Wanderstop – Review

Wanderstop is a weird game… well, that’s what I initially thought after installing and playing the game for the first time. I remember distinctly expecting a warm farming simulation, perhaps something reminiscent of Stardew Valley or Harvest Moon, which is an old classic for me. I imagined growing crops, making friends, and with a little luck, falling in love and raising some pixel children. But this is different. Forget about the cheerful songs from other games. Wanderstop is heavy. Not only did it have this weight to it, but there’s also this unmistakable sense of loss that hangs over everything. In Wanderstop, you play as Alta, an ex-adventurer who’s clearly been through a lot. She’s not just a farmer; she’s a woman trying to put her life back together, one tea leaf at a time.

Sounds familiar, right? You grow herbs, serve customers, and manage a tea shop. But it’s not. In Harvest Moon, you’re building a legacy. In Stardew Valley, you’re helping to rebuild an entire community. In Wanderstop, however, everything is different as you face the raw, unapologetic reality of someone trying to heal. It’s not so much about building the farm, but more about a life after the adventure ends.

Over the first few hours of the game, there is one thing I have noticed. The game is therapeutic in nature, just like how tea-making is in real life. The mechanics are simple, but it’s tedious in nature. Initially, you will be guided on how to make tea and tend your tea shop, which is the goal itself. I got bored at first, but after a few hours with the story, it hit me. This is the ambiance that the developers in Ivy Road wanted to convey — a slow and relaxing environment that is conducive to healing — just what Alta needs. It’s a game that made me sit back and relax while tediously tending my plants. It’s a fun but slow-burner game.

One of the strongest elements in the game — a strength that the publisher Annapurna has over the years is the great narrative from the developers they choose to publish. Ivy Road did not shy away from placing an imperfect and broken protagonist in the spotlight. The game is heavy in philosophical thoughts by its narrative in which you may need to be patient to see how this can help Alta. Being a gamer for more than a huge chunk of my life, I find this game thought-provoking as it explains what happens after the battles are over and things are settled.

Technically, the game runs smoothly. I played it on PC and there were no crashes or glitches. It was well polished. It’s clearly well-optimized which is a huge plus since it can be accessed by basically anyone, even for those with low-spec machines. The sound design is good since it gives out the relaxing nature of a tea shop, while the art direction is inspired by a Hayao Miyazaki film — it’s magical.

Wanderstop explores that quiet and painful process of rebuilding life after the storm. It did not just teach Alta but it taught me that a slow process is okay — and that there is life even when things are not fast-paced. The game made me think of all the great adventures I had in life – my struggles and battles just as how Alta faced her demons too. It explored heavily the complexity of life itself that it’s okay to take a break. It felt human.

It’s imperfect although I wish there were more things to do and details to explore in this game. It’s not for everyone. If you want a fast-paced or action-packed game, you may need to look elsewhere. This game is all about the quiet moments and the slow deliberate process of healing. It asked me to slow down and reflect, which surprisingly was effective during my play. Wanderstop dared to be different and it succeeded. It reminded me that true strength is not always by yielding a sword but by being brave enough to start over again.

This review is based on a PC code provided by the developer/publisher.