Immortal Life review

Despite some lingering issues, Immortal Life makes magic happen.

Certainly, there’s no shortage of cozy agrarian sims. Whether you prefer to cultivate crops in two or three dimensions, favor pacifism or the thrill of combat, games like Story of Seasons, Rune Factory, My Time in Portia all have their own inspired distinctions. But despite their divergences, you’re typically tasked with tilling the soil of moderately realistic, Western-inspired locales.

As such, the fantastical, wuxia-infused terrain of Immortal Life offers a refreshing reprieve. Following a year and a half-long span in Steam’s Early Access program, Immortal still has minor issues with text formatting, input systems, tutorials, as well as the tone of its localization. But if you can peer past these faults, YiFang Studio’s title has several noteworthy departures. After skimming across a lake while lithely balancing atop a sword, going back to plodding through dusty prairies is going to be tough.

Tired of Generational Wealth Tales?

All too often, each genre entry begins with the protagonist inheriting a farm from a relative. Immortal Life shirks that set-up, with your nameable, male or female avatar invited to the Guiyun sect’s sprawling monastery. While the organization is renowned for their martial artistry, they lack agricultural and culinary expertise. And that’s where you came in. Your character was identified by one the sect’s elders to help develop farming and cooking techniques.

But just after your arrival, disaster strikes, raining fire on the unsuspecting Guiyun village. Narratively, it’s a bit jarring, as you leap from serene visuals and gentle music to ocher-hued annihilation. But on the upside, this situation allows Immortal Life to deliver a satisfying sense of restoration, as you help the sect rebuild their home and inspire hope across Misty Valley. Just know that the game front-loads its exposition, making the first 90 minutes feel overly verbose and a bit restricted. Eventually, you’ll gain autonomy and Immortal becomes more engaging.

The Rewards of Leadership

Habitually, games position you as a leader. But here, there’s the sensation that you’re boosting morale following a grave misfortune. Given the somewhat dry and overly formal English localization, this sentiment doesn’t always get to shine through. But when it does, the experience is inspiring. The game’s localization can be a bit stiff, so you’ll occasionally have to make inferences. One example: the title refers to being remembered for generations to come, rather than some type of physical immortality. And while this could be seen as a shortcoming, it’s hard not to appreciate a hint of elusiveness when so many contemporary games overexplain things.

Expectedly, you’ll receive some instruction on the basics of activities like farming and fishing. It’s here that Immortal Life doesn’t quite measure up to its cozy contemporaries. Yes, interaction can be a bit cumbersome when playing with a controller. And the game’s tendency to shift to dialog as soon as you’re adjacent to an NPC can be a bit disorienting. When venturing to in-game menus, simple tasks like locating a specific character or just adding seeds to your operational inventory are clunky. You’ll eventually acclimate, but you’ll wish Immortal had the polish of its peers.

Happiness is a Magical Sickle

But often, that’s counterbalanced by the inclusion of magic. Sure, you’ll use basic tools like an axe, a hoe, and the requisite watering jug to help grow your crops. But Immortal Life’s tools are all enchanted. In execution, this means that some of the usual drudgery is removed. So instead of having to persistently refill your water gourd with more water, there’s an endless supply that trickles out. Alternatively, you can consume a small portion of your magic gauge to summon a rain cloud that automatically provides a nourishing shower. At times, it feels like YiFang Studio studied the crop cultivation genre and sought to replace the monotonous mechanics with magical elements. This kind of spiritual streamlining is one of Immortal’s best qualities.

As much as I enjoy the daily routine of Story of Seasons and Rune Factory, the pressure to complete as much work as possible isn’t a healthy habit, even in simulated form. All too often, I find my character becoming a stamina junkie, crafting items to create more energy, mirroring my own irresponsible caffeine-consuming habits. But Immortal extends more freedom, with a balance that will have you home by the early afternoon, deciding how to decorate your dwelling (with certain furniture providing an additional boost to your stat recharge rate). Of course, you can also burn the midnight oil if you desire, experiencing only a minor penalty for a shortage of sleep. While Immortal does have timed quests, you usually have until the end of a season to complete them.

Activities Vary in Enjoyment Level

At present, Immortal Life’s components vary in complexity. Cooking is pleasing represented, as you prep deliciously rendered ingredients into recipes. Unlike most of its rivals, it’s more than just a matter of having the proper constituents, with Immortal containing several workstations to follow your culinary pursuits. Regretfully, combat and fishing don’t have the same level of sophistication and each veer toward tedium too quickly. Sure, there’s some aerial fights and plenty of different varieties of fish to hook. But compared to cooking, both are overly simplistic, feeling like an obligation far too quickly.

Collectively, all of Immortal’s transgressions might be overlooked if you’re a fan of elegant aesthetics. Visually, the game’s chibi characters and portraits are all well-done, but it’s the environments that are the real draw. Immortal might not flaunt an expansive world, but it’s dense with picturesque beauty. From bamboo bridges made of emerald-hued bamboo to ponds that glisten with frolicking carp, Misty Valley is a verdant paradise. This exquisiteness is also found in the game’s soundtrack. Here, tranquil melodies abound, driven by traditional Chinese instruments like the dizi and the guzheng.

Conclusion

At present, Immortal Life necessitates mouse and keyboard input. Playing with a controller or Stream Deck might be technically possible, but it’s so clunky that it undermines the game’s merits. Hopefully, additional updates will smooth the game’s course edges, as Immortal offers a welcome alternative to most cozy sims.

Immortal Life was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.