Tales of Seikyu Review – Laid Back Life Sim

Tales of Seikyu Review

Life sim games are lumbering engines powered by countless mechanics and immaculate vibes. Tales of Seikyu has these two critical components in ample supply, to be sure. But there’s also a bit of duct tape wrapped around the edges. Maybe a glitch or two still needs smoothing out. But the characters are all terribly charming, you’ve got so much to do, and there’s a big, beautiful island to explore. And while Seikyu has a lot of life sim essentials, you’ve also got some fascinating yokai powers thrown into the mix.

You play a fox spirit in search of the rest of your clan. All the fox spirits have vanished somewhere, and it’s up to you and your little sister to find them. Along the way you’ll restore the old farmhouse where you live, connect with your neighbors, and generally make things better. Since you’re a fox spirit, you can master various transformation skills. It’s a refreshing alternative to the standard wheel full of tools you’re normally saddled with. Charging around with the boar form is nice and zippy, while finally unlocking the water slime skill feels deeply satisfying. No more drowning in a foot of water! On top of that, each form has an upgrade tree to master. So your already-impressive transformations can get even cooler, with a little work.

As far as isolated islands go, Seikyu is a pretty lovely one. Your fellow Yokai are all fascinating creatures, each with their own aspirations, interests, and solveable problems. The land itself is rich in resources, the views are all gorgeous, and the farmland is extremely fertile. Then there is the matter of that duct tape I previously mentioned. You end up wandering all over the island a lot, since the quest tracker points towards the quest-giver and nothing else. You’ve got clues in the quest summary of course, but no navigation marker on the screen or in the map to guide your way. So it all looks lovely, but you can easily get lost in it.

Shape-Shifting Shenanigans

There’s also a slight balance problem. Enemies are either damage sponges or soft, squishy target practice. It all comes down to which weapon you grab from the blacksmith. They’re available more or less immediately as well. You just have to sell enough cooked food to afford a +22 bladed weapon and you’re in business. But to be honest, I don’t see this as a flaw, not exactly. Seikyu is focused more on having a chill time from day to day. The enemies are mostly another resource to harvest with the right tools. After all, wouldn’t you rather spend your time getting closer to one of your neighbors? Maybe see if there’s a spark of romance ready to catch fire?

Most of the activities available are equally laid back. Fishing is simple enough, farming is fairly straightforward, and foraging is absurdly plentiful wherever you go. We’re not here to struggle and endure, we’re here to relax and have a great time. You’ve got plenty of long-term goals to work towards, sure, but also a healthy selection of simple tasks for that steady dopamine drip. For someone like me who gets easily distracted, longer projects like romance and the main quest can be tackled at whatever pace you wish. It’s all part of that essential Stardew strategy. We’re strolling on well-trod roads, but I’m personally fine with that. In other words, if you’re looking for a certain style of life sim, Seikyu is sure to satisfy.

Stardew-Style Life Sim

You’ve got a lot of delightful options when it comes to in-game romance. Over half the town is looking for love, so you’re sure to find that special someone. Charming potential matches with witty banter and acts of service feels natural, and you’ve got a plethora of paths to success, but patience is the watchword here. Like the rest of Seikyu’s systems, you’re best served by taking your time. Even if that last encounter didn’t go quite right, there are endless tomorrows packed with second chances. For someone as fatally scattered as myself, this kind of system is essential for any sort of progress.

I always hesitate to report on glitches and bugs. It’s possible that a lot of these issues will vanish with the first patch. I’ll just highlight one or two, with the explicit understanding that these problems didn’t factor into the final score in a meaningful way. First, I couldn’t buy multiple items from the clothing shop at once. Not without switching from the counter to the display, or leaving and returning to the village. I also noticed that only certain shops show up properly on the map. Finally, some items didn’t disappear from my inventory the way they were supposed to be once they were used. It’s a big game, there are many moving parts, and we’re just barely out of early access. So I’m pretty forgiving of the little things. In fact, 90% of my playthrough was seamless and smooth. It’s just something to keep in mind while playing.

Important To Take It Easy

A certain amount of chill is needed to truly grasp the essence of Seikyu’s design philosophy. The clever writing reveals itself over many days. The romance system is a succession of small encounters that build to a more meaningful connection. Farming starts small and grows slowly. But once you get on this game’s wavelength, it all falls into place. A little foraging, a little fighting, maybe a quest or two. Talk to your special someone once. Maybe even unlock another chamber in the dungeon. You’ll be miserable if you rush, so why do it? Just take it easy. Soak up the atmosphere, listen to that excellent soundtrack. Do some fishing. There’s no wrong way to live on this picturesque island.

i had an excellent time with Seikyu. The aesthetic is delightful, the cast is charming, and the island’s many little activities are a blast. Yes, there are some rough edges yet to be sanded off. I ran into a glitch or two. I also wish the quest system were more intuitive and required less wandering. But if you approach the game at the pace it prefers, you’ll have a great time. Anyone looking for that next Stardew-style life sim experience would be wise to pick up Tales of Seikyu.

***A Steam key was provided by the publisher***