This game was a lot of fun and a great addition to the series. The story in this game was much more streamlined and straightforward than the stories from most of the previous games. I never felt confused or like there was too much going on. That was a definite plus. I enjoyed having both Kiryu & Ichiban Kasuga as protagonists. There did seem to be a few too many different characters that could be added to the fighting party in this game and after a while I started to care a bit less about them, but the main characters and their stories were great. The side content was enjoyable in this one as well, although there actually wasn’t as much of it as I was expecting. Some of it was very random (Dondoko Island), but still fun. I liked the little food delivery mini game. I also liked how the beach was incorporated so well into the gameplay. It was fun to explore a new location and climate. As usual, the achievements in this game are a point of annoyance for me. I hate that they try to get you to buy DLC in order to be able to 100% complete the game. That seems like an annoying cash grab to me. I feel like these games just never quite get it right with the achievements. There is always something downright stupid or unnecessary that you have to do to 100% these games. It’s beyond annoying, but I just keep coming back for more.

I originally played this game a few years ago on the Nintendo Switch. That was an ordeal with constant performance issues. Even still, I was basically addicted to it once I really got started. I got it on the Nintendo Switch specifically so I could play it during downtime at work. That’s how much I liked playing it. It has similarities to games like Stardew Valley. You move to town and start your life and build things from the ground up. You do farming stuff and make friends. If you have played this genre of game before, then it won’t be anything new. Having played My Time At Sandrock and then gone back to replay Portia, the life improvements in Sandrock are even more evident and the little ways that Portia can be annoying are also more evident. Things like having to have ingredients on my person to cook with them and not being able to see what other relic pieces I had became very noticeable in this game after playing Sandrock where those things aren’t an issue. Still, overall, I enjoyed this game a great deal both times I played it. I enjoy this genre of game in general.