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It’s a game that made me pause. That made me confront things about myself I hadn’t fully put into words. That made me feel—deeply, achingly, unexpectedly.

Legendary indie dev returns with a farming sim that couldn't be more different from the game that made them famous, all about an ex-warrior who hates the cozy life

The warmth that emanates from Wanderstop isn’t that of a warm hug. It’s the warmth that spreads through your fingers from a hot cup of tea, made by someone you love, while you sit in their kitchen with tears welling up in the back of your throat.

You see, this isn’t just a story about burn out (though playing it while actively experiencing burn out myself added a whole other level to that aspect of it). Elevada is a previously undefeated arena fighter who has hit a terrible losing streak. Convinced something must be wrong with her, she heads to a mysterious forest in search of a legendary fighter to help “fix” her, but passes out from exhaustion on the way.

One loss isn't too bad, so she berates herself a little and moves on. Train harder, go faster. Don't get lazy or complacent. Her schedule intensifies and she neglects rest for effort, only for it to result in another loss.

Alta is, of course, resistant. Throughout the game she will try to run away, find excuses, distract herself, create needless objectives, and be outright unpleasant to anyone who tries to help. In all her battles against the strongest foes this world has to offer, she evidently never suspected her toughest fight might be against herself and her ceaseless craving for momentum.

Operating the tea machine itself is rather uncomplicated for such a complicated looking contraption. A tall ladder rotates around the giant glass pots in the center of the tea shop – you climb to the very top and pull a rope to fill the first pot with water, then climb down to smack the bellows, keeping the thermometer bar balanced to get the water to a perfect boil.

Because, pelo. It’s not okay. I want to know. I was invested in his story. I wanted to see him succeed, I wanted to keep teasing him about how lame of a knight he was, I wanted him to continue being a part of Alta’s journey.

As you tidy the leaves and weeds, you do have a small chance of finding something hidden underneath the clutter. Dozens of little trinkets can be uncovered while you clean, including colorful new tea mugs, teddy bears, and even lost packages. The catch, however, is that you can’t keep these trinkets as the roughly 15-hour campaign progresses, and the story directly addresses why in a clever way.

That’s not a bad thing, though, as pushing you out of your comfort zone is very much the idea. By the end of my playthrough, I didn’t Wanderstop Gameplay want to leave.

At around 10-15 hours in length, Wanderstop offers a solid experience for its price point, though its replayability is somewhat limited. The chapter resets and fleeting NPC interactions discourage multiple playthroughs, as much of the game’s power lies in its first-time emotional impact. However, the game’s lessons and themes might make some players want to return just to sit in its world a little longer. There is pelo unnecessary filler content, just a carefully crafted narrative experience.

” I even liked Alta, and let’s be very clear: Alta is not a likable character. She is thick-headed, abrasive, and sometimes outright mean. But we don’t always completely love ourselves or the way we act towards others either, do we?

And maybe that’s one of the hardest parts of Wanderstop—the game asks you to be okay with not knowing. But of course, the tea shop itself isn’t just a backdrop for these conversations.