Is Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Worth the Price?

It’s no secret that Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is one of the year’s most anticipated games. And as its early sales suggest, many gamers are ready to jump right into the slow-life RPG. But others are a little more hesitant, as the game’s price is a little higher than its cozy-game graphics might suggest. If you’re still on the fence, I’m going to break down what Fantasy Life i has to offer for the price tag to help you decide if it’s worth it.

At $59.99 for the Standard Edition or $69.99 for Deluxe, Fantasy Life i is pricier than cozy games like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing. However, there’s a reason for that. Although many gamers are comparing the games due to the similar chibi character designs and art style, Fantasy Life i is no Animal Crossing. It has some cozy elements, for sure, but make no mistake – Fantasy Life i is a story-driven RPG. In that way, it’s closer to something like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. So, it makes sense that it’s got a price tag to match.

I’m several hours into Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time at this point. And while I initially balked at the price, I’m personally pretty pleased with what I’ve seen from the game so far. But not every gamer is the same, so let’s take a look at some of the key elements of Fantasy Life i to see if you’ll feel like it’s giving you the bang for your buck.

Fantasy Life i Platforms & Editions

Quick overview of your options before we dig into the meat of what Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time has to offer. The Standard Edition costs $59.99, and the Deluxe Edition is $69.99. Now that the Early Access period has passed, the Deluxe Edition is really just a few cosmetic item upgrades. For me, that’s a pass.

Platforms

• PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5
• Xbox Series X|S
• PC via Steam
• Nintendo Switch & Nintendo Switch 2

As a quick note, I’ve heard that Fantasy Life i is pretty shaky on the Nintendo Switch. If you’re considering that route and have other options, I might suggest a pivot unless you’re planning to get a Switch 2 pretty soon.

Hours of Story to Enjoy

Unlike more sandbox-style cozy games like Animal Crossing, Fantasy Life i has a definite story to it. The main story is estimated to clock in around 30-40 hours, but with side quests and Life content, you could well take twice that or more. Not every element of gameplay is available right away as you experience the narrative, which features plenty of cut-scenes and some emotional heft. I might have even teared up a little during my first game session.

Being story-driven is a pro and a con, depending on your gaming style. For me, I like to sink into a good narrative rather than just running around doing fetch quests. But you can also do fetch quests in Fantasy Life i, and there’s some open-endedness to what you do between big story moments. It’ll take an hour or so of story before things open up, but once they do you can take your time with the main narrative by talking to the locals and helping them out.

So, it’s a good mix of both, kind of like what you get in Skyrim or, so I’m told, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. For me, that’s a plus in the “worth the price” column, but if you’re just here to vibe without cutscenes, Fantasy Life i may not be for you.

14 Lives, With Quests and Skills to Match

The game offers 14 different professions, aka “Lives” to master. Each Life falls into a different category, from combat to gathering to crafting. But while you will choose one to start with, the goal is ultimately to experience and level up every Life in the game. So, there’s a lot of gameplay to offer here.

Each Life has a purpose, from helping you gather materials to battling the monsters on the island. Many of the Lives bring in those cozy gaming elements like fishing, cooking, mining, and chopping wood. But, lest you think donning those different Life hats is just about a change in wardrobe, it’s a little deeper than that.

For every Life, there’s a mentor. And those mentors have their own apprentices, who you’ll get to know as you learn the basics of that Life. After your first one, going through the introductory story for a new Life is optional. But for me, it’s a must, because these little stories that introduce you to each skill are one of my favorite parts of the game so far. Each apprentice has their own reasons for pursuing a specific Life, and you’ll learn more about them and the island from following along. I have currently abandoned the main story to make my way through all of these side-quests, and it’s honestly such a joy.

That said, you can skip those intro stories and get right into the grind. Each Life has a series of challenges that you take on to level up and unlock new abilities. This is pretty in-depth, with a lot to tackle. Between 14 Lives with stories and skill trees of their own, you’re truly getting a lot of gameplay if you want to take a completionist route with this one. Fantasy Life i is a polished, in-depth RPG with cozy elements, and it shows.

Ongoing Patches & Upcoming Free DLC

RELATED: New Fantasy Life i Codes Give Players a Ton of Useful Free Items

I’d be remiss to mention that, in response to the game’s overwhelmingly positive reception so far, we’ve already been promised some free DLC. A new content update is in the works, bringing a new recipe and some new story content to Fantasy Life i. So, while there’s already a ton to explore in the game, it’s going to get even better in the near future, free of charge.

Along with the free content DLC, Level 5 isn’t here to abandon its game at launch. Though there aren’t any significant game-breaking bugs that I’ve encountered, Level 5 has already put out a few quick patches to improve certain elements. This includes multiplayer, which is pretty thin compared to the single-player elements of the game. For me, that’s fine, because I’m a solo gaming girlie. But if you’re in it for the multiplayer, you might want to wait and see how that goes.

Final Verdict – Is it Worth it?

If you are looking for an Animal Crossing clone, I don’t think Fantasy Life i is really going to scratch that itch. It has a cute world with some colorful characters that you do get to know over time, but at its core, Fantasy Life i is a story-driven RPG. There is combat, and that combat can be pretty tough at times.

That said, I do think Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time justifies its price tag. The gameplay offers variety and depth, giving you loads to do and a solid story to enjoy as you do it. If you enjoy games like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Skyrim, this is definitely going to be one for your list.