My Time at Sandrock

My Time at Sandrock is a farm life sim and role-playing game that came out in 2023. It was made by Pathea Games and published by PM Studios and Focus Entertainment. This game follows the 2019 title My Time at Portia and takes place in a desert, three centuries after a catastrophe wiped out advanced technology. Reviewers liked its cozy feel but pointed out technical problems when it first launched. A follow-up, My Time at Evershine, is currently being worked on.

The project was first revealed in October 2020 and got funding through a Kickstarter campaign. It was originally set for early access in March 2021, but that got pushed back because the developers needed a local rating certification. Early access finally started on May 26, 2022, for Windows. The full release followed on November 2, 2023, for Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. A PlayStation 4 version arrived on September 13, 2024.

In terms of gameplay, players build up the town, farm, mine, gather materials, craft items, take on side jobs called commissions, and explore dungeons along with ruins from old-world cities. Fighting uses hack and slash mechanics. Since the game is set in a dry desert, both the player and townsfolk have to watch their water use. Most machines need water stored in a tank to keep from overheating. Cutting down trees is discouraged and can lead to penalties. Players can also socialize with and romance 21 non-player characters. The game blends elements of farm life sims with role-playing games.

The setting is a post-apocalyptic world 300 years after the Day of Calamity, which destroyed earlier civilizations and most modern tech. People rebuilt society and eventually formed the Alliance of Free Cities and a military group called the Civil Corps. The Alliance is at odds with a tyrannical empire named Duvos, which wants to grab ancient technology and expand its territory.

The story starts when the player arrives in Sandrock to take over for a retiring builder named Mason. They meet several locals, including another builder named Mi-an, guild commissioner Yan, Mayor Trudy, town minister Matilda, and a local superhero named Pen. The player helps with tasks like fixing a mine lift, rebuilding an outdoor stage wrecked by a sandstorm, and rescuing a scientist named Qi from ruins.