My Time at ... series - It'll be three games soon. That's a series, right?

[We've all been there]

I've seen some conversation about My Time at Portia and My Time at Sandrock, on the farms, but nothing about Evershine.

From Steam:
PORTIA
Start a new life in the enchanting town of Portia! Restore your Pa's neglected workshop to its former glory by fulfilling commissions, growing crops, raising animals, and befriending the quirky inhabitants of this charming post-apocalyptic land!
Armed with your Pa's old handbook and workbench, you must gather, mine and craft your way to being crowned the number one workshop in Portia. Help the locals rebuild the town and uncover the secrets locked deep away beneath it. Be prepared though…it won't be easy!



SANDROCK
Just like My Time at Portia, My Time at Sandrock takes place in a wholesome post-apocalyptic world 330 years after the Day of Calamity destroyed most modern technologies.
After accepting a job offer to become Sandrock’s newest Builder, you’ll arrive in the wild and rugged city-state, where it’s up to you and your trusty tools to restore the community to its former glory. Gather resources to build machines, befriend locals, and defend Sandrock from monsters — all while saving the town from economic ruin!



EVERSHINE
Evershine is a 3D open world Simulation RPG that takes place in a wholesome post-apocalyptic world 330 years after the Day of Calamity destroyed civilization. After surviving the nuclear winter for hundreds of years underground, people are finally picking up the pieces again…



For the uninitiated, all three are farming-adjacent. Instead of farming, you're crafting things as the town builder (although you have a limited ability to farm on the side). The first two are pretty standard, you have some starting tools and processing machines that you use to make better tool and machines. You make friends along the way. There's standard Harvest Moon/Stardew Valley relationship systems, events and romances. Portia and Sandrock are pretty similar, with Sandrock being a refinement of Portia. Evershine looks to be a bit of a departure. You're doing most of the same things, but it's couched as other people doing the work for you. There's some light town building.

They're pretty fun IMO, despite all the chink jank. I don't think it'd be unfair to call them slop, but the devs put just enough effort into them that you can see a glimmer of sovl. The Evershine alpha has been pretty fun. Content stops after the first round of settlers and the first materials tier upgrade. The potential is definitely there for a more entertaining AA game than the last two. They do lean into the Chinese facial features in this one, and none of the romance options are particularly appealing to me, personally.



It's also got male and female in character creation, which was refreshing.

Please bring your opinions, tips, tricks, fun screenshots, controversial headcanons, etc.

 

[Toxinophile]

Been a long while since I've played a Harvest-Moon-type game. Which one should I play first?

 

[Poop A Loop]

Still need to play Portia but Sandrock was unexpectedly great. The story and romance was kind of a whitepill, too. It made living in the bombed out remains of civilization look downright heavenly compared to now lol.

Which one should I play first?

I've heard the QOL in Sandrock makes it hard to play the first so if you could only play one I'd go with Sandrock.

 

[We've all been there]

Been a long while since I've played a Harvest-Moon-type game. Which one should I play first?

I've heard the QOL in Sandrock makes it hard to play the first so if you could only play one I'd go with Sandrock.

I played Portia in early access, and after completing all content available at that time it completely fell off my radar until Sandrock's 1.0 release. I remembered it being good, but trying to play Portia, even the completed game, after Sandrock was hard. It's very obviously one of the team's first games. Sandrock is an improvement on Portia in almost every way.

Honestly, you might as well skip it. It's very chill and relaxing, but doesn't have much depth. They teased remaking Portia during the Evershine kickstarter campaign, if it does well. That would be the way to play it.

Still need to play Portia but Sandrock was unexpectedly great. The story and romance was kind of a whitepill, too. It made living in the bombed out remains of civilization look downright heavenly compared to now lol.

Couldn't have said it better. It's one of the more optimistic games to come out in a while, which is refreshing in itself.

The lore seems to be going in an interesting direction with Sandrock's insane plot turn and Evershine's setup. Interested in seeing where it goes.

 

[Toxinophile]

I've heard the QOL in Sandrock makes it hard to play the first so if you could only play one I'd go with Sandrock.

I played Portia in early access, and after completing all content available at that time it completely fell off my radar until Sandrock's 1.0 release. I remembered it being good, but trying to play Portia, even the completed game, after Sandrock was hard. It's very obviously one of the team's first games. Sandrock is an improvement on Portia in almost every way.

Honestly, you might as well skip it. It's very chill and relaxing, but doesn't have much depth. They teased remaking Portia during the Evershine kickstarter campaign, if it does well. That would be the way to play it.

Hmm. I forgot to mention that I prefer to play game series sequentially. I can stand a bit of jank, but QoL improvements do sound very tempting. I guess I could always try out Portia for a few hours and then switch-off to Sandrock if the first game doesn't grab me.

Thanks for the advice, guys.

 

[Trogspawn]

I tried Portia, but I honestly can't get over how much the faces trigger deep fear and disgust in me.
I'm not sure what it is, but they kind of remind me of Bigmouth.

 

[Toxinophile]

First Impressions of Portia are kinda fucky, yet pleasant. Tutorial was useless but funnily enough it didn't take too long to figure things out. The game looks and feels like a MMO but I'm playing it in singleplayer. The jank is here as expected, but thankfully said jank mostly fluff around the core gameplay loop of taking quests, dungeoneering, and crafting shit.

I like it so far. Hopefully it won't take too long to beat the game and try out the improved sequel.

I tried Portia, but I honestly can't get over how much the faces trigger deep fear and disgust in me.
I'm not sure what it is, but they kind of remind me of Bigmouth.

The 3D models are definitely off but I'd say I vibe with the overall art style. It reminds me of early 90s kids books. Y'know, the ones that looked like they were drawn digitally by traditional artists that were figuring out digital software?

 

[Ser Prize]

I'm hoping we get a prequel. The devs talked about doing it at some point, tackling how people survived underground and how Peach helped clear the clouds above.

When's Evershine due out, anyways?

 

[We've all been there]

Hmm. I forgot to mention that I prefer to play game series sequentially. I can stand a bit of jank, but QoL improvements do sound very tempting. I guess I could always try out Portia for a few hours and then switch-off to Sandrock if the first game doesn't grab me.

Portia is more of a self-contained story, from my recollection. Part of what lends to the feeling of it being an early work, before they'd really fleshed out the world and lore internally. Sandrock really delves into the setting and geopolitics in the latter half.

I like it so far. Hopefully it won't take too long to beat the game and try out the improved sequel.

Never tried to rush these game, let me know how fast you get through it. I felt both games tended to drag on near the end due to imposed waiting periods between the last few quests. I'm also a completionist, and you run out of stuff to do before the end of the game, usually.

I'm hoping we get a prequel. The devs talked about doing it at some point, tackling how people survived underground and how Peach helped clear the clouds above.

It would be interesting, and maybe lend itself to another genre of game. With Evershine, they seem to be wanting to branch out and make different types of games in the same setting. Maybe it could be a straight dungeon crawler RPG. I like the framing of it as a mythic tale though, and hope they keep that tone if they do expand on it.

When's Evershine due out, anyways?

Spring 2026.

 

[Oddjob OTP]

I played Portia but all the faces are nightmare fuel and the setting struck me as generic. Sandrock is better in every way and while I don't plan to come back to it because it was kind of exhausting how I was always pressed for time I still got 33 hours out of it which isn't bad for Humblebundleslop. Story kind of reminded me Dark Cloud 2 in that it was For Kids in probably the wrong genre for a For Kids story to work but it was earnest enough to be kind of charming.

 

[⋖ cørdion ⋗]

Actually nuts how this game went from a Stardew contender to going all-in on women, 'cozy game' audiences and k-pop aesthetic. It removed all sense of aesthetic. Look at it: It's fucking fabricated for women to have their korean hubby.

I played Portia but all the faces are nightmare fuel and the setting struck me as generic. Sandrock is better in every way and while I don't plan to come back to it because it was kind of exhausting how I was always pressed for time I still got 33 hours out of it which isn't bad for Humblebundleslop. Story kind of reminded me Dark Cloud 2 in that it was For Kids in probably the wrong genre for a For Kids story to work but it was earnest enough to be kind of charming.

It's so weird how you help build the town in Sandrock... in co-op. It should be part of the singleplayer story.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

I dealt with Portia's ugly faces by making my guy ugly. If you can't beat them, join them. Hope Evershine will be good. Loved Sandrock.

 

[We've all been there]

Actually nuts how this game went from a Stardew contender to going all-in on women, 'cozy game' audiences and k-pop aesthetic. It removed all sense of aesthetic. Look at it: It's fucking

You know, I didn't look at it that way until you said it, but you're exactly right. It's uncanny how Korean they look. Does not bode well. The aesthetic of the first two games was not perfect, but it did get better from Portia to Sandrock and it was recognizable.

The alpha gameplay has been good so far, here's hoping they make a good game despite this turn.

 

[Toxinophile]

After cramming 70 hours within a week I managed to beat the final boss and everything.



Portia was a consistently pleasant game throughout. I can't say they're were any big highlights to this game but I can say they're weren't any low points to it either. Nothing ever dragged on for too long or went by too fast for my liking. It always felt like I was making good progress every single day. I feel like the Jank was overstated in this thread, because any clunky issues I found were fairly minor and never dampened the pitch-perfect gameplay loop. My Time at Portia was an overall cromulent cozy life simulator.

Portia was good enough that I want to keep playing a bit longer, just to finish the museum. Can't wait to play Sandrock next tho.

Never tried to rush these game, let me know how fast you get through it. I felt both games tended to drag on near the end due to imposed waiting periods between the last few quests. I'm also a completionist, and you run out of stuff to do before the end of the game, usually.

Personally I appreciated the downtime since that gave me more time to fish, relax, and hang around the town. Usually I'm so busy prepping for the next big commission that it's a bit difficult to do anything else. I feel like the lulls of no work are well designed, it helps prevent the days from becoming too repetitive.

 

[Lurkerish Kandor]

These kinda games aren't my thing, but after looking at the screenshots, that sentence "a wholesome post-apocalyptic world" hit me like a fucking dumptruck and made me laugh out loud. I'm glad things can still throw me for a loop like that.

Might pirate them recommend them to my niece, she's starting to get interested in simple cozy videogames and these might be some nice extras on top of the repack of Sims 2 I got for her.

 

[Toxinophile]

These kinda games aren't my thing, but after looking at the screenshots, that sentence "a wholesome post-apocalyptic world" hit me like a fucking dumptruck and made me laugh out loud. I'm glad things can still throw me for a loop like that.

Might pirate them recommend them to my niece, she's starting to get interested in simple cozy videogames and these might be some nice extras on top of the repack of Sims 2 I got for her.

Yeah might as well. The repack for Portia is only 4gbs, or you can get the mobile version. Apparently that one is the best version available.

 

[We've all been there]

Might pirate them recommend them to my niece, she's starting to get interested in simple cozy videogames and these might be some nice extras on top of the repack of Sims 2 I got for her.

Mobile version is very good. Just do not get the switch version. Could not say why, but it runs like ass.

These kinda games aren't my thing, but after looking at the screenshots, that sentence "a wholesome post-apocalyptic world" hit me like a fucking dumptruck and made me laugh out loud. I'm glad things can still throw me for a loop like that.

It actually works pretty well. The lore is mildly interesting, and it's somewhat comfy imagining a world where everything has already gone to shit and you're on the other side now, and no one has the tech any longer to pose a real threat to humanity at large.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

The setting is best described as post post-apocalypse. Society, at least in China, seems to have recovered. The places shown in the current games could even go back to our level of technology if everyone in charge told the kinda religious luddite guys to fuck off.

 

[Ser Prize]

These kinda games aren't my thing, but after looking at the screenshots, that sentence "a wholesome post-apocalyptic world" hit me like a fucking dumptruck and made me laugh out loud. I'm glad things can still throw me for a loop like that.

Might pirate them recommend them to my niece, she's starting to get interested in simple cozy videogames and these might be some nice extras on top of the repack of Sims 2 I got for her.

The lore doesn't take itself seriously but is legit pretty interesting.

 

[Toxinophile]

I tried SandRock for a week and for whatever reason it's not grabbing me. I see and feel the QoL updates, the graphics are a nice few steps up from before, and the pacing, while a touch slower, is as tightly designed as ever. It's overall an objective improvement yet I can barely put in a few hours at a time. I fuggin beat Portia within a week yet I'm haven't even finished a full in-game month yet in SandRock. I'm not usually the type to get burnt out on a game so It's really bugging me, man.

Am I missing something? Should I be playing a little different from Portia? Please help me out here because this game should be clicking for me but it just isn't.