Starsand Island has been on my radar for a while now, immediately catching my eye with a different art style to most other agriculturally inclined games, but a familiar setting offering your usual farming, fishing, and foraging fare. I\u2019ve played a few hours of the early build of the game on Steam Deck and PC – with no shared save, I might add – so I\u2019m well versed in starting off a new life on the island. Or, getting back to it, as you grew up on Starsand Island and then moved away. Now, it\u2019s time to leave the rat race behind and return to nature.<\/p>\n
You begin by making your character as they\u2019re at the train station, having just arrived on Starsand Island. The hair colors are a little limited, but there\u2019s a wide range of styles to work with. The same goes for outfits – there isn\u2019t much, but a few vibes come into play. One shirt has headphones on it, there\u2019s green denim overalls (my personal favorite), or a loose shirt.<\/p>\n
Then you\u2019re kind of let loose in your new setting. You have a few beginner quests, including meeting the professionals in the town who can set you on the path of learning their trades. These are ranching, farming, combat, fishing, and crafting. You can start with whichever one you like, but you do need to work on some in tandem in order to unlock items needed in other paths. The illusion of freedom of choice is strong here.<\/p>\n