Game development is a tall task, and sometimes games can take an immeasurable amount of time to release. Whether it be development hell or a developer who wants to see their vision fully realized, players can wait years upon years for a game to finally come out. In the case of Mineko’s Night Market, some fans have been keen on the title since 2015. I only just caught wind of Mineko’s Night Market during a Wholesome Direct, but was immediately drawn to its painting-like art style and high factor of cuteness. So after all this time, is the title worth the wait?

The relaxing, easygoing nature of games that fall into “cozy gaming” or “wholesome gaming” has seen such a massive surge lately: Some farming sims, others social/narrative adventures. With the common denominator of a lack of stress, Mineko’s Night Market easily fits in, as there’s only one scenario where there’s a threat of failure – stealth sections. If you get caught three times while trying to free kitties in a new area, you’ll have to start over and lose several minutes of progress. Past this, the gameplay loop consists of gathering materials, gaining affinity with villagers, and selling the fruits of your labor on the titular Saturday night markets.

To say Mineko’s Night Market gets off to a slow start is an understatement. The game takes its sweet time tutorialising you and it isn’t until about an hour and a half in that you get the free will that you want. Once that moment happens, though, it’s worth the wait – it’s a blast using the prioritization side of your brain, as the material gathering/preparing is an afterthought with how conveniently easy it is to execute.

The only thing in the way is the energy bar; you get about 60 seconds of energy to pick up flowers/chop wood before you either use a food item or call it a day. This pittance of an energy bar is both a bad and good thing, as you can get to the ever-important Saturdays more quickly thanks to it to really start profiting and progressing.

There are times when Mineko’s Night Market feels more like work than play, but either way, there’s always something to accomplish and squeeze some satisfaction out of. I experienced two crashes that completely invalidated dozens of minutes of work, which was a massive frustration point; according to reviews on other platforms, it’s a commonality across the board. This is concerning with how long the game has been in development with ample time to work out the kinks, but Meowza Games is offering post-launch support and communicating it, so here’s hoping this gets remedied sooner rather than later.

For fans of Animal Crossing who love interacting with villagers and completing tasks, and for those who can navigate an energy bar and work with a calendar like in Stardew Valley, Mineko’s Night Market will be an easy transition and will derive a lot of enjoyment for that crowd. For those unacquainted with that struggle with honing in on working on a schedule and want more instant gratification, this title might need a second look. I had fun despite its flaws, and you may just do the same.

A PS5 review copy of Mineko’s Night Market was provided by Humble Games for the purposes of this review.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

Mineko's Night Market

$19.99

7

Score

7.0/10

Pros

• Immaculate Art Style
• Satisfying Gameplay Loop
• Great Humor

Cons

• Crashes a LOT
• More grind than progression at times
• Rough Stealth Sections