Although the genre is possibly my favorite, life sim style games for the Nintendo Switch are few and far between. With Stardew Valley having eaten up so many hours of my life already I eventually get to the point to where there really isn't much else to do. Even if I start a new game (the various maps help change up the feel a little) I eventually reach the same point of completion again. I'm just going through the motions at this point.

My Time at Portia however, seems as if it bridges that gap with more completion goals and unlocked areas as you progress. The more tasks you complete the more you can see the town grow and change around you. Best of all you're not just playing to make a better workshop for yourself or improve the town. There are other builders all attempting to be the best builder in town. As you build more you can work your way up the rankings but beware, start slacking off and not completing tasks consistently and you'll start dropping in the ranks again.

Reviews

Games radar 4.5/5

"My Time at Portia has almost perfected the life-building simulator genre. By including memorable NPCs and a system that nurtures your every building whim, almost every little thing you tick off feels like a major accomplishment - and no, that’s not just because things sparkle when you finish building something. You’ll find yourself sucked into its world for hours on end, and I’m just warning you: you’re not going to want to leave it."
Zoe Delahunty light, gamesradar.com

IGN 8/10

"My time at Portia is, first and foremost, a game about building, and I've had a great time doing it. From mining to taming wild llamas to dating, there’s a lot to do here, and I’m still discovering and unlocking new and usually interesting things. While each of its parts is lacking in some way or have annoying audio bugs, when you put them all together they bolster each other to add up to something fun. I look forward to seeing how My Time at Portia continues to evolve in the future."
Miranda Sanchez, IGN.com

Nintendo life 8.1/10

"It’s also worth pointing out that many of these steps include in-game timers, where you have to wait a certain amount of time for some ingredients to be built. Don’t be too alarmed: this isn’t for free-to-play reasons, it’s for time management reasons, much like many of Animal Crossing’s tasks like giving things to Reece to build. It’s designed to give the feeling that some things take time in life, and there’s plenty to be getting on with while you wait."
Chris Scullion, Nintendolife.com

Roundup Total: 8.4/10

While Stardew Valley is tough to beat and Harvest Moon will always hold a place in my heart, My Time at Portia can definitely hold its own. With a better completion system in place than Stardew Valley, unlocking more things as you complete tasks throughout the whole game. My Time at Portia gives you everything you could want from a life simulator style game while adding in a lot more than others have in the past. With the general consensus being that fifty hours of play time won't be enough to make you bored of the game it should be worth the money. Pick it up and try out for yourself!