This game works great on deck. The only "problem" was the loading of items to craft when picking "show all you can craft" for the carpenter craft station then it froze for maybe half sec, not enough for it to be a problem just annoying while jumping between tabs. Otherwise very good temps and smooth, never heard or felt the fan and the controls are great.
i will be comparing mistral a lot with stardew because it felt like a huge upgrade. This isnt a clone and shouldnt be seen as one but it is easier for me to explain why it is great by comparing. And that was my first reaction.
I think this games gameplay is a lot better than stardew, the battles are fun, enimes has their weaknesses/streangth and combat pattern and a lot of thought have been put into the feel of the game play and controller, they do not inform how, so do check what you can do, for example jumping between your hot key/inventory is RS. It amazed me how nice it was playing with controller (steamdeck), i was ready to customize before starting the game.
I thought the pacing was good too, when i started to be annoyed at something did i unlock not long after a "fix", like bigger inventory.
Believe in them when they say that you should keep the time setting as default. I didnt try changing but you will unlock things that will help.
Best advice with this game is to be curious and trust them, this dev team did a great job, i can not stress that enough, the level of detail is so good.
And do not do everything at once, the days arent a problem, you could sleep all day and it would be fine, not fun tho.
The story is not as dark as stardew, i havent got to know hayden and march good enough to learn anything more personal, I think they may have a bit more sorrow especially hayden, i think he is putting up a strong and happy front, they have so many good friends and ppl around them so i think that is the biggest reason i am unsure if they have a dark past. So my speculations are from hints from others, except maybe march is just a ♥♥♥♥ towards the player only, he is very sceptical of a stranger moving in.
All the character are colorful but in the light and warm way. So this is more of a warm and welcoming community. So far at least, there have been hints (in game) of a real ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ coming to town.
In stardew did I often not know what to do while I had to wait for something, and I felt forced to play in a order or specific way. I havent felt like that with mistral. The game has always given me multiple options (both do and solutions) and there is a main goal with out time restrictions, you can do it when ever for real, the world isnt pausing for the player like many other games. I will leave it at that, if i say why then i will be spoiling the story. The magic feel like a part of the world, in stardew did it felt forced and out of place.
An other thing, I havent felt the need for mods and that suprised me because I am usually annoyed with the controls/gameplay in games like this, in stardew do you need some basic ones just to make it more fun or less annoying. There is a difference between making it difficult/challenging and be annoying just to be percived as difficult. Mistral found a good balance. For example gift, you will get a lot of hints but also you will unlock something that will help later. Almost all gifts (especially when they tell me why) makes a lot of sense so you can guess but most often will you know, one dude likes rocks and it is impossible to miss that haha, but I still do not know why adeline do not care for espresso but loves black coffee for the caffeine, mysterious.
awesome game, recommend a lot. I am looking forward to all their future updates!
