- Publisher: Humble Bundle , Humble Games
- Release Date: Sep 26, 2023
- Also On: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox One
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
-
Oct 27, 2023Mineko's Night Market is a fun, colorful and kitten-filled life simulator. The game features a number of entertaining and simple mini-games, in addition to lovely art direction and a catchy, enjoyable soundtrack.
-
Sep 25, 2023There’s no doubt an appeal here for fans of cozy experiences, and Mineko’s Night Market delivers all the charm one could expect from this genre. But the experience is shortlived as it offers little focus on player expression. Similar titles present a much wider range of activities to invest yourself in that makes the experience feel like your own. However, there really isn’t any of that here. It all feels just a little too static and unimpressive. For a younger audience, this could be an entry-level introduction to this wholesome genre, but there may be better ways to spend an evening than at the Night Market.
-
Sep 25, 2023Between muddled gameplay and conflicted writing, Mineko’s Night Market can’t decide on an identity to fully embrace.
-
Jan 22, 2024Featuring cute drawn graphics and a prohibitive level of cuteness, Mineko's Night Market suffers from monotonous tasks, a lack of depth in the characters and an overpowering routine.
-
Sep 25, 2023Mineko's Night Market has a great vibe and aesthetic, but its slow pace and tedious resource gathering make it hard to recommend.
-
Sep 25, 2023We’d be lying if we said we haven’t enjoyed our time with Mineko’s Night Market. We have: its world and its characters are just wonderful, and we’ve loved being part of it. But we just wish the game’s economy was a little more balanced so we didn’t have to spend so much time repeatedly gathering materials and completing menial tasks as we craft endless trinkets. Billed as a “narrative-driven adventure”, it feels lacking in both narrative and adventure. Instead, we got what feels more like a thinly-veiled crafting/management simulator game. There’s still a lot to like here, but we certainly expected more.
-
Oct 4, 2023It’s a shame, as there’s real potential in Mineko’s setup. It has a strong blend of the fantastical and mundane, and that’s refreshing in a genre where “fantastical” usually just extends to “you can run an entire farm by yourself and not die.” The art direction is also bolder and more striking than we usually see, and it goes a long way in creating a unique, mildly eerie atmosphere that helps sell the island’s mythology.
-
Sep 29, 2023Mineko’s Night Market goes down as one of my biggest disappointments of the year. The early promise is entirely squandered through inane conversations, repetitive minigames and a feeling more akin to a mobile game loop than a cosy game. The art style and plethora of cats are cute, but I’m afraid this is one to avoid.
-
Sep 25, 2023Mineko’s Night Market is an adorable little sim that could’ve been cozy, but is mostly just boring chores that don’t reward you in the kinds of satisfying ways we see in other popular games in this relaxed genre. After putting you to work, it doesn’t let up, trapping you in a grind of gathering resources and making crafts for lifeless NPCs. Beyond some purring cats, gorgeous artwork, and a handful of legitimately funny bits, it doesn’t provide anything to make all your work worth it.
| This publication does not provide a score for their reviews. | |
| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
-
Sep 29, 2023Admittedly, there are days where it feels like friendship in this quaint little town is conditional, an odd feeling that everyone wants something from you: 10 pieces of paper for fixing a flimsy wall, two matcha lattes for a thirsty neighbor, a sports drink for an aspiring athlete. At one point, a vendor even jokingly requests 120 blocks of wood to build their store — a joke to be had at your expense. But if you can shelve these uncomfortable thoughts, Mineko’s Night Market can be a place to linger for a few hours. Be it chipping away at your laundry list of mundane but comforting chores or selling some handmade kitty kitsch at the night market, this cozy sim is an invitation to slow down and smell the roses. Or rather, pet the cats, as they flop over in contentment, their purrs resonating from deep within their bellies.
-
Sep 25, 2023In short, Mineko's Night Market never coheres into an enjoyable whole. There's always at least one part that grates against another - and frequently it's not just one thing, but everything rubbing you up the wrong way and pulling you in different directions. Being the local errand kid is a pretty thankless task at the end of the day, and the more time you try and invest in this game, the poorer you feel at the end of it.