- Games
- Simulation Games
Big in 2026 | Hands-on with the surprisingly deep and user-friendly life sim
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Seed Lab)
Share
Share by:
- Copy link
- X
I don't know about you, but sometimes I find this whole 'being an adult' thing a bit much. That's why it's appealing to escape to laid-back cutesy life sims, and Starsand Island has a heck of a lot to offer. I spent ten in-game days there, and while I achieved an awful lot, there was even more I didn't even manage to get started on.
Starsand Island is a pretty chill place. There's a number of little shops and kiosks, a beach, a small farm, and even a panda house (yes, a little house that a trio of pandas live in). There's a kind of island story trundling along in the background, which you progress through by building certain structures and hitting milestones in your journey as a multitalented contributor to the economy. This slowly brings with it new opportunities; for example, by providing materials to rebuild the port, I unlocked visiting merchant ships. But life on Starsand Island is all about the small details of your day-to-day.
Starsand Stripes
Big in 2026 spotlights the 50 most anticipated games of the year, with developer access that you can't get anywhere else. Join us daily for new previews, and visit the Big in 2026 coverage hub to find every article that we've published so far.
There are five mentors to chat with and take quests from, each of whom teaches you one of the pillars of island life: exploration, fishing, farming, crafting, and livestock. It's up to you when and how (and, to a certain extent, if) you interact with each mentor. I get started by chatting with the owner of the general store, Zerine, in order to begin climbing the crafting tree. Crafting will be the skill to concentrate on for most people, I would say. Almost everything – resource-gathering tools, storage boxes, furniture and home decor, even machines used for crafting other things – come from crafting.
You may like-
Some Chinese devs played Stardew Valley and loved it, but wanted something more "carefree" – now their anime life sim RPG is tearing up Steam Next Fest, and it's hard to put down
-
Winter Burrow is like a very cozy, laid back Don't Starve with a bittersweet edge that tugs at the heartstrings
-
10 games like Stardew Valley that'll keep you working on the farm until the cows come home
One of the first things Zerine had me do was gather the materials to craft a skateboard. Later on she'd help me craft some rollerblades, which let me get around town a little faster, and (somehow) navigate steps easier. The moment I leapt over a fence on my skateboard – while realizing I had some rabbits at home thanks to the livestock mentor Pastelle – the yearning for such a life in the real world began.
Tempted as I was to spend the rest of my time looking after my bunnies and making skateboards to sell (almost 1800 coins each, not bad), I only had ten in-game days, so I reluctantly moved on. I could already tell that this game was keen to smooth my path to progress, though. Crafting, and understanding the requirements for items you've yet to craft, is pleasingly simple. I can also report that my embarrassingly poor sense of direction proved little trouble. You can set your own waypoints in the map, quests are clearly marked, and the locations of buildings and mentors can be easily tracked.
The gentle adventuring aspect of Starsand Island comes in the form of the Moonlit Forest, an area you'll need to visit in order to mine most ores. You slowly unlock more of this area as you gain new tools, and there are enemies to fight; though in my time with the game, I only unlocked a portion, and didn't come up against anything more fearsome than a "corrupted rabbit" (it took quite a few hits from my slingshot, mind you). That suited me just fine, though. I had to get back to build a chicken coop, and my wheat should be ready to harvest about now…
The mentors aren't just there to help you unlock new items and make money. The affection mechanic – while optional to hone in on – includes your teachers. You can increase their affection through dates, gifts, and completing their quests. They'll sometimes give you presents, too (Pastelle didn't seem to mind when I immediately sold the dried figs she gave me back to her). Though the build I played only allowed a limited amount of progress in this area, I could see that should you grow close enough, you can cohabit with somebody. Moving in with one of your mentors? Maybe the Starsand Island HR department will be added in post-launch DLC.
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ NewsletterContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Isle get you
Still to come is a railway station for the island, and I've already seen footage of using animals as mounts to ride around. More forms of transportation can be found in the island garage, though the inventory was either not present in the build, or far beyond what my wallet could support in ten Starsand Island days. As well as cars and bikes, there was a jetski. A jetski! Now that's something to aim for. So, too, is having a pet cat. Alas, I wasn't able to woo the stray that wanders the beach within the limited time I had.
Now I've had a taste of Starsand Island, I want the whole cozy meal. I want to expand my house and fill it with decorations I've crafted. I want a resident to move in with me and appreciate how awesome I am. I want to continue haphazardly plonking down furnaces, worktables, and machinery around my yard, while still cramming in livestock and crops. I want to continue amusing myself by going to bed while holding an axe, pretending I don't trust the island residents as I'm getting a slight Midsommar vibe. I want all of that and more! And there's not too long to wait now…
Luke KempSocial Links NavigationLuke contributed regularly to PLAY Magazine as well as PC Gamer, SFX, The Guardian, and Eurogamer. His crowning achievement? Writing many, many words for the last 18 issues of GamesMaster, something he’ll eagerly tell anybody who’ll listen (and anybody who won’t). While happy to try his hand at anything, he’s particularly fond of FPS games, strong narratives, and anything with a good sense of humour. He is also in a competition with his eldest child to see who can be the most enthusiastic fan of the Life is Strange series.
Show More CommentsYou must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
Logout Read more
Some Chinese devs played Stardew Valley and loved it, but wanted something more "carefree" – now their anime life sim RPG is tearing up Steam Next Fest, and it's hard to put down
Winter Burrow is like a very cozy, laid back Don't Starve with a bittersweet edge that tugs at the heartstrings
10 games like Stardew Valley that'll keep you working on the farm until the cows come home
Former Stardew Valley dev's upcoming life sim has a brilliant quality-of-life feature for its fishing
I kickflipped so hard I destroyed a moon in the demonic Skate Story, which is already my favorite skater of 2025
Deleting my Animal Crossing island has changed the way I play, and it feels like I've returned to 2005's Wild World
Latest in Simulation Games
Full Animal Crossing New Horizons Zelda item list and how to unlock them
How to get and use the megaphone in Animal Crossing New Horizons on Switch 2
Animal Crossing: New Horizons 'Adult Only' island closes its doors after 5 years, creator says sorry to Nintendo
Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 has bad news for anyone who became mortal enemies with their "ugly" villagers
Animal Crossing: New Horizons' pitiful selection of retro games can only be accessed with a Switch Online subscription
How to update Animal Crossing New Horizons for the new 3.0 update
Latest in Features
Everything we know about Amazon's God of War TV show, including the Kratos casting
After the Shibuya Incident emotionally destroyed me, Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 will raise the stakes with the Culling Game
Starsand Island let me be a skateboarding rabbit farmer, so you better believe it's at the top of my wishlist
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis wants to make Lara Croft's iconic T-rex fight feel like the first time all over again
Marvel Rivals writer brings the comic story of the game's Iron Fist Lin Lie to its "climax" in Deadly Hands of K'un-Lun
After 4 years, Primal picks up where it left off without losing any of its grim violence or emotional core
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Looking for a good 2-player board game? This superhero adventure is worth suiting up for- 2Trails Beyond the Horizon review: "This JRPG's thrilling real-time and turn-based combat evolves Metaphor ReFantazio's hybrid battles, making up for a poorly paced adventure"
- 3This alt-history board game is still a gold standard for modern strategy
- 4Skate Story review: "A beautiful and unique skateboarding game with great, stylized visuals set in a grungy underworld"
- 5Octopath Traveler 0 review: "The strongest entry in this retro-styled JRPG series yet, I love the greater focus on tactical battles"
128 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: "The wildest and weirdest entry into the franchise yet"- 2Avatar: Fire and Ash review: "Still a technical marvel, with some of the year's best action filmmaking"
- 3Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review: "We have waited two years for a Five Nights at Freddy's 1.5"
- 4Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: "Brings Knives Out back to its roots for a sequel that's almost on a par with the original"
- 5Wicked: For Good review: "Builds to an incredibly cathartic conclusion, but isn't quite as captivating as Part 1"
1Starfleet Academy review: "It may feel a little different to what we're used to, but this is Star Trek through and through"- 2A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: "This Game of Thrones spin-off is a heartfelt and fun return to Westeros"
- 3Stranger Things season 5 finale review: “Shows off both the best and the worst of Hawkins”
- 4Stranger Things season 5, Volume 2 review: “All set up for a finale that has so much to deliver”
- 5Fallout season 2 review: "A hell of a lot of fun despite being overcrowded and convoluted"