Sakuna of Rice and Ruin Review - 2020's Hidden Gem? (PS4/SWITCH/PC)

[@Swrinny]

I've added custom subtitles - make sure to turn them on! Also - it turns out I was wrong about thinking that the game becoming a 'hidden gem' - news came in on November 25th that the game has sold a whopping 500.000 copies worldwide! So... now it's just a gem! Really glad that this game has done so well and hope you all enjoy watching this review :) Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:46 Story 03:29 The island Hinoe 04:40 Combat 06:10 Equipment 06:53 Rice 09:39 Progression 11:26 My experience Enjoy! :)

[@RedRyu10]

🥰👍

[@amethsys]

:)

[@jetclaveria9903]

Hey swrinny, loved the guide. My game crashes right after defeating the catfish boss, could you possibly know how to solve this?

[@Swrinny]

@@jetclaveria9903 Glad you liked it! I've only had the game crash once and that was on floor 105 of the Amagaeshi Shrine. After reloading the game it didn't crash the 2nd time. Have you tried defeating the Catch Fish once more? If that doesn't help, your best bet is to contact Marvelous Games or Exceed about running into this issue. Make sure to tell them what platform you're running on and the version number of the game that you're running (should show on the bottom-right of the title screen).

[@FallicIdol]

It has since sold over a million. Glad to see others have been enjoying it.

[@alfredoperez7309]

Watched 3 to 5 reviews before this one. This is THE BEST ONE by far. Good job dude, gonna subscribe

[@Swrinny]

Appreciate it man! Had the option to post the review 12 hours earlier just like the others, but didn't want to rush it to ensure it had everything you'd need to know. The views suffer a bit because of it but these comments make it more than worth it :)

[@Heavenly-Drakian]

i just finished the end game mission and i have to say, this is by far one of the best games i have played in recent years, not lying. the music, story and everything is great. i love the contrast between the calm farming of the rice field that you can do manually or let the npc do it (never tested what happens with that though) and fight, it is really fun

[@Swrinny]

Glad to hear you had such a good time! Definitely agree with your points

[@calort2150]

the music is the best

[@holo6883]

Myrthe: **Uses dutch words** Dutch people: There's something wrong, I can feel it

[@daisywong2139]

Thank you Swrinny! I've been following your coverage on sakuna prior to release, and I just finished playing it (with the help of your guides). I'm so thankful to you that I found this game! It's so heartwarming, something I really needed right now when the world is as it is! Keep up with the great content!

[@Swrinny]

Aww, really great to hear that! And definitely agree, both this, and also Animal Crossing earlier this year, have been a godsend during these chaotic times.

[@neoroxx]

petting the animals? okay im sold

[@raygm6303]

I played for only a few minutes, and I am loving this game. I like the setting of the story, the character, the farming and the fighting. It is awesome that it has the metroidvania addition that will cause that everytime you visit an old place with new skills will be new gameplay, which will add more hours of gameplay if we want to :).

[@Swrinny]

Couldn't agree more!

[@dannyramirez1781]

I pre-order this game.nice review you got a new sub.

[@Swrinny]

Appreciate it! Hope you enjoy the game once it arrives :)

[@Spacidius]

Love your way of doing reviews! Subbed!

[@Swrinny]

Awesome, thank you! :)

[@PuchimonExtreme]

OBJECTION! I object to the "hidden" part xD

[@Swrinny]

Haha, fair enough. I've seen that Nintendo ended up giving this game a lot of attention which is great :D

[@ozean4392]

Played, And Yes It Is A Hidden Gem.... Worth It.

[@Ragingspoon]

Heard nothing but good things about this game so ordered it to try it for myself. Not usually a fan of farming or sim type games but im giving this a shot because of what I have heard and how interesting it sounds plus I love the theme and art style.

[@Swrinny]

Good stuff - hope you'll enjoy it! :)

[@brooklyntini4678]

Did you like it? I’m thinking about buying today

[@brendantoungate8287]

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is a great game, and one I'm particularly thankful for. It's release date in America (therefore, with English) was the same day as Yakuza: Like a Dragon. I was excited for both, but much more excited about Yakuza. Unfortunately for me, SEGA didn't release the English version in Taiwan, where I live, so I had to ship an English copy from America to me. Obviously, that took some time, so thankfully, I had Sakuna to tide me over, and it was far better than I expected it to be. Sakuna's growth as a character is a fantastic story arc to play through, and the act of playing through it is a ton of fun. It's truly beautiful, in many different ways.

[@Meracog]

Just bought this on a whim and damn I'm glad I did it's a very solid game.

[@Swrinny]

Glad to hear you're enjoying it!

[@Tsubakiee]

Just picked this up last week and right off the bat I was impressed with it's gorgeous art style. I lol'd at the nose comment..and never knew Jimmy Durante was in this game =)

[@Swrinny]

Oh my god what did you make me google?! That thing is insane haha

[@Tsubakiee]

@@Swrinny schnozzola!!

[@tetsuo9999]

How does the easy difficulty work for the farming? Sims don't really interest me and I'm mostly in this for the combat/2D elements. Also, is there a NG+ or strong endgame/postgame?

[@Swrinny]

I haven't tried out the easy difficulty for the farming, but I'd guess it will have the negative effects do 'less damage' to your crops. For instance, if you leave the crops without water for a while hydration start building up, that will build up slower. The same goes for weeds, diseases and pests - their impact will be less on your harvest results. There's no NG+ and the endgame is a dungeon with 100 floors. I haven't fully finished that one yet but it feels very casual; after each 5 floor there's a save point and if you die you can just retry the same floor over and over without any consequences.

[@saloz9483]

I just started the game and the race farming sure does feel overwhelming. I have no clue if what im doing is right or not.

[@joe74509migo]

Just keep talking to the fat guy by the field. He will give you advice you currently need.

[@Swrinny]

Hey - I'm currently working a rice harvest guide video which I hope to finish either tonight or tomorrow morning. As Joe Lin mentioned in the other comment, if you talk to Tauemon twice he will give you a hint which will help you maximize your yield (amount of rice). The guide I'm making doesn't only focus on the quantity, but also on the quality.

[@fionagoputri8658]

I am a simple human, u said Odin Sphere, I instantly clicked sub... :3, ngl.. i bought the game after watching ur review...thank you... :)

[@Swrinny]

You've got some good taste, welcome aboard! :D Hope you enjoy Sakuna as much as I did and if you want there are a few handy guides on my channel too for rice & collectibles!

[@fionagoputri8658]

@@Swrinny yes.. i have been watching ur rice guide too... really super helpful... ^ v^)7

[@iamergoproxy3476]

Playing it in 2021 and it's beautiful game

[@Swrinny]

Glad to hear! I've read that they recently also added "pet dualwieling" haha, now you can carry around 2 pets at once :D Enjoy!

[@iamergoproxy3476]

@@Swrinny fear the doggos

[@law35penn]

Definitely a hidden gem. Such a unique game, I just got this game and I love it. I love the art style. The gameplay 👌. 👏👏👍👍

[@pinkster0078]

I’m gonna ask for this to be my Christmas game.

[@Swrinny]

Hope you haven't been naughty this year, otherwise you may end up getting coal instead! Nah I hope you get it and have a good time with it :)

[@gamenmetrea9144]

I am going too buy Sakuna. I did not know. That this game excited. A website i order games suggested this game.

[@resurec8835]

Indeed game is a gem. Can't believe I only found out this game recently 😁

[@columnarbasalt4677]

3:08 SOLD

[@Swrinny]

Haha, you'll be happy to know that with a recent update they've added the ability to dual-wield pets!

[@automata9s915]

I am about 15 hours in and find that only garbs are visible while fighting and not in your home town area? I know about options for mask and hats but no garbs :(

[@maikerukazukii]

Ive played this at pax 2 years back loved it, but cant find it at, my local stores at all

[@Swrinny]

Ahh that sucks. I've got the digital edition as well and it seems like more and more games get limited runs on physical editions :c

[@charlestrudel8308]

@@Swrinny was it sold out right at the first month, or you have waited to buy it? Because if you have waited, NIS is also a company to not make more physical copies when the first batch as taken too much time to sell.

[@ggmann13]

This is like 40 percent off or some shit rn. Bout to pick it up, looking forward to using your guides.

[@HonestGameReviews215]

Hello, do you where yui can be found? She flew away when i entered her house.

[@Swrinny]

Hey - if I recall correctly you need to talk to Kinta first to get a hint of where she went. Afterwards you can find her in the boss stage of the river area, where you fought the big fish boss (can't check the name currently as I'm not near my PS4)

[@anuarberuang9642]

just got the game and play it... yeah fun game

[@anuarberuang9642]

how to find food that resistance poison... i dont really know

[@Swrinny]

Hey - sorry for the late reply. I remember that you can create a certain kind of tea that reduces poison damage. If you go to Myrthe and change the menu you can scroll through the drinks and select the one with "poison resistance". Also if you check my other video to find treasure masks, you can find a mask that has the poison resistance debuff so then you can just equip that instead of looking for a food buff. Hope this helps!

[@anuarberuang9642]

@@Swrinny thank you for the infomation, well just found the solution on reddit so thank again

[@Swrinny]

@@anuarberuang9642 Np and glad to hear you found it!

[@remyd1749]

Is there an endgame ? Or is it you just finish the missions and then thats going to be the end?

[@Swrinny]

You can definitely finish everything that you haven't done that. After that the endgame would be the Amagaeshi Shrine. It initially has 100 floors, but after beating the secret boss you can continue on from floor 101 and I'm currently not sure where it ends. Between floor 101-200 you get better versions of the masks/gear that you've found which allows you to become even stronger.

[@remyd1749]

@@Swrinny thanks for reacting, yesterday i bought the game and in loving it so far :D

[@Swrinny]

@@remyd1749 Glad to hear! :D

[@kazamastylebatsurealmofbea6269]

How long is this game?

[@xoa]

He says in the vid. 30 hrs +15ish for the extras

[@shinababes]

Not sure how this is a hidden gem. This is literally one of the most hyped up game in the last Nintendo Japan Direct mini

[@Swrinny]

Haven't watched the Nintendo Japan Direct mini but outside of that bubble it's all about the new consoles & their launch titles releasing this month. Good to hear it's getting attention on the Nintendo side at least!

[@HonestGameReviews215]

How do you apply enchantments or spirit boughs? Im pressing buttons but nothing is happening when i try to apply it to a weapon or equipment

[@Swrinny]

You can only add your own enchantments to the grey (=empty) slots and only for items you have current equipped. So: 1. Equip an item with a grey slot 2. Press the button for "Select power" 3. Scroll to the empty slot 4. Press the button for "Change power" Which buttons you need should be displayed on the bottom. Hope this helps!

[@HonestGameReviews215]

@@Swrinny thanks for the reply. I was able to fix it. There was a conflict when i was using the ds4windows. So i had to disable it. And now i can use the spirit boughs

[@Swrinny]

@@HonestGameReviews215 Np, glad you were able to fix it! Annoying when controllers don't work the way they should on pc :p

[@doffy6496]

I will try this game I think 🙄

[@Swrinny]

Cool - hope you enjoy it! :)

[@xoa]

I've put in 10 hours or so, the combat is absurdly fun, like DMC/Bayonetta levels of fun. ​ Do you know if there's a hard mode unlock? Or can you not say?

[@Swrinny]

Good to hear! You know, I had difficulties trying to relate the combat feels to another game but I think you've hit the mark. I mean it's not the same as the real 'spectacle fighters', but just like in those games you can be in full control of the battlefield and have flashy moves! So far I haven't seen or unlocked a hard difficulty. If it is in there it definitely doesn't unlock after beating the final boss but I have yet to bring my rice level to 50 and finish the last floors of the 100-floors dungeon. If I find it I'll let ya know

[@xoa]

@@Swrinny Cool, thanks. Edelweiss other game Fairy Bloom Fantasia is pretty similar to this game and has a hard mode unlockable so I was curious.

[@jloman111]

How I get 30 Rabbit Meat without spoiled?

[@Swrinny]

Not sure how far you are in the game, but you basically have to find stages with a lot of rabbits. There are also weapons/garments/enchantments that increase the drop rate of meat to help with this and finally you can obtain ice to make the meat spoil slightly later than it normally would. The early stages in the game mainly have rabbits and in the Amagaeshi shrine there are some floors with tons of rabbits too. Also consider hunting both in the morning and at night to increase how much you can find in the time period where the meat would normally spoil

[@TrvisXXIII]

Thank you for this breakdown, currently playing and I’m still confused about how to drain the water from the field. I opened the gates on both ends and all it does is flood the crop even more. Need some help

[@Swrinny]

The water gate next to the house adds water. The water gate next to Tauemon removes water. So if you have both open nothing happens - you need to use 1 or the other.

[@TrvisXXIII]

@@Swrinny I tested out both but nothing worked, my crop just got even worse and I was scared to do it again. I’ll take your advice and try one more time. I really don’t get why this happened because I followed the on screen prompt that said “release water” and my crop became more flooded for whatever reason

[@Swrinny]

@@TrvisXXIII You need different water levels depending on the stage your rice is in. I'm currently working on a rice guide video that goes into more detail, but generally it's safe to do the following: 1. After planting the rice, make sure the water level reaches your ankles. So, close the gate next to Tauemon and open the gate next to the house, let enough water in to cover the ankles and close that gate again. This is the level you want to keep for a long time. 2. Keep checking the field's water level. If it's sunny, the water will disappear over and and if it's rainy there will be more water. If you need to add more water repeat step 1. If you need to lower the water level open the gate next to Tauemon and close it again until you reach the right level. 3. During spring you rice will enter the "Third Offshoots" stage. You can check the current stage of your rice via the menu (look at the right for "Rice:

[@TrvisXXIII]

@@Swrinny thanks lol I appreciate the time you took to write this response. I’m only in the super early stages of the game and I’m just following the advice of Sakuna when I check the sprouts in the field. I’ll hop back on the game and see if I can lower the water, because it’s literally at my waist at this point. Look forward to the rice breakdown video, and thanks again for the information

[@TrvisXXIII]

@@Swrinny Oh, I forgot. No one explained in these review videos how to use fertilizer. Even the game does a poor job once you scoop it out, found out because one person showed it in their video lol really is a bit of a learning curve that might throw people off

[@jeffreyvisser8628]

Lol I am from the Netherlands

[@calort2150]

from your clips, id say the switch version graphics is dumbed down significantly

[@Swrinny]

Yeah I've watched some clips after this review was uploaded and you're right. Especially noticed the lighting on the Switched, the town for instance seemed to be a lot less vibrant

[@charlestrudel8308]

@@Swrinny when, 1/4 of the power does that. still, i assure you that the difference is not at all such a drawback when you can play it anywhere offline.

[@resonanceblade6673]

I am a big fan of vanillaware games like Muramase, but I dislike this combat system. It feels so strangelly. Even after 6h in the Game and multiple deaths, what always results to start again in the beginning of the level. (Really frustrating) and still don´t get the hang on it. I am missing so many mechanics and the mechanics on board are strangly implemented like the parry. Why right or left? I´m using right/left all the time to move Sakuna so it works most of the time not correctly. Why not a seperate Button, especialy when there are so many left on the controller. Same goes with the Dash. Double right or left. I´m a really good action player but it works not very well so far😔

[@kamilmarek8145]

Good review but i totally disagree and hate this game. The difficulty is a joke. Thats the worst kind of difficulty level because you have to literally fight boss for like an hour to beat them... I never got passed 1st boss since my best try was taking him to 10% after 42 minutes of fight...

[@hamada3ido125]

2:23 She does wear a Muslim woman clothes, you can't show this one picture and get any answer other than that. Looks like a fun game. The question is: Where exactly from Dutch?

[@AdamYJ]

It’s suggested that she’s the in-game equvalent of a Christian missionary. And head coverings in general aren’t uncommon for women who are strict adherents in Abrahamic religions.