Deiland: Pocket Planet Edition Changes the Formula

Within the last few years, we have been blessed by a number of fantastic farming / city building simulation styles. There has been no shortage with the likes of Stardew Valley updates, Story of Seasons, Summer in Mara, Harvest Moon, Littlewood…the list just goes on. Deiland: Pocket Planet – previously released on other platforms – is now trying to break through on the Nintendo Switch with new features and gameplay mechanics. Deiland does things just a bit differently, however, which sets itself apart form the competition. Let’s dive in!

You can find 4 Episodes, one for each season of year one, here!

Here’s just a bit shared by the publishing company about what to expect in Deiland,

Deiland: Pocket Planet Edition is a relaxing farming adventure where you will have to take care of your tiny planet. Farm, craft, and fight monsters to make your home a special place and help others with their quest. Discover the story of Arco in this single-player experience; a tale about growing up, helping others, and revealing the secrets that lie on the heart of your planet. This reimagination of Deiland, Chibig’s first game for PS4 and PC, includes unique content for the Nintendo Switch console, with new looks, new music, new playability, and exclusive DLC content. On top of all of this, this new edition includes a new “seasons” system.

On the surface, Deiland might just appear to be your next, new-look farming simulation title. You plant crops, craft items, upgrade things, fight monsters…you know, the usual. But something about Deiland feels uniquely different, whether it’s the living alone on a planet, the way you traverse it like Mario Galaxy, or the fact that there is a story here for you to unravel. There are no towns to head into each day for items, no residence to build relationships with. Sure folks fly onto your planet and request certain things from you, but it’s not really the same, is it. But I like this different. This different is good.

Although already available on the PS4 and PC, the Nintendo Switch version comes with loads of additional new content, including new music, brand new exclsuive DLC, and a brand new seasons system. I’ve never played the PS4 or PC version, but from what I gather, the Switch using a seasons system with 7 days per season is unique to this version, and impacts many things, most importantly the planting of crops, trees, and bushes. Since I never played the first edition of this game, the extras aren’t what keep me coming back. To me, this is Deiland, and it is the only existence of the game. So what keeps me playing? The gameplay loop.

Whether solving minor puzzles for those visiting your island – I really hate those dang giant pumpkins! – or just working towards your next upgrades, I like the various mechanics used here. Trees and bushes need a nearby water source, so you can’t just place them wherever. That makes chopping down trees a much harder decision than it is in other titles. Once a tree is gone, it’s gone. And if you are low on funds, there really aren’t easy ways to get a lot of trees quickly. So cultivating your forest and doing some environmental management is really key to success!

Is the game perfect? Not really. There are a number of minor things that bug the heck out of me, most notably the placement of items. Things don’t seem to snap together, and moving around trying to accurately line it up is a real test of patience. I lost, by the way. It’s frustrating beyond belief. For standalone items like flower beds or trees or crops, it’s really not a big deal. But try to build a set of fences and then come talk to me.

Deiland sets itself apart because it’s doing just enough different to make it interesting. It’s not a perfect experience, but I look forward to the development team taking this concept and running with it, either in a new standalone title that mimics this gameplay with tweaks, or a complete sequel. Only time will tell, but it’s still an easy recommendation from me!