My Time at Sandrock

This game is absolutely fantastic! I truly enjoyed my 250+ hours before I made it to the last main mission (there's still a ton to be done afterwards). Awesome story line and turn of events, memorable characters, cool art style, and it offers me everything (or even more) that I am hoping for a game of its genre. The devs put a lot of heart making this masterpiece, thank you so much (there are still rooms for improvement). I love doing commissions and spending all my stamina every day. The one and only downside to me is the door animation of your home when you go outside (its just black, hehe), but everything else is fantastic!

9.9/10

I bought this game before it was full release, I had just finished "My time at Portia." I was tickled that they aligned the stories slightly leading into their next game. I played it through to the point where available content ended. They allowed me to keep doing commissions, but I think I spent the time taking screenshots around the oasis. I did uninstall it for a time.
When I returned I started a new save as I had no clue what was now happening. I was sad about a couple things, but that is the nature of an early release title. So my review...

My Time at Sandrock is the second installment of the series "My Time at..." but it is not a sequel. Both games are able to be played in their entirety without having experienced the other. I did smile when they referenced the "Builder of Portia" as that was also me / The player. Sandrock is a desert town besieged by a bandit and a water crisis. The game is LBGTQ+ friendly, the player may interact with any single NPC. I am not a big fan of the romance aspect of sim type games. I was here to build, destroy, solve the mystery and plant trees. Their "romance" updates did not appeal to me but I did marry Unsuur in both playthroughs. (A guy who can compare me to a "rock" and be very genuine about it without being over the top. ) There is references to religions, and different types of races. e.g. Mole People, rat people, robots etc.

I found the feature to make your own workshop "Room" to be clunky and annoying. IN Portia the setup for doing so was simpler and easier. I'm not a fan how previewing a memory changes that memories scenes to show your current outfit / look in the recording. Often when chopping or mining the player zooms into the skin of the tree / rock, model collision problems that can be annoying but doesn't break the game. I did think the game was broken because in my first play through I got a helper at a much earlier stage, had to check the internet to see if I had done something wrong. I do believe I encounter one true bug but was able to load an older save to fix the issue. ( As with most games always keep a couple saves going. Just in case.)

Overall I enjoyed "My Time at Sandrock". I enjoyed seeing the characters evolve, enjoyed destroying and building. seeing the bad guys get what was coming for them and the evolution of the town. I will miss playing this game even listening to Cooper's stories...

I do not think I will be playing the third game anytime soon, as it feels like the romance bit is pushed far more than any other feature. So Good luck with that, I know it'll sell.

Has actually entertaining dialogue and events. Most games of this type focus on gameplay and have overly cheesy or silly dialogue, while some is cheesy this is funny and has some actual life to it. Great game. 9/10

I like this game. Lots of time/task/resource management, which I find fun in this context. The game looks nice, the characters are fun, the plot is fun. I don't like the voices much, but have the option to turn them off (though Amirah's still are in some cutscenes).
I've definitely put some hours into it.

My Time at Sandrock and My Time at Portia are just good ol, low stress, FUN. The childlike characters, story lines and situations are suitable for all ages, but young and old alike will enjoy this game. I am a BIG fan of these games and will support anything these developers release...because you can tell they take pride in the little details and have a great sense of humor. You will have a fun time with this game!

+ Excellent, cartoon-like graphics
+ Funny, silly, lovable characters
+ Pays homage to My Time at Portia in really cool ways
+ The addition of showrooms, for people who want really cool buildings, but hate taking the time to do it (me)
+ The ability to change outfits for the NPC's
+ Player designed artwork and weapons was a REALLY cool feature

- Mining materials gets a bit tedious
- Not a fan of the outfits...they feel TOO silly and cartoonish
- Not a lot of reason to play much longer after the main story-line is completed

This is one of my favorite crafting, farming, RPG, & Life Sim series. It even has combat that isn't half bad. This game and My Time at Portia are definitely worth your time. I can't wait for My Time at Evershine. It is at the top of my wishlist. ♥️

---- Edited to add----
The only thing that I would suggest with the housing system for the future game, is to make it easier to place things however you want, for instance add angles as an option for furniture placement. Let items be closer to walls or eachotherr, etc.

This is a GREAT game for people wanting to practice foreign language reading skills because you can set the audio to English and the text to another language.

I have really enjoyed playing this game. I prefer the single player to multiplayer, but the multiplayer has some extra content that is fun to play through.

its loaded with all kinds of adventures for someone that needs differernt things to do. it flows well , graphice are good an fun to play. does not crash.

What a night and day difference from Portia. Improved on in almost every way, from far superior performance on the Steam Deck to better menus and interface and nicer artwork. I started with My Time at Portia and became frustrated with the gameplay. Items were too hard to find and the crafting seemed unnecessarily tedious. Choppy graphics even at low settings. I do prefer the aesthetic design of Portia to Sandrock, but the lack of tress probably helps with performance. The crafting is still somewhat of a grind, but it seems more intuitive. I've long searched for a farm/life sim (similar to ACNH, SV, Coral island) that has a first-person view and full 3D while matching the gameplay of those other titles, and so far, Sandrock has come the closest.

Utterly delightful storytelling and thoughtful game design. Loved.

The Short & Sweet: Wait for a sale on the game and the twin DLCs (Monster Whisperer & Love Chronicles), then mod it a bit.

Suffers from "Hurry up and wait" while also moving just a bit too quickly at the slowest time passage setting, but offers a surprisingly complex story and character writing. Writing is surprisingly grounded, often talking about death being a very real part of the world and characters not acting so childishly with one another. On the same hand; the dialogue can get a little memey, however, its also charming in its own way. Combat is a little bland but it still works well. The seasons affecting workshop mechanics is a nice touch.

Cutting two major chunks of gameplay features (Monster Taming and several Romance Interactions) leaves a bad taste in one's mouth.
Even breaking the continuity a tiny bit with mods, I still invested near 220 hours to reach the end of the game.
Overall; a great, cute game.

A vast improvement on My Time at Portia, I think. Mechanics are more compelling, fighting is less annoying, and there are a variety of well-developed characters in aggressively "Western" accents to befriend. I can tell there's a decently structured story behind it all. I bought this on sale, making it even easier to recommend, although I think $40 is acceptable as a price (I'd hesitated because I did not enjoy My Time at Portia).
Fight monsters, collect resources, deal with a unique water mechanic that requires you to manage water levels as your machinery uses it ... Complete commissions and make and spend money to develop and grow your home and Sandrock. This game has a lot going on, but I think it isn't as immediately overwhelming as other games, and it's introduced gradually. You can choose not to interact with most mechanics, if you wish.
My least favorite part of this game has to be the large amount of DLC, mostly the DLC that isn't just outfits and feels like it could have just been a mechanic or addition to the game ... instead it's charged for and also shows clear bias for particular characters. If I don't want to marry Nia, my choice of bachelor(ette) may simply have ... less content. Feels weird to play favorites like that.
Overall, worth the buy and I'll likely buy the next installation unless something drastically changes.

Obviously with the amount of time I've put into this game continuously, I absolutely love this game and the series as a whole. My Time at Sandrock brings more QOL to the My Time series after its predecessor, My Time at Portia. The story is interesting enough, the cheeky humor is great as always, and I can play for days, weeks, months and never get tired of it. There's always things to do and I can't wait to see what's next! Highly recommend this game if you enjoyed Portia, or even if you're new to the series you can start here and backtrack to Portia! If you enjoy a cozy Life Sim with a story, home customization, a bit of fighting (that's not really difficult), and material gathering for building, this game and series is perfect for you. Just remember, CONSERVE WATER!!! :P

TLDR: Sandrock is much better than Portia in many ways but they still miss the mark on a few things. Already looking forward to the new game.

Portia did better:
- facial expressions
- consistency of voices
- main character actually has voiced lines
- coinciding quest locations and cutscenes don't interfere with one another
- seeing the grandiosity or existence of new structures built by the builder
- character models are loaded in the moment the player is loaded in, and don't teleport randomly (I use medium level graphics for both games)
- allows non-romanceable characters to also ride your mount, instead of teleporting
- character lines follow the game's timelines they are in (In Sandrock some characters mention things that haven't happened or been discovered yet)

Sandrock improved on compared to Portia:
- most quality of life stuff
- ways to get closer to the characters
- cutscenes
- making the builder feel important (maybe too much sometimes)
- game aesthetics obviously
- more varied lines from literally every character after each major event
- mini scenes after or during certain quests that need you to go to specified locations to trigger them.
- mount, weapon, hair options
- number of commissions and ease of them
- item/material accessibility
- separation of what is visibly worn and what items are equipped
- options that let you determine if you're going on a romance path with that character or not
- ease of remodeling the house and moving things
- WAY less downtime in comparison with Portia where you wait an in game week or so between quests
- calendar and alarms or reminders
- most non-core romanceables still have even a little bit more content in their romances

Great cozy game. Has nice story lines and I like that you can bond with the villagers and roam around the world. Can highly recommend, despite of being peaceful it is interesting and engaging enough to make me come back to just relax.
If you like sandbox games, or simulation you probably will like this one, I can only recommend it

A cozy, beautiful game that is filled with stories and characters that are extraordinary. It's a lot of fun and definitely worth it. The devs attention to small details will make you smile.

I love this game very much. It is a worthy sequel to the wonderful My Time in Portia, in both lore and gameplay. So much QOL updates and a lot of listening to the fans. I will say, I was disappointed when the Love Chronicles DLC overlooked most of the romance interests, felt a bit meh as someone with little to no interest in romancing the characters that the DLC chose to prioritise. Definitely a miss in the devs part

good game, good story, works well

Cute characters, engaging story, it's a complete time suck because I can't stop playing it. I'm almost 100 hours in and am still not close to finishing the main story. The amount of content is amazing. Huge fan of the My Time team and can't wait for their next game. But in the meantime I still have tons to do in this one!

Great storyline, great voice acting, beautiful map, fun and original characters, never gets boring. Only complaint I have is that your builder looks like a child, so that makes the romancing kinda weird. Overall amazing game made by an obviously passionate team.

Good game! I wish they made more games like it. It was really fun, but I wish there were better clothing options for girl players. The very limited cute clothing is very disappointing.

One of the best games I've ever played! If you like adventures and/or cozy games, and you love to immerse yourself into a story, this is THE game for you. It helped me to distract myself and have some sense of achievement in a very challenging period.

I will say - sometimes the backstory got a bit too tragic for me and the fighting part wasn't as enjoyable for me, but I'm very sensitive and with the right preparation, the fights were over very quickly.

Thank you, Pathea, for gifting us with this wonderful game full of great stories, humour, pop culture references and believable characters. I will always fondly remember my time in Sandrock.

this game is cozy and fully naratied what more could you ask for well all I want is to start with a dresser or something

My Time at Sandrock is absolutely great. It improves so much on everything I loved about Portia. The crafting is so complex and enjoyable, and so is the ruin explorations. Characters are voice acted which is a great plus and they have so much personality. There is so much to do, but there is no pressure - everything can be done at ones own pace.

I am loving this game so much ♥

I saw another review that said that this game is everything you love about Portia and none of the things you hate and it really stuck with me because it's so accurate. So many amazing quality of life updates have been added - the devs really listen to feedback and it's so obvious how much care goes into these games. Despite taking place in a near abandoned desert, everything feels so full of life and so busy - the characters are all so unique and well-written and the story line is amazing. And the small little details in this game? Characters waving when they see you, commenting on new hairstyles you get, so many little conversations you can hear, and Cooper and Hugo?? Perfection. My Time at Portia was already such a special game and really cemented my immediate love of the series and My Time At Sandrock is the perfect follow up. You really can feel the love and care that went into this game!!

Considering I've put in over 600+ hours, clearly I'd say I highly recommend this game. Most of the time when you complete the main story line, the side quests aren't quite as appealing and you never seem to finish the game in full. And when you do, you tend not to replay them. With MTAS that's not the case, at least for me. I've replayed the game countless times, explored different dialogue options and romanceable NPCs, and rebuilt my house so much that I don't believe I can ever tire from this game. I loved MTAP as well, and I cannot wait for MTAE.

This is one of my favorite games! The characters are well developed. The story is compelling. The gameplay loop of crafting, fighting, and socializing is addictive and never boring. My only slight almost minuscule gripe is that it took me 160 hrs to finish the game. That’s a bit too long for me. But that’s just a personal thing. Every single moment of those 160 hrs was a ton of fun. Highly highly recommend!

Amazing sequel to Portia, and nothing compares to this town building/action rpg hybrid. I swear these games have so much DNA from Dark Cloud 1/2 that I am constantly shocked.

In other words, worth every penny. Really looking forward to the next title in the series, and I hope it continues to add fun features.

However, I would suggest starting at this entry and then moving to Portia. Make sure you have an SSD or better, and since this is a crowdfunded title I felt compelled to avoid spoilers from the forums.

Best darn game ever! It's got just the right amount of action, comedy, romance, crafting and building, relationships, and more. This game is virtually a life simulation where you can become totally immersed (and addicted). The story line pulls you in from the get-go and holds you to the very end. I'm on my 4th play through thus far and may have a few more yet. Well worth it!

The in-game graphic styles looks just like the trailer. The story-line is really good and creative ( some part really surprised me). All NPC have their own background story but not all of them have a strong background story,you can explore by befriended them but some lines only appeared with romantic relationship with that npc. All NPC comes with Full voice actor ! (not sure about the new update ). Shortly, I really enjoy this game and even i have finished the story i might re-playing it again in a new save to explore some npc story i missed.

As always with My Time serie, I ended up with a sense of accomplishment. Another beautiful game with an inspiring narrative arc. Plot twist, emotion, action, gunfire, everything is existing in a complex, yet perfectly well blended game.
A lot of content, I did play about 200hrs and sometimes on a rush style.
Thank you for this new game. Hope the next one will be as good as this one !

I can't recommend this game enough! It’s absolutely amazing, and I was so sad when I finished the main story. Yes, you should definitely play it! It runs well on the Steam Deck, too. You can really tell how much love and care the developers have for the community that has made these games so successful! Worth every penny!

10/10 game for cozy, story driven game enjoyers, also absolutely not biased cuz of Logan, no no

4 out of 5

My Time at Sandrock is a more refined version of My Time at Portia, taking place in a different region. This time, you have to save the town from desertification, alongside helping others to make the town more appealing to newcomers and tourists. Visually, the game is much better, but the optimization isn't great. I had expected more before buying it – more freedom and fewer limits – but that's not the case. I hope the next game will address these issues.

The game is really lengthy in terms of quests and content, but don't expect anything truly surprising. It is more time-consuming to mine and extract resources, as they are limited in a way, and ore is mined differently now.

Anyway, if you're into Stardew Valley-like games, there's a good chance you'll like My Time at Sandrock. I would recommend getting the game with a discount, though.

P.S. after a certain point in the game, the builder of the year award becomes very easy to obtain which is very frustrating. Can't say that it was that challenging in My Time at Portia, but at least I had to "compete" with Higgins for the rewards.

One of the best games I have ever played. The story, characters and everything are just done so well. Only game of this genre I enjoy, highly recommend!

Game is seriously good. All the mechanics are fun the art style is unique and isn't just re-branded unreal assets. Story is fun, romance is fun.

The DLC...is a bit jankey because the romance one is fun but it doesn't recognize that someone isn't a romantic partner if they are one of the four xD so you can just walk up and talk to them like they are your wife/husband

main game is still a 10/10 for me (DON'T BUY THIS ON SWITCH IT IS A TERRIBLE PORT)

Quickly becomes addicting. I feel like there isn't always enough time to play this game. Currently in the middle of the storyline and I just love how alive sandrock feels. Every NPC has their own little niche and that getting to know them more feels so satisfying. i can't wait for the new my time series (my time at evershine) to come out.

Good game, longer story than expected which was a pleasant surprise.

So far its reminding me exactly of My Time in Portia, with a different back drop, animals to kill and enemies. Right off in the first few quests, you are challenged with patience trials, because the materials needed to make anything are real world complicated and or expensive to get. I'm barely eating in this game, just like in real life. Lol. But the challenge is what makes it worth it. I've already died once by chicken.

A cozy, fun game with excellent writing and characters! The story was engaging and the humor in dialogue was top notch.

I have to admit i really enjoy this series. From the story telling to the adventures, even the workshop mechanics, its just a nice change to a game, and I love playing it. I cant wait for Evershine to come out.

This game is a blast. It is just as good as portia if not better as a sequel game should me

I was genuinely taken aback by how much I enjoyed My Time at Sandrock. After nearly 200 hours of gameplay, I’m still uncovering new surprises and delights around every corner. The attention to detail is remarkable, and the game boasts a captivating and original storyline that keeps you engaged. It’s infused with a delightful sense of humor that adds to the charm.

What truly stands out are the lovingly crafted characters, each of whom quickly captured my heart. They come with their own unique stories and personalities that make every interaction feel meaningful. The option to marry and start your own family adds an endearing layer to the gameplay, allowing for a deeper connection to the world.

Overall, the game is an absolute joy to play, and I can hardly wait to see what the upcoming My Time titles have in store!

It took me a long time to get around to getting this game because, to be frank, I just couldn't handle Portia. There was a lot wrong with Portia that turned me away from looking at this one and it turns out that was a mistake. They improved so much, they listened to the problems and made changes and made things better. The characters are better, the designs are better, the wait times for your resources are so much better and you can play at your own pace without your rivals picking up your slack and making you feel rushed (which was one of my problems with Portia as well) and the art style is so much better too as in Portia the character's wide eyes stared into my soul and kinda scared me. but i digress as this isn't a review for Portia.

Sandrock took what they made with Portia to a new level and I loved every moment. In fact my ADHD butt usually never completes a game. I think I have only made a large game like this to completion once every couple of years as most games I get bored of and move on to a new game after a week or two. There was enough to hold my interest, the story was inviting, the characters were fun, the romantic options gave some great choices especially making me work for one of them and that one being a really great option. There was also enough to do that if i got bored of one thing i could explore, mine, take commissions, talk to townsfolk and a huge amount of side stories to keep me interested between all the main missions. I don't think since I have played raft I got to feel a little hollow spot where a game was filling now that I am done. The only down side was that leveling got a bit grindy at the end there but that happens sometimes. I suspect that like everything else they improved on with this game they will improve on that with the next one.

The game was worth it and the only good thing in waiting for so long to actually get into this one is that maybe I won't have to wait too terribly long for Evershine to fill that little hole finishing this game has left in me. The down side is the kickstarter for Evershine is done and for the first time I might have been into supporting one. I will just have to wait until release date to give all the support these developers deserve for working so hard and giving me a great experience. I will be here on the edge of my seat waiting for you. And heck, I always wait till things go on sale but I think for the first time I will most likely pay full price for the next game.

all the characters are so amazing and cute (except miguel..... im an avid miguel hater....) and you never get bored playing cause there is so much you can do <3333

I had wet eyes as the credits rolled. I enjoyed this game so, so much and was so sad when I beat the game. The characters have so much personality and heart and it was so easy to have real feelings about them, good or bad. The story was excellent and engaging, and same with the gameplay. I really am so sad it's over - but I loved "my time in Sandrock" so much that I will definitely be back - whether that means replaying the game again or revisiting my save file from time to time. I for sure recommend this game. In order to also give some constructive feedback, I will note that the game could be quite buggy sometimes. There were times over my playthrough that it would freeze and I would have to force-close it and restart from the last auto-save.

I only have 55hours as of now and I know that I will be putting in more time. Absolutely great game. There are so many funny interactions with the characters <3

Off the top of my head:
1. Watching paint dry with Unsuur (How fun, right?)
2. Arvio getting in trouble by the pastor for plastering his face in the train station to advertise his store (Totally not narcissistic!!)
3. Qi building a mirror for Pen, while Pen harasses Qi daily basically showing up saying "Are you done? Are you done? Are you done yet?" All for Pen to be too mesmerized by his muscleness and having to be set free
4. Fighting monsters side by side with Pen to prove our love while he makes comments of my arms and thighs... (Good times and very normal)

Can you tell Pen is my favorite yet? There is so much more to do. Definitely a huge improvement from My Time at Portia.

Also... They let you adopt a cute owl named CoCo, that's enough for me.

I'm satisfied:-)

10/10 I love how much content this game has, every minute has been an enjoyable time sink and at the time of writing I'm not even halfway through the game

Beautiful, it's very unique. quite confusing at first, but as you keep playing it, you'll understand the flow.