Mirthwood Review

Platform: Microsoft Windows

Developer: Bad Ridge Games

Genres: Role-playing game, Simulation video game

Publisher: V Publishing

Mirthwood, developed by Bad Ridge Games, might feel like two games combined at times. On the one hand, it’s an epic adventure in which you must journey across a hostile land to uncover the mysteries of the Ancients and become a powerful hero; on the other, it’s a cozy farming Sim in which you can have Sims-like conversations with anyone you meet, fall in love, have babies, and farm goats. And, truthfully, I’m not sure whose side of the game I prefer.

The adventure content is pretty heavy in the beginning. Yes, you have to go pick mushrooms and cook tea for your family, but the after-dinner game of Trivial Pursuit is mercifully cut short by a sudden bandit raid that scatters your family and sends you off to the Free Lands, an open-world island just waiting for an unqualified cook with a rusty sword to save it from whatever calamity has undoubtedly struck it.

Having said that, the disaster appears to be just a slew of creatures. The story is very enjoyable in a “go here, kill that, bring this back” sort of way, and Mirthwood clearly puts a lot of effort into making the world feel worth exploring. Those who came before you, ancient or not, were disorganized sods who left their junk all over the place for you to find, making even the simple act of walking off the road feel worthwhile. A robust loot system and the opportunity to shape your character more or less precisely as you want means that you and anybody you talk to about Mirthwood will have had a slightly different experience, even if the story is the most inflexible component.

The battle, in addition to every human and enemy model looking like a flattened Playmobil diorama, is what slows down the adventure. While it works reasonably well on a basic level, and fighting other people with swords produces a nice ting whenever your blades ricochet, it feels clumsy and unsatisfactory altogether. When walking, you have a complete range of movement, but you can only attack on a 2D plane to the right or left of your character, making battle nearly impossible in situations where foes can and will queue below or above you like you got trapped in a tube of Pringles. It’s great out in the open, but if you spelunk too many caverns, you’ll end yourself in trouble.

There are spells and ranged weapons, of course, but while they have their uses, nothing settles arguments in close quarters like the business end of a broadsword, and it’s just not always viable, which is unfortunate when you spend so much time delving dungeons for the Discarded Pants of the Ancient Ones or whatever. Loot comes thick and fast, allowing you a wide range of builds and playstyles, thus it’s unfortunate that you can frequently run against adversaries queuing patiently in small hallways.

In many respects, the life simulation aspect feels more gratifying. Mirthwood’s cozy game, inspired by Stardew Valley, The Sims, and Fable, is spot on. From the moment you arrive at a dusty rundown farmland and are informed it’s yours now, no questions asked, the focus of this section of the game shifts to living a fulfilling life. Nothing gets you over the terrible annihilation of your entire family and community like growing turnips in tidy little rows.

You can talk to everyone you meet and start long talks about a dozen different topics in the hopes of popping enough small green plus symbols above their heads to either get them into bed or make them willing to die terribly for you if necessary. You can develop friends, enemies, lovers, and even build a family on your farm so that someone will miss you while you are being slaughtered in cramped passageways. The level of malleability and flexibility is astounding, while a focus on following the tale may distract some of the family fun.

Regardless of what you’re doing, the one village-burning horror you can’t avoid is the framerate. Mirthwood frequently struggles to stay on track, possibly because it has more balls in the air than a lottery machine. The framerate will occasionally chug or pause during scene transitions, when the day turns to night, when it begins to rain, or when there are too many adversaries onscreen at the same time. It will undoubtedly be patched and rectified when more content is released after launch, but it is now a significant issue.

Some of this is offset by the fact that Mirthwood is a massively ambitious game created by a small two-person team. There are so many systems and mechanics at work at any given time that it’s a marvel it even works at all, and all of the minor glitches and frame drops will be fixed in the end. At the very least, most of them will be. If you’re immersed in the game and its setting, they’ll have less influence.

Despite these issues, Mirthwood is an enjoyable adventure simulator. I’ve never been a fan of survival games that force me to eat or starve to death if I don’t eat a handful of berries every 24 hours, and any game developer who believes the human body will die after three days without sleep has probably never attended a good Lord of the Rings watch party or worked under a deadline. There is also a morality system in play, which may be reversed by visiting holy(ish) shrines and paying a charge. Being able to go on a killing spree because the local barmaid rejected your advances, then pay a few hundred gold to wash the blood and matted hair off your sword, somewhat undermines the concept of a morality system, but it does give you the freedom to genocide farming villages whenever you want with no real consequences. So there’s that.

Ultimately, Mirthwood will appeal to people who appreciate a nice adventure in the style of something like Outward, as well as those who prefer a little Stardew, and those who fall somewhere in the middle will most likely find their forever game here. It’s a truly delightful and cozy little adventure with a plethora of things to do and discover, and if you can get beyond the shaky combat and performance concerns, there’s a lot of heart behind the surface.

Review Overview

Gameplay: 84%

Controls: 82%

Aesthetics: 88%

Content: 83%

Accessibility: 80%

Value: 85%

Overall: 84%

AN ENCHANTING ADVENTURE THROUGH A WHIMSICAL WORLD!

Summary:

“Mirthwood” transports players to a fascinating, mystical world full of missions, intriguing people, and many secrets to uncover. The gameplay is a fun blend of exploration and light RPG elements, with a straightforward yet effective control mechanism that feels intuitive. Mirthwood is visually stunning, with lush, bright sceneries and innovative creature designs that provide depth to the whimsical style. Mirthwood is a wonderful vacation that is both peaceful and entertaining, thanks to its extensive content and clever accessibility features. A fantastic pick for anyone looking for a quirky trip with lots of heart.