/bs/ - backstory

I wrote a (regrettably) dismissive review for Kynseed a year or so ago, not necessarily one i'd call negative, but my main point was that this kind of game just isn't for me, and i left it at that. By "this kind of game" of course i meant the farming simulator, a genre that requires a bit too much commitment for my tastes. Kynseed wouldn't change my mind, hard as it tried… i still think something structured that way can only hold my attention up to a certain point before getting stale. So, if a game that i ended up appreciating so much of on my second go-around didn't convert me into a farmer, i don't think anything ever will.

Kynseed, or at least the perception i have of that game, greatly improved on my second go-around once i stopped seeing it as any ol' farmin sim and started appreciating it for what it truly is: the Fable 2 sequel i've been looking for, for almost 20 years. And i have no idea what took me so long, there's so many nods to that series all over, from the gameplay to the story to the many little easter eggs. Sure, the graphics now are made up of simple pixel art, and they changed a few things here and there so whoever owned the rotten corpse of that IP didn't come knocking, but this IS a Fable sequel, a fantastic one at that.

And i love the dialogue, and the lore, and the silly tidbits. Under the cutsie, yet a bit dark british humour making up the surface that covers the whole of those 3 aspects, lies a rather opinionated personality. Some of the stuff written here was put in place by someone who clearly has an elaborate and pre-meditated answer for most all of life's questions, and very few of those answers align with the current state of things, which is usually the sign of a sound mind. They often don't align with mine either, i'll be clear, but i'd rather Kynseed to wear on its sleeve the aspirations of a feminist pagan utopia than being subjected once again to the worhless saccarine nothingness i've dealt with in lesser farming/cozy life simulators.

The audio design is another positive standout, almost a selling point if you were to ask me. Not only is the soundtrack fantastic in its relative simplicity, adhering to the atmosphere of each town just as well than the visual design that makes them up, but particular care has been put in so many of the smaller things that i (and especially you) usually don't pay much attention to, making me notice and appreciate the craftmanship that goes on behind the scenes. The sound of the rain is pure ASMR.

I would love to exist in the timeline where i can give Kynseed a perfect score, because so much of its programmatic makeup, and just as much of its "soul", whatever that is, left on me such a splendid impression… but that one big issue i had during my first playthrough once again reared its ugly head. The story progression being tied to your reputation is an insane decision. Insane. I own multiple stores with maxed out reputation, there is entire towns where every citizen is in love with me, i do fetch quests regularly whenever they pop up… for the love of everything that is still uncorrupted in this wretched world, can i access the next main quest without having to bake cakes 12 times a day 3 weeks in a row? I like Kynseed, i like this crazy toybox you freaks put together, i just don't think i care about beating your pig-riding high score in Loverwood anymore, nor i wanna fish for the rare critter that appears only 2 days in winter under the red moon for a reward of 32 meager coins. I know some people thrive in this kinda routinic environment, not me. I just wanna see where the story goes, slay some monster along the way, and retain the social aspect as a cool but not essential secondary aspect of the game.

Funny little factoid, maybe a bit sad too: passing on the Kynseed to your child, you know, the mechanic that gives this game its name, is one of the least obtained achievements on Steam, in spite of the fact that you can do it pretty much right after the tutorial is over if you're laser focused on doing so. You could also easily get 70 hours of gameplay in before it becomes a mandatory action, so i get the low percentage, but still…

Sorry, what do you mean they already made a Fable 2 sequel? The Kinect one? The XBLA game?