Developer: Snowcastle Games
Platforms: Epic, PC (Reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X
Genre: Action, Adventure, RPG
Publisher: Jetpack Collective, The Iterative Collective, Jagex
Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure is a 3D life simulation game. This game was developed by Snowcastle Games and published by Jetpack Collective, The Iterative Collective, and Jagex. There are many games similar to Ikonei Island, such as Earthlock, Coral Island, Fae Farm and many more. This review was done for the PC, but the game is also available for the PlayStation and Xbox.
Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure is both a single-player and multiplayer game. You can play multiplayer online co-op with up to 3 other players. A great feature this game comes with is friend’s pass. On Steam, a friend’s pass allows only one player to have a copy of the game so others can play without owning the game. This makes it so that not everyone needs to have the game, and you can play off of one copy! The game plays very smoothly for others who are using a friend’s pass. There is a slight lag, but that might be due to an internet connection. The game plays just as normal when friends use the friend’s pass download for Ikonei Island. All you need to do is invite your friend, and it’s easy as that! If you are playing the game by yourself, once you are on the shore of Ikonei Island, you can switch between the characters. Two of which are humans and two of which are animals.
Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure is a game that follows the story of the main protagonists, Eva, Shaun, Jacob and Hedda, who are in terrible trouble as pirates are capturing animals. The protagonists try to ruin the pirates’ plans by releasing all the animals, but this causes chaos as they get caught. They then try to flee and drift away on their escape raft to Ikonei Island, which is undergoing a storm. Upon reaching, they explore the island and meet a spirit called Sariel, who asks for their help to restore Ikonei Island to its former beauty. The game allows players to complete various quests, farm, craft, gather resources, take care of creatures and fight. You also get to meet many different NPC’s along your way.
The controls for Ikonei Island are fairly simple. As you explore Ikonei Island, many frog statues act as guides to explain different mechanics and controls. A lot of similar controls overlap when interacting with different entities, but the highlighted keys make it easier for players to use them. This way, you do not need to get so comfortable with familiarising yourself with the keys. We found it a bit annoying that there was no in-game grid and that when a grid did appear, it would be very faint. A grid for when farming or interacting with things would make things a lot easier to work around.
The art style features a charming cartoon cel-shaded art style. This captures the unique characters and creatures that are found within the game. The art aesthetics of the game perfectly reflect the overall aesthetic of the game. Something I really liked about the art style of the game was the way the map was drawn. It seemed like a child had drawn out the map, which fits the protagonists of the game really well. The visuals are characterised by vibrant colours and stunning cartoonish drawings. The addition of development artwork between the loading screens is something I find admirable. The art style really captivates the player and enhances the whimsical and adventurous atmosphere of Ikonei Island. The art style has its own charm alongside the soundtrack it accompanies. Ikonei Island features lo-fi music, which captivates the calming and relaxing atmosphere. The art style and music really convey that all can enjoy this game at their own pace and their skill level. The sleeping screen is so cute. It has little zzz’s appear, followed by the status of your progress for the day. The sound effects for the game are also very immersive, as they sound real and bring the cartoon to life. The game also has stationary cut scenes which have great voice acting that brings the game to life. The voice acting for Sariel has to be my favourite. The art style and soundtrack create a tranquil atmosphere that allows players to carry out tasks with much ease.
The main premise of the game is to restore the beauty that Ikonei Island once held. It is up to the player to carry out daily tasks to make this goal come true. The island has many shrines which need restoration by collecting certain resources from around the island. The island has 14 different regions, each with many shrines, unique creatures, resources and buildings. When taming animals in this game, I like how you can get them to carry out tasks as well. For instance, you can command animals to destroy objects. For example, a longhorn. There are many interactions you can do with your tamed animal to keep it happy. You can pet it, clean it, feed it, send it home and even command it. These creatures you encounter are really important as they are a key feature to restoration. Creating a formidable bond helps them grow and use their abilities on stronger objects. As you make many companions, it becomes a habit to take great care of them, which is the most fun part about this game. A feature that I like about a specific tool is the watering can, where multiple blocks are watered rather than one. As you complete shrines, you unlock new crafting recipes that act as the progression for the game. To know if you have successfully restored the region’s five stars can be filled as you progress to restoration.
If you are looking to play a fun life simulator where you can play either by yourself or with your friends, then Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure. The game has many quests for players to carry out so they don’t get bored with the same routine and have something to work towards. Restoring Ikonei Island allows players to feel accomplished with their extensive companion care, farming skills, hunting skills and crafting skills. You get to meet new characters and learn more about the story that entails Ikonei Island. This is a great game to play with friends or by yourself!
Overall: 8/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
