Summer in Mara is the latest entry in the list of games that you can just chill and begin an adorable adventure. The game is developed by CHIBIG and is available on almost all platforms whether it is console or PC. I got a review copy of the game for the Nintendo Switch and jumped right into it already impressed by its visuals and the concept that it featured. However, the game does have its ups and downs, and there are various things about the game that can be improved.
Before I dive into the details about the game, I would like to go in sequence with how I truly felt about the game. The instant hit of adorable visuals and the character was a distinct feature looked quite captivating. The game begins almost abruptly after a cutscene that gives you a small backstory about the game itself. From then onwards, you are left to figure out yourself by completing tasks and progressing in the story.
You play as Koa in Summer in Mara, a young girl who was found in a shipwreck as a baby, and rescued by the fish woman called Yaya Haku. Fast forward to today, you find yourself on the island of Mara, and one thing that becomes apparent is that Koa is raised by Yaya Haku, who in fact stays with her in the same house. After the initial cutscene that introduces to the backstory of Koa, you are immediately transported into the world of the game, and without wasting any time, tasked with various things to do. The tasks range from gathering wood, planting seeds, watering the crops, cutting, and planting trees.
The more tasks you complete for Yaya Haku, the newer objectives you will be getting from her to engage in. The tasks then evolve to fishing, cooking, and collecting special items from the island. The tasks however are not the only feature the game has to offer. As your story progresses, a lot of new storyline becomes to appear and shape the future of Koa. While the island that you initially inhabit certainly looks small, you are immediately hinted by Koa herself that there are other islands to explore that can be accessed with the boat.
As Koa grows up and after learning the various lessons from Yaya Haku, the story progresses with Koa making a new friend Napopo, on the mission to rebuild the boat and travel to different islands. This is where you get to sail out to find new adventures and other NPCs that will give you various tasks to complete. However, this is where things start to get downhill for Summer in Mara. The repetitive quests given by the characters, to sailing back to the home island for simple tasks that can only be done on this one island.
Apart from the quests, the game has some glitches when running on the Nintendo Switch. At one point I was randomly shot out miles into the sea, but fortunately, there is a small timer that respawns you back to the island if you do fall in the water for too long or cannot find a way back up. The islands also feel empty, with not really any reason to stick around but to sail to another island to find more tasks. On the other hand, plants took an agonizing amount of time to grow for harvest. This had me waiting for quite some time just to complete simple tasks.
The game also starts pretty abruptly without any real tutorial or a map that can help you understand where to go. In the early gameplay stages, I was wandering around the island just to locate Yaya Haku, or to find the marked location where I was supposed to go to plant a tree or seed. Another feature that was desperately missing is fast traveling. This can massively help out in the later stages as the tasks can seem endless in gathering items. These are minor issues that I’m sure can be fixed with a patch or update.
The good parts about the game are the visuals, which are still very attractive, considering that I played it on the Nintendo Switch. The adorable conversation with other characters also provided a refreshing experience apart from the boring tasks that got repetitive. There is so much potential that is wasted, from a shallow storyline to simple tasks that get boring quickly. The fact that you have to collect so many items for the NPCs, go from one place to the other can become tedious.
Final Verdict:
Summer in Mara could have been a perfect chill game to play if it had a deeper story and trickier tasks to complete which would have made it not so bland. The visuals are great and the conversation with the various NPCs is at times fun. In addition, the cutscenes are very beautifully made and are quite impressive to see when the game begins. This coupled with the music adds to the flavor and mixes well with the environment. While I would not rate it in any top list, it is still something to experience if you want don’t mind completing simple tasks and explore a little. I you are interested in Summer in Mara, try out the game by clicking the link here.
Final Score: 5/10
