Stranded Sails: Explorers of the Cursed Islands

Once I became comfortable with the controls, cycling through all the different items in my inventory became effortless. I preferred playing this game docked rather than in handheld mode. A peaceful adventure game like this begs to be played while relaxing on the couch and enjoying the vibrant colors on a big screen. While it isn’t the most gripping adventure, fans of Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing will probably enjoy it.

Stranded Sails: Explorers of the Cursed Islands puts a strong emphasis on aspects that most adventure and exploration RPGs don't touch upon, such as gathering resources, farming and cooking. If this aspect works well and gives the game a particular charm, there are other aspects where Stranded Sails does not stand out in the same way, namely its shallow combat and some repetitive moments.

Stranded Sails is an okay exploration game that rewards you for adventuring into the nooks and crannies of its tropical islands. However, it doesn't do much to stand out and has some annoying gameplay aspects that make exploring feel like a chore.

Stranded Sails: Explorers of the Cursed Islands proposes to blend farming sim elements with an adventure focused on exploration. Unfortunately, due to its simple mechanics and limiting stamina system, it falls short on both of its main purposes.

At its surface, Stranded Sails: Explorers of the Cursed Islands looks like an adorable and endearing addition to this genre, and though I so badly wanted to love it, I’d have difficulty recommending it to almost anyone other than young children. There is certainly a place in the gaming world for peaceful, low-pressure exploration and farming games, but unfortunately, I’m not convinced that Stranded Sails is one that belongs. The minute-to-minute gameplay is just not stimulating enough, the quests and actions are fairly mindless, and overall, there just isn’t enough reason to pick it up time and time again.