Lightyear Frontier Made Me Want to Fly into Space and Listen to Country Music

A gamer's life isn't a bed of roses. Every year, dozens of titles appear on the game market that test their skills to the fullest. It doesn't matter if it's all kinds of soulslike games, RPGs, or shooters, the main quest is in most cases to save the world, which can be stressful. That's why gamers should appreciate the fact that more relaxing titles are also appearing.

Lightyear Frontier is definitely one such game. The latest release from developers FRAME BREAK and Amplifier Studios, is sure to be appreciated by survival fans. Will it, though? The first moments with the game indicated that it would be yet another clone of other titles, where the player's primary objective is to construct a shelter and endure in a hostile environment, surrounded by unfriendly inhabitants. You won't experience this in Lightyear Frontier, as the game is closer to the cult Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley, rather than Sons of the Forest or Valheim.

Of course, this doesn't imply that the discussed title won't feature any elements familiar from the popular survival games currently on the market. We are being sent to a foreign planet, and our tasks will include, among other things, gathering resources and building a settlement. Sounds familiar, right? Despite similarities to all sorts of survival games, in Lightyear Frontier you don't have to worry about hunger. Unless we're talking about feeding wild animals that we can find on the planet.

Wandering around an unfamiliar planet at night might not be safe. Photo source: Lightyear Frontier.

As you might have guessed, the main job will be planting and nurturing plants, as well as exploring and discovering a world that hides many secrets. You have to admit that in this aspect it's similar to the previously mentioned Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley. Lightyear Frontier, however, has one major advantage over these games - a huge mech, at the controls of which we traverse the alien world.

We create our own interstellar farm with its assistance. Moreover, our mechanical companion isn't just a small addition to the gameplay. As we continue to develop the space farm, we gain the ability to develop the mech's skills. The devs have provided us with many ways to increase its usefulness in farming. As you can guess, the vast majority of our time will be spent while piloting it, so it's worth thinking in advance about how we want to improve our mechanical companion.

Alright, let's move on to the most important thing, namely the gameplay itself. Unfortunately, I have quite a big problem with Lightyear Frontier here. The game is afflicted by a common issue that affects other games in this genre - boredom creeping in after some time. The gameplay follows a pattern. Through our character, we gather materials, build necessary buildings, plant crops, and take care of our space farm so that it prospers as best as possible.

The whole thing has been greatly simplified, so if you are a survival veteran, Lightyear Frontier will probably not meet your expectations. Let's not kid ourselves, this isn't a title that will make you clench your teeth with nerves, but rather one that will help you relax after enduring tough battles or saving the world.

There's nothing better than a beautiful view at the end of a hard day on the farm. Photo source: Lightyear Frontier.

A big plus goes to the devs for showing how important it is to properly care for the ecosystem we are in. Using the available tools, we can make polluted areas clean, and after a while, life will return to them. I genuinely appreciate the devs' approach to this topic as environmental protection master.

I must admit that for the first few hours, the game was incredibly fun, but after that time, boredom crept in and effectively put me off Lightyear Frontier. The game's impressive visuals alone couldn't keep me hooked in, but the graphics team still deserves praise. Thanks to their hard work, the exploration of an alien planet can, even for a moment, bring a smile of joy to the player's face.

Since we're already on the topic of graphics, let's stay with it for a moment. Lightyear Frontier, in my opinion, looks really nice and there is really no reason to complain in this respect. The planet we are landing on is colorful, filled to the brim with all kinds of flora and fauna, which looks really eye-catching. Nothing, however, compares to what we can observe by looking at the sky. Creating a cosmic farm with a view of Earth or another planet is hard to beat. Of course, it's worth remembering that there are better-looking games on the market, but the latest title from Amplifier Studios has a certain charm that fits with the simplicity it offers.

You will see many such views in the game. Photo source: Lightyear Frontier.

If Lightyear Frontier actually looks so nice, does it require a powerful computer to handle all the bells and whistles? It may be quite a surprise, but no. My ancient Ryzen 3 3100 combined with the GeForce GTX 1650 Super that wants to retire, dealt with the challenge of Lightyear Frontier with flying colors.

Who is Amplifier Studios' new title mainly targeting? After spending several hours with this game, I can confidently say that it will be most enjoyed by players with limited gaming time who can only indulge in a less absorbing and time-consuming title. Lightyear Frontier will be the perfect choice for them. All thanks to a more casual approach to all mechanics that are the basis of the gameplay.

Even a large farm that brings in enormous profits must have had its origins somewhere. Photo source: Lightyear Frontier.

Building isn't excessively complex, there are no health or hunger bars to worry about, and there are no hostile characters waiting to kill an inattentive player around every corner. Here, you can only engage in peaceful cosmic farming, accompanied by pleasant and catchy music.

So is Lightyear Frontier worth checking out? Definitely yes, although you must remember that the game has its limitations. However, if you need a casual title, where the most fun will be provided in short sessions, you've come to the right place. Despite having a considerable backlog of games, I already know that I will gladly return to Lightyear Frontier to continue cultivating my virtual cosmic farm. Even if, over time, monotony and weariness of the prevailing simplicity sneaks in. After all, not every game has to be overly complicated to provide the right dose of fun. As they say, there is strength in simplicity and Lightyear Frontier is a perfect example of this.