Ladies Gamers Len's Island

Len’s Island Early Impressions

Many thank’s to Decibel PR for providing the preview code

A New Contender

Len’s Island is another contender to the scene of adventure crafting games. A genre that has really blown up in popularity this year with titles like Valheim and The Raft. But unlike these titles, Len’s Island mixes farming, crafting and even dungeon crawling from an isometric viewpoint. Just like these steam titles, Len’s Island has hit Early Access so you can enjoy the title whilst it’s still in active development. It’s not a scheme that will appeal to all gamers, especially if you have a low tolerance for bugs and glitches.

Still, from my experience, many of these Early Access indie titles are releasing in a better state than many AAA titles asking for significantly more money. But that is not what this article is about. The developers kindly offered us Early Access so I can share some Early Impressions of this promising title. 

Ladies Gamers Len's Island
Remember to bring a torch

A Musical First Impression

When I booted up Len’s Island I stopped on the main menu longer than one would normally do, just to enjoy the game’s excellent soundtrack. A relaxing score with a hint of mystery added to it set me up for the unknown adventure ahead. When I did decide to actually start playing the game the memorable score continued, drawing me into the experience. I’m pleased to say the soundtrack will be available for sale with the game’s launch if you want to enjoy it in your own time. 

Ladies Gamers Len's Island
A beautiful sunset

Anyway… when you begin you create a low poly style character by choosing your gender, hairdo and a few items of clothing with a limited pallet of colour options. I liked how, when it comes to footwear, the game gives you the option of ‘none’ or ‘definitely none’, a nice bit of humour there before your adventure on a mysterious island awaits. 

Ladies Gamers Len's Island
My instincts tell me to chop this tree down

The low poly graphical style feels like a winning formula for this game. When exploring the island you are greeted with a diverse range of foliage, like trees and herbs, all of which you’re going to happily chop down to gather the resources within. There is also a rather pretty day and night cycle which presents a rather nice sunset feel at dusk and an indication it’s time to take a nap.

There is a nice serene feeling to the island. A feeling that is counter contrasted in the games dungeon segments which are poorly lit and give the sensation something rather sinister is lurking in the depths. So make sure you bring a torch or collect enough coal to light those lanterns.

Ladies Gamers Len's Island
Stop for a spot of gambling

Collecting Resources

After creating my hero I began the game on the island with a few tools. Since I’m a little experienced with crafting games my first instinct was to run up to the nearest tree and chop it down with my axe to collect those much-needed wood resources. Something that instantly stood out to me about the game’s design is that resources like wood, coal, stone, herbs etc, all have their own inventory slot in your backpack.

There isn’t any messing around trying to clear space to make room for an important resource you might find later. When you collect enough wood the game will helpfully inform you that the slot is full so you can either go on your merry adventure or start crafting. Carry capacity can of course be upgraded once you find a larger backpack.

Ladies Gamers Len's Island
It is not much yet but it is home

Variety in Gameplay

The game currently offers a lot of variety in its gameplay. The controls currently only allow you to use the mouse and keyboard. Exploration appears to be the main theme of the game, looking around the island for resources and rare items. Above ground, you are quite safe. You can build a house to your liking and even grow some crops, just don’t forget to craft a watering can to hydrate them. You can also find a local town where you can sell the resources you find and even indulge in a little blackjack if you fancy. But the big draw for me was the dungeon crawling.

After exploring the island you will eventually come across a dark cave where, upon entering, the game takes on more of an action dungeon crawler style of gameplay. Equip your sword and explore the dark and murky depths filled with multiple dark baddies. Some that mimic insects, some with floaty tentacle bits and then there are those really giant ones that made me want to just run away in fear. Don’t be too scared though, because if you die you just kinda wake up back at your camp as if the whole experience was one bad dream. Or was it? There are all sorts of weapons to discover from swords to hammers and maces, all of which offer their own moves sets. 

Ladies Gamers Len's Island
I sure hope nothing is behind me

A New Day is Upon Us

With a diverse range of gameplay every day you play, Len’s Island can be a different experience. Maybe one day you want to work on crafting more furniture for your house. Maybe upgrade your house from wood to stone. Or just go for a nice walk followed by some dungeon crawling. Len’s Island is the type of getaway I see drawing a dedicated fan base. 

Len’s Island may be launching in Early Access but already I can see a lot of potential in this game. If you can’t wait for its full release you can purchase the game and follow its development process, whilst also supporting the developer at the same time. Plus, if you fancy, you can buy the soundtrack as an additional purchase. Len’s Island is currently only announced for PC but this sure looks like a great title to enjoy on Nintendo Switch sometime in the future. It would also be nice to see co-op multiplayer added as well. 

Len’s Island is available now in Early Access.

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