Of Mice and Sand: Revised

Of Mice and Sand -Revised- is a positively charming title. It’s a cute and entertaining world that I would love to come back to if Arc System Works could find a way to make a second trip more compelling with additional gameplay options.

Of Mice and Sand -Revised- does a lot of things right; a mixture of quests, resource management, and a necessity for clever thinking result in a decent experience for the most dedicated fans of the genre. Unfortunately, though, a lack of clear direction and a tricky-to-master workflow mean that it likely won’t quite click with everyone else; these games work best when you find yourself addicted to their menial tasks and, this time around, that sadly wasn’t always the case. Not a bad option to consider for fans of tactical management, then, but be wary of our warnings if you do choose to give it a go.

Of Mice and Sand: Revisited is a fun resource management game. Building up the mice’s sandship to produce ever more complex goods requires thought and a good understanding of how the game operates. However, requirements to progress can slow it down and lead down the path of repetition. Even upgrades designed to maximize production capacity can’t fully address the pacing. Interface concerns dog the experience throughout. Still, it’s a fun diversion in short bursts and a welcome companion to TV, but finding the entire path to El Dorado might take a little too long for its own good.

The concept is intriguing, but with this execution it just scratches the surface. This survival strategy relies too much on grind and not enough on storytelling.