Research Story

In the same vein as simulators, every farming game is getting a 'story' too. That idea is made apparent with the latest pixelated genre title to emerge in Research Story, where we're finding other ways to deliver the same game. Initial impressions showcase not much to separate this title from any other casual farm simulator. Still, the name could lead to something different.

It's easy to think from the game's name that you'd take on the role of a lab researcher or something directly related to scientific exploration. But we get the feeling that Research Story is more of a horticulturalists angle, meaning that it's likely to be another clone of popular farming sims but with a different focus. We won't know until we explore Research Story, so let's crack on.

Putting the Shimmer in Shimmerbrook

Anyone that stumbled across Research Story might feel let down that the game isn't actually about doing science in a high-tech lab. That would be more unique and intriguing. The game environment they'd enter would be too familiar to casual gamers and farm sim enthusiasts. A pixelated, cozy farm environment with a charming narrative to get things going.

That sums up Research Story. Players are presented with the narrative of some exotic flora and fauna growing around Shimmerbrook. They'll take their horticulture skills to research these natural phenomena and leverage their potential to bring life back to the town. Yes, the storyline's all a bit samey, but could the focus on research mechanics add some interest into the mix?

Research Story gives the motive to build your farm for a couple of reasons. The main of which is filling your archive with all the collectibles. Strangely, that turns out to be more entertaining than anticipated because of the cutesy animal friends and interesting town folk you meet along the way. The other significant reason is that even though it's similar to other genre games, that feeling of coziness is unmatched.

The game also offers customization elements through the crafting mechanics, which separate core gameplay from being a complete copy-paste job. However, those who have invested thousands of hours into other farming sims won't find a lot different here. Research Story will go down as "just another farming game."

It's Farm Life, Alright

We can't say Research Story is a poor effort because it's not. There's plenty of joy and entertainment in this cozy farming sim. The trouble is that there are the same qualities in Stardew Valley, too. If you have played that title first, then there isn't much reason to get involved in Research Story unless you have a genre bingo card that you need to tick off.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• A cozy, entertaining sim for casual players
• Lots of things to do building your farm
• Great crafting mechanics for customization

Cons:

• Essentially the same as other farming sim games
• Interactions with townsfolk could be more interesting
• Plant archiving feels more of a grind than it should be