Fantasy Life

 3DS
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 276 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 218 out of 276
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 276
  3. Negative: 19 out of 276
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  1. lowkey42o
    Dec 24, 2014
    4
    Im sorry I know this game is well received from the numbers here but the graphics make think im playing gameboy advance game. It feels ugly. Cutesy menu and slow story. I enjoyed remake of pokemon much more that game was tuned perfect and paced so you want to play it. I never like animal crossing or farm hero on Facebook.
  2. taptothebeat
    Apr 18, 2015
    3
    I have not regretted buying a game so much in a long time, if ever. This game is very boring. I really wanted to like this game, and could not.

    For me, the uniqueness of the class system was a big reason why I wanted to get the game. Yet sadly, it ended up being the reason why I do not like the game. I am at fault for getting the game without looking at gameplay for *all* classes. (I    I have not regretted buying a game so much in a long time, if ever. This game is very boring. I really wanted to like this game, and could not.

    For me, the uniqueness of the class system was a big reason why I wanted to get the game. Yet sadly, it ended up being the reason why I do not like the game. I am at fault for getting the game without looking at gameplay for *all* classes. (I did buy it just when it came out though so resources were a bit more limited ^.^') But even so, it really should not be this bad.

    1. The biggest downfall by far is the crafting element. There are many classes to choose from, so you would expect different gameplay for each class. Wrong. All of the crafting games (For the jobs: Tailor, Cook, Blacksmith, Alchemist, Carpenter) are the same exact game. The game is very simple. You watch a bar go by and click A when it lines up. As you get better at the game, you can skip through it so you don't have to play it anymore. But you have to do this individually for each and every item. There are a lot of items.

    Speaking truthfully, the crafting game reminds me, almost shockingly so, of the college research experiments that people get paid to participate in. If you enjoy this type of game, you can probably go make some money participating in experiments that are roughly equivalent gameplay wise. (Source: Experience)

    2. My second qualm is with the battling style amongst fighting classes and those in conjunction with quests as well. Now the fighting gameplay is definitely leaps ahead of the crafting one. But all fighting styles are similar, which is fine and all, not bad, but again makes the class system useless. And actually tedious when it comes to class quests. You can only complete the class quests associated with your current class, so you may have actually fulfilled the requirements already, but it hasn't been counted because you did it as a different class! While this at first seems to make sense, in that you have to be able to complete the task while only being allowed to wear certain armor, actually it becomes very redundant due to the similar fighting gameplay and frustrating when you have already done the task a multitude of times before. I note that you can charge ahead through things a bit if you level up the dagger, since it is used in all classes, but again, then what is the point of the class system?

    Of course you don't have to play as every class! But if you really stick to only one class, it feels like a waste of money. Now, the rest of the game is actually nice. I like the cute graphics, and I am a fan of the cute storyline as well. The pets and small other nuances are good too. I would give this game a 4, but for its price tag, it is a 3.

    Originally, I got the 3ds for Rune Factory 4 which I still love. I thought Fantasy Life would be a similar type of game except perhaps better? I think I will be sticking with the Rune Factory series which has more flexibility with exploration, choice on what you want to do (I don't even farm -- despite its origins of harvest moon), a vast amount of monsters as possible pets/battle partners, no silly boring time-wasting games for crafting, and more. The only place where I would say fantasy life is better is in its graphics (since I personally like the style).    … Expand
  3. CrimsonFdUrMOm
    May 1, 2022
    2
    Pick your class to cleave, shoot, cook, and brew your way to the end of the story.

    An otherwise decent game marred by poor dialogue. This game has an okay start that immediately dips in to bad, as someone tries to cover up they're poor writing skills by adding more words. With dialogue that reads like some socially awkward middle schooler imagining what it would be like to actually talk    Pick your class to cleave, shoot, cook, and brew your way to the end of the story.

    An otherwise decent game marred by poor dialogue. This game has an okay start that immediately dips in to bad, as someone tries to cover up they're poor writing skills by adding more words.

    With dialogue that reads like some socially awkward middle schooler imagining what it would be like to actually talk to someone who's not they're mom, it's no wonder my thumb is sore from all this mashing.

    You'll be mashing on more endless dialogue boxes, with side characters that shouldn't have more than just a few words but won't SHUT UP, than actually mashing monsters.

    Enjoy up to one single mini game across more than half the classes, weather it's cooking, brewing, or smithing, every last crafting class consists of the same bland mini game with the prompts for the buttons switched around.

    At least the combat classes have some variety, swing your sword > step out of the way of attacks > repeat, or swing your sword > block > repeat, or even shoot > repeat.

    Lucky enough the controls are passable, not too many cheap shots from enemies, no dropped inputs on the mini games, and the difficulty is on a good curve all the way through.

    The visuals, music, and sound effects are cute and fun. But that's about all this over sized progression loop has to offer. It's an okay game to play if you only have a 3ds and want an open world game to play, this is it. Otherwise pick a different game.    … Expand
  4. BvS_NarutoU
    Feb 7, 2015
    1
    I like games like Fantasy Life; however, it didn't live up to my standards. I chose Paladin as "life" when I got to Chapter 5, I had started doing other life's so as not to get bored... well, I was wrong, I got bored. I beat the final chapter tried starting a new save file to play it again, and I I couldn't stand it... Bought the Origin Island DLC, got bored of that two, now, the DLC isI like games like Fantasy Life; however, it didn't live up to my standards. I chose Paladin as "life" when I got to Chapter 5, I had started doing other life's so as not to get bored... well, I was wrong, I got bored. I beat the final chapter tried starting a new save file to play it again, and I I couldn't stand it... Bought the Origin Island DLC, got bored of that two, now, the DLC is stuck on my old 3DS, since you can't transfer downloads from 1 Nintendo ID to another.

    Honestly, to me, it's one of those games that I won't even play again. I was hoping that Fantasy Life would be like a cheap version of Sword Art Online, but it's not. There are no duel-wielding life's, no cross life's (where 2 life's bring about a new life), and the game is just to repetitive..    … Expand
  5. Solari
    Jan 12, 2016
    1
    I bought this game because everyone was telling me that it had one of the most high replay values of the 3ds games, hell, after an hour it felt like an endless grind, 5 hours? more grind, it is just a **** grind with no story, i paid 40 bucks for this?

Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Best 3DS Game of 2014
6
#6 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2014
1
#1 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 51
  3. Negative: 1 out of 51
  1. CD-Action
    Jul 27, 2015
    85
    A great, addictive game that should please the fans of Animal Crossing, simple RPGs and Harvest Moon. [08/2015, p.79]
  2. DarkZero
    Apr 9, 2015
    100
    Despite this game more than likely being in a niche category to most people, it ends up being one of the best selections on the 3DS, and with all the great stuff you can do in it, it deserves all its praise.
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  3. GameCritics
    Feb 21, 2015
    75
    Ultimately, it may not have delivered as much variety as I was hoping for, but with the right expectations there's still a good amount of job-flavored questing to be had.
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