About Hokko Life
I’ve been eyeing Hokko Life even before it entered Early Access since I am a fan for these type of games, so I am more than thankful to have the privilege of reviewing this game. Checking out articles and interviews about the developer, I am surprised to find out that Hokko Life is a one-person studio game. The game started out as a hobby project done during his spare time, and then eventually became his sole focus. But it is not surprising to read about his passion to the game, because it does show in the game itself. After checking Hokko Life’s Steam News Hub, I’m delighted to see that there is a constant communication between the developer and the community. With the number of devblogs posted and how transparent the development of the game is, I have nothing but high hopes that game will be a success.
Bouncing from FPS, MOBAs, MMORPGs, Turn-Based Strategy games, Hokko Life is a pleasant little break for me. It’s satisfying to play a relaxing game every now and then, doing favors for the townsfolks, building houses for others to move in and letting your creativity take place on that unique crafting system. They are just one of the reasons I do enjoy on Life Simulation games.
The Hokko Life
Introduction
The game starts off in character creation where you can select your hairstyle, hair color, skin color and eye color. There isn’t much customization at first, but there will be several choices in terms of clothing and accessories once you’re well off in the game. It is also worth noting that all the clothing are non-gender-specific, giving you the freedom to wear whatever you want to. Once you are done creating your character, you are presented with a little cutscene then off you go to the town. I have to be honest, I had to use a walkthrough for some of the first tasks since I got lost in some of the instructions and I was worried if should call it a day or something.
The core of the game is pretty much done, there is fishing, bug catching, logging, planting, but the main feature of this game, and I think its safe to say separates it from other games is the crafting system.
Crafting
Using the resources you have gathered around the town, you are able to turn them into materials that which you can then use on a design table. With the use of blueprints, you have the ability to create your own object, furniture, decoration, bridges, etc from scratch. You will combine materials that you have crafted in order to use them as pieces in your design, whether it be logs, wooden planks, stone slabs, cotton, etc. And when you are done with your design, you have the option to paint it as well. I also would like to note that using a controller in designing may take you some time before you have a full grasp of the controls. Hokko Life doesn’t feature any multiplayer support, but it does feature a way to share your own creations or download the works of others through a Creator Code.
Building and Expanding
Once you are done with the introduction to the basics, it is time to expand the town. To expand the number of villagers in your town, you have to invite some folks over at the inn to move in. But before doing so, you need a place for them to stay. Building a house requires a few materials and a gold. Earning gold in this game revolves around all the core gameplay I have mentioned before. You can sell all the resources you have gathered in the general store, and there are times that a villager has a task for you, which will then reward you some gold upon completion. When you have enough gold and resources, you can now build your first house. Almost everything in the town can be relocated at your disposal. It is up to you how you will turn this quiet village into a charming rural town.
The game is so relaxing that I can easily see myself playing it every time I need a break. I can’t wait to pour tons of hours on that design table, making my own furniture and making this town my very own.
I'm just a casual gamer nowadays, but I still can get competitive at times. I like discovering new games and will try to support them through reviews whenever I can.
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