating, city tours, and various events).


Sakuna is one of the most adorable characters I have seen lately in Nintendo Switch games. That little dorky girl and her adventures are really fun to watch. She reminds me a little of that girl from a South Korean cartoon named Pucca.


Is Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin one of the reasons you should buy a Nintendo Switch console?


No, definitely no. I will say that Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, and Fire Emblem are must-haves for Switch, but Sakuna is a really cute and charming game that is worth checking out! Especially when you wanna take a break from other big challenging titles and just… you know… relax.



  • Release date: November 10, 2020
  • Number of players: 1 player
  • Game Genre: Platformer, Simulation, Action, Role-Playing
  • Game Publisher: Marvelous (XSEED)
  • Game Developer: Edelweiss
  • Game file size: 6.3 GB
  • Supported Languages: Japanese, Chinese, English, Korean


Supported Play Modes:


  • TV mode
  • Tabletop mode
  • Handheld mode


ESRB Rating:  


  • Mild Blood, Fantasy Violence, Use of Alcohol


Birdman

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