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There is something about the Early Access and Game Preview ideas that are perfect for the sim genre. It’s here where developers can test out their games, allowing players to consume hundreds of hours, discovering what is liked and disliked, all before going to full release. It’s a tried and tested method.
One of the latest to go down the Game Preview and Game Pass route is that of Lightyear Frontier, a game that takes farming sim elements but puts it into space and has you running around in a big mech cultivating plants and crafting homes in the outer worlds. But should you spend hours there?
An intergalactic tale
The story is simple – you are a person who is sick of the hustle and bustle of future city life. So like the pioneers of the Wild West, you head to a planet to start a new way of life. Here you have a giant mech suit to help you explore, craft, and plant.
I think the immediate draw of Lightyear Frontier, that which sees it stand out from the crowd, is the big mech suit that you will be marauding around in. You can cover good distances, jump and explore in it. But it also allows for even more fun and slammed on the arms are attachments; like a cutter for felling trees and plants for materials. A seed planter is placed on your mechanical arm to give you the satisfaction of laying down the crops, robot-style.
There is nothing that is going to kill you in Lightyear Frontier, so that brings with it an air of calm and relaxation. It’s a game that will let you simply go about building a better world for yourself – and if you want, your online co-op buddy. It’s a game where exploration is the key, complemented by the farming and building of a settlement. You can explore this alien world with ease, taking in a land that feels like it is brimming with life; ruins left in the distance. It’s so relaxing you don’t even have to worry about fuel in your mech suit running out. The game developers want you to have a fun, calming time. And there’s no doubt that in Lightyear Frontier they have achieved those aims.
Pretty flawless to use
Lightyear Frontier also feels flawless and intuitive to use, getting hands-on, or mech-on, with how you farm, reap, and sow. From the beginning, it feels like the gentle progress through the game by gaining new buildings, crops, and upgrades for your mech is rewarding, but ultimately there’s no rush in getting these items.
The world you end up calling home is a pleasant place to spend some time in and visually there aren’t any problems or glitches; something that you may normally associate with a Game Preview title, as the developers go ironing things out. And the world you land in is big, itching for you to venture out and see what’s on offer. I was impressed with the weather and the creatures moving about as I farmed.
Early signs are good for Lightyear Frontier. But that does mean that there will be questions as to what the future holds, particularly in terms of story, upgrades, and exploration. How does this survival farming sim put itself above the others in terms of ambition or playability? For now, it’s a great beginning and it will be interesting to see how the game progresses into its Xbox future.
Free on Game Pass
If you are curious as to what Lightyear Frontier offers, then head over to the Xbox Store, take in a download and head off on an adventure with a few mates. It’s on Game Pass, so you’ve nothing to lose. Lightyear Frontier is playable on Xbox Series X|S and PC.