Plantera 2: Golden Acorn – Review
There are times when you just need a perfect game to wind down with, or maybe even as a break in between more hardcore titles. This could be a game you can just launch and enjoy in its simplicity while maybe watching some TV in the background. Finding a game that meets these criteria can be a challenge but luckily there is a hidden gem in the Steam Store. Plantera 2: Golden Acorn fits that description perfectly, as it’s essentially an easygoing title to enjoy for any kind of player, young or old. As an added benefit, it’s cheaper than having a fancy drink at the bar. Many years ago we already tested the first Plantera game and are happy to see that the overall quality is even better this time around.
Story
There is absolutely no story in Plantera 2: Golden Acorn. Your only goal is to grow your oak tree and develop your little plot of land by cultivating and selling your products in a never-endless loop of farming. At the end of the game, it is revealed what the sole purpose was of the oak tree and it is a nice little addition to the endgame. You won’t miss the absence of a story as the game focuses more on short bursts of enjoyment that don’t need a storyline to stay relevant.
Graphics
Defining the visuals of Plantera 2: Golden Acorn is quite challenging as there is a mix of different art styles present here. The base visuals are built up from high-definition voxel graphics with a blend of hand-drawn imagery. When viewed from a distance the visuals look very colorful like a mobile game for children and when you look up close you can see the many pixels that are the building blocks of the graphics. There is quite some attention to detail as many creatures have different facial expressions depending on their mood, from being a happy helpful helper to being scared of invading animals.
Sound
The music in Plantera 2: Golden Acorn is highly enjoyable and can even have a calming effect if, for example, you enjoy the game after a challenging or stressful day. The soundtrack is soothing to the ears as the different songs all embrace a relaxing, zen-like style. When it comes to the game’s sound effects, these mainly consist of produce falling to the ground, animals interacting with the world, and items getting picked up. This gives the soundscape an air of calm at first. Things will gradually get busier the more items you have placed, yet it will never become too hectic even in the later stages of gameplay.
Gameplay
Plantera 2: Golden Acorn is an idler/clicker game, where the goal is to build up your farm around an oak tree and grow it out to be the largest farm ever. The game starts very small with a short tutorial on how to plant crops and interact with the scenery. You build planters that grow crops over time, and when these are fully grown they will fall off the plant and your little worker will pick it up to sell it for gold. In the beginning, he will do fine with one plant, but as you sell more produce and expand your little garden he will get busier and won’t be able to do it all alone. Fortunately, you can help him out with doing some work yourself by gathering the produce with a click of a button. After some time you will unlock more kinds of plants, bushes, and trees to place on your ever-growing farm.
Initially, the game starts very calmly and slowly. It is a very simple gameplay loop where you gather and sell your produce, buy new stuff for your farm, and ultimately expand your land to grow even more things. A farm wouldn’t be complete without animals, and these passively drop valuables that give an extra little bonus to your gold stash. Now it would have been too easy to just let your farm do its thing without having any form of invaders. There are many hungry critters that want to get a hold of your food and run off with it, while others will scare your animals into halting the production of their items.
Once your production is up to speed, it is time to grow your oak tree. By selling produce, interacting with the various events in the world, and purchasing decorations, your Deco Points will increase, giving you golden acorns. These golden acorns are used to upgrade your oak tree so it grows, will produce valuables on its own, and ultimately show you its true form. There is a small endgame scenario where you can use your golden acorns for even bigger purposes but we will let you discover that.
While the game is really fun and enjoyable, you will get through the main game in only a couple of hours. As the game also plays in the background, it will collect money, acorns, and deco points when you are not playing. This makes the game a nice experience for in-between bigger titles.
Conclusion
Plantera 2: Golden Acorn is a fun little gem to play in-between bigger titles, or just as a simple background game to relax. As it will passively generate income when you are not playing, you could even opt to play it in short bursts and enjoy a more passive approach. Graphically it is a very nice title with attention to the character details and the joyful nature of the farm and this, in combination with the music, makes for a very relaxing experience. As the game is cheaper than a hamburger menu or even a cocktail, it feels like the price is very much worth it, even though you will probably have seen all Plantera 2 has to offer in a few hours.
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