Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time just released this May, and it's receiving a positive response from players despite the delays. This may be due to the nostalgia and joy that the original Fantasy Life on the 3DS gave to players in 2012 and 2014, but there's a lot more that we love about it.
Fantasy Life is a cozy life simulation role-playing game, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't require any grinding. The game gives a lot of freedom to its players, and I spent so much time ranking up through all the available Lives.
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+ 4Everything to Love About the Original Fantasy Life on the 3DS
I only got a 3DS as a gift from my dad for doing well in high school, so that was around 2016. I've played a lot of games on the 3DS, but Fantasy Life will always have a special place within the list of my favorite video games. Let's explore all the things there are to love about the original Fantasy Life on the 3DS.
Customization
While I love video games that follow a story and certain protagonists, such as Life Is Strange, I still want to play games that give you the freedom to make or be your own unique character. In Fantasy Life, you get to customize your character from the hair to the face shape. Games like this make me feel more immersed since I do "live" as that character.
Not only that, but you also get to decorate your own home. You can put different decorations and even set up a theme. This reminds me of Animal Crossing in a way, since you get to pick up furniture (and even create your own as a Carpenter). Bonus is that you can also get a pet!
click to enlarge+ 4Multiple "Lives"
It doesn't literally mean having multiple lives where you can revive and keep going (well, you can in Fantasy Life). The "lives" in Fantasy Life are the classes that you can play as. In the original version on the 3DS, 12 Lives are available (Fantasy Life i adds two new Lives, the Artist and Farmer).
These Lives have three categories: Combat, which includes classes such as the Paladin, Gathering classes such as being a Woodcutter and Miner, and Crafting Lives like the Cook or Alchemist. They are also distinguishable since each class has different outfits or armor, which I think is adorable.
These classes are interconnected since you'll need materials such as ores collected by being a Miner to craft weapons and armor as a Blacksmith. This allows players to actually try out the other classes since they will have uses for them. It may sound tedious, but it's all worth the trouble (and kind of the whole point of the game anyway).
click to enlarge+ 4The thing that attracted me the most to the game is the ranking system, as you start from the bottom as a Novice and Fledgling until the highest rank available (depending on whether you have the DLC). Players will need to collect Stars to rank up, which in turn unlocks abilities that will make their lives easier. It gives players a sense of accomplishment when they rise through the ranks and complete missions.
There are also skill points that you will be allotting, and each stat corresponds to specific classes. This gives you freedom to personalize your character's specialization, such as putting most of the points into Strength if you're combat-oriented.
Exploration
I love getting rough and rowdy, which means heading out and battling all the enemies I encounter. Many players will have the same sentiments as I, and Fantasy Life gives us that opportunity. While we do have quests or missions to complete, we're free to roam around the town and different fields to level up.
Non-Playable Characters (NPCs)
While many of the characters are just there to populate the places in the game, I'd say that many of the more prominent non-playable characters have their charms. I believe that the majority of the characters are a bit wacky, with funny dialogue that comes across as endearing, making it a lighthearted experience that will lift your spirits.
Some characters can become your allies or companions, helping you out with combat (up to two companions). They can help by dealing damage to your enemies, like how Jude helped out in the beginning of the Mercenary life against a rooster, or heal your character. There are specific requirements that must be met before they can accompany you, though. It's mostly reaching a certain level or progressing enough through the Life's ranks or story.
click to enlarge+ 4Nostalgia
There are a lot of people who grew up with a 3DS, and I'm sure that playing Fantasy Life will give them that nostalgic feeling. The background music and sound effects will take you back, and they add to the game's charm. No fancy graphics that are normal in today's time, but great art nonetheless.
Players should check out the new Fantasy Life game, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, available on different platforms such as Steam, Switch, and more.
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