It’s beautifully serendipitous when something enters your life at exactly the moment you need it to. That’s precisely how I feel about Starsand Island. Yes, on paper, this release may appear to offer the typical fare of escaping to the country, but I’d argue Starsand Island is anything but typical or contrived. Its beautifully considerate approach to the formula highlights the burdens of our modern world. Our player character doesn’t simply embark on a simpler chapter in life for the sake of it. Starsand Island centres around a question I know I’ve asked myself. What is it that brings us joy in life? Is it the monotony of chasing a career high in the city, or is it returning to the simplicity of our formative years?
Starsand Island is for those who unequivocally agree that the second option is the answer. Players will craft a character who returns home to the small island they grew up on, reuniting with old acquaintances and friends as they embark on learning their crafts. It’s odd, really, that many of us see flocking to the city as a sign of independence; I suppose that has become the modern standard. As I progressed throughout Starsand Island though and undertook farming, angling, crafting, exploring, and ranching, it really brought home that independence comes in many forms. Perhaps the biggest growth comes from indulging in the activities that seem the simplest on paper.
Starsand Island Rids Itself of Typical Grindy Cosy Mechanics
As you’ve likely gathered, Starsand Island features all of the typical cosy fare, albeit without any of the usual grind. Everything is essentially yours for the taking from the very first in-game day with nothing beyond seasonal events held back by time. Of course, you’ll need to progress through each career path to unlock certain items or abilities, but this does not tie in to in-game days. You can progress as quickly as you desire with the full breadth of the island also available to explore.
You shouldn’t think that means that Starsand Island unveils all of its secrets at once though. The game’s surprisingly vast map is so densely detailed that you’ll undoubtedly be stumbling across surprises for months to come. Also contributing to a welcomed lack of grind, Starsand Island features no item degradation. You do have to manage your stamina, but the island is littered with enough food offerings that I never found it difficult to find a quick snack if required.
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The career paths all act much as you’d expect, albeit with a strong sense of whimsy that really does set Starsand Island apart from its competitors. Players aren’t limited to one profession and can take on learning all available options. In fact, I recommend you do just that. Taking on the explorer’s career and unlocking the secrets of the Moonlit Forest will massively assist your tasks in the crafting career which eventually rely on finding rare materials, for example. When you succeed in your career, you’ll unlock Starsand Points that can be redeemed against various buffs and perks.
The very first crafting perk players can unlock sees you regain stamina from sitting down which, in time, can be boosted to be made even speedier and more effective. See? I told you that Starsand Island is anti-grind.
The Game Boasts Five Key Careers, All of Which You Can (And Should) Undertake
As I said, there’s an element of whimsy in each of the various careers. As a farmer, you can grow watermelons the size of the pumpkin that formed Cinderella’s carriage, while ranchers can breed alpacas you can then use as mounts to traverse the island. If you prefer something more practical, crafters will eventually unlock vehicles which you can equip or summon at any moment while explorers will enter the Moonlit Forest, using bows or slingshots to face off against corrupted animals - including bosses - in search of high-value materials. Finally, anglers can sell their wares to the island’s local aquarium.
Each career has its own unique quirk that really does set Starsand Island apart. The angling aspect of the title may sound marginally less fanciful than some of the other career paths on offer, but it really ties into what is perhaps my favourite aspect of Starsand Island, the immersion. What’s on offer here is a living and breathing ecosystem that’s been so exquisitely considered by the gameplay designers.
There’s a scooter and bike rental system, for example, where you’ll pay a deposit and be charged for the number of hours of usage. Stay up too late and players will fall asleep from exhaustion, forced to sleep in for much of the next day. You may stumble across vending machines offering tickets to local attractions that’ll totally distract you from whatever the job at hand was. Rather early on in my prior preview of an alpha build, I was stopped by tourists asking me to take their photo.
Starsand Island’s Open World Is One of the Most Immersive Out There
Starsand Island is packed to the brim with fun encounters that truly make the game’s world feel like a tangible place that players can really have an impact on. The animal system is one of my favourite little touches in that regard. You’ll find various little furry friends wandering around the island. If you, say, pet or feed the same dog or cat several times, you’ll gain its friendship and eventually, the ability to adopt it. It adds a spontaneity to Starsand Island so that there’s never, ever a dull moment - and that’s one tiny example.
Traversing the island is quite the opposite of tiresome. I don’t know another cosy title with quite as many traversal options but that aside, it’s made even more joyful because you simply don’t know what adventure or encounter you’re going to stumble upon next. Within your first few days on the island, players will - if they read their mail - be informed of an NPC-related quest taking place on a local beach.
This is the first of many with Starsand Island boasting a story completion guide time of 100 hours. Yes, you heard me correctly. As I’ve only had just over a week with the game, no, I’m nowhere near the end, especially as it’s so easy to get distracted. I can say though that Starsand Island’s ability to delight and surprise is yet to waver in my playthrough.
The NPC System Is Wonderfully Complex, Built With Realism in Mind
It's impossible to talk about the game’s charm without touching upon its NPCs, particularly given that Starsand Island is home to a thorough relationships system, both romantic and platonic. In many games, an NPC’s reply will simply differ depending on how you speak to them. Within Starsand Island, NPCs will keep that in mind, but they’ll also notice who you spend time with, what items you gift and who to, and how you treat others. That’s all reflected in how they treat you, resulting in a gameplay experience that feels tailored and unique.
It’s an aspect of the game that I doubted would work in practice. It’s an intriguing sell, but would I really notice the effects of the system? Absolutely, yes. It goes without saying that in early conversations, you’ll get the standard fair but eventually, NPCs will begin to become more responsive to your actions. That much became clear when the NPC I was so desperately trying to impress offered me a gift after making note of my repeated displays of goodwill. They later invited me to hang out. The closer you are to an NPC, the more they’ll showcase their personality, likes, hopes, and dreams.
As if that wasn’t enough to keep players busy, Starsand Island is also kitted out with plenty of opportunities to build. Players will be given a small patch of land complete with a cosy cottage that fits the typical cosy criteria in the early stages. It’s here that you’ll decorate, farm, and craft as you experience the game’s humble beginnings. Eventually, you’ll unlock both a houseboat docked off the coast of the island as well as an entire island to call your own, you can travel to at any time, once unlocked, that is. There are land purchase opportunities beyond this although I can’t say I’ve made it that far.
Land and Home Customisation The Sims Fans Will Adore
The houseboat is a home away from home, essentially acting as a secondary base. You can use it as you would your base farmstead. Perhaps you’ll want to create a party boat complete with a pool and slide, or you might want to make a floating farm. There are no rules to say you can’t grow crops at sea.
The island is an entirely different kettle of fish. The customisation options here are more in line with what you’ll find in The Sims. Players can totally amend the terrain and build walls, roofs, and related components from scratch. Anything you hope is possible, in my experience, is. Plus there are handy pre-made layouts made by the devs for players who lack vision. The developers at Seed Sparkle Lab really thought of everything.
A Bright Future Awaits a Stellar Game
I find it quite hard to fathom how much Starsand Island offers players considering its launching in early access for now ahead of a full release in summer later this year. What Seed Sparkle Lab has crafted is a generational behemoth within the cosy gaming space that I’ll personally be playing for the rest of eternity. The implication that additional features or finesse may be coming due to its early access status is a testament to the care and consideration placed into this title. Many other cosy releases have called it a day with much less content on offer.
Starsand Island is exactly what I’ve claimed it to be in previous previews. It’s the very best of Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and The Sims, with a flavouring of Studio Ghibli thrown in, but it’s also something completely original. Starsand Island’s depth of offering places it leagues above its competitors making it, for me, the new poster child of the cosy gaming space. I’ll be championing it until the rest of the world catches on, but I have a feeling that won’t take very long.
Pros: Stellar amount of content, an immersive open-world, game continues to surprise throughout its lengthy run, great longevity
Cons: Nothing
For fans of: Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Stardew Valley, The Sims, The Legend of Zelda
10/10: Perfect
Starsand Island launches in early access on 11 February on PC (version tested via Xbox ROG Ally X) and Xbox Series X/S. It’ll launch its 1.0 version this summer, with PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 joining the platform line-up. A review code was provided by the publisher. Read a guide to our review scores here.
Topics: Xbox, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PC, Steam, Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, The Sims, Reviews