Who doesn’t love receiving mail? Moreover, who doesn’t love to receive mail with something they wanted, like a new pair of jeans, a T-shirt, or something else entirely? Of course, do we ever stop to think about those who deliver our items to our mailboxes? In a world that’s become about instant gratification and overspending on the most random assortment of things you can find on Amazon, it’s so easy to forget that at one point, a simple letter is something we take for granted in society.
Kela Van Der Deijl and Freedom Games’ relaxing indie adventure is about as comfortable as you’d expect a video game to be when the main goal is to deliver mail. You play a fresh-faced mail scout in training; your first task is to create the ideal mail carrier via a customizable character creator. Once you are ready, you learn the basics of delivering the mail.
Mail’s here!
Set in a forest, the first letter you need to deliver has no address, and because you’re so good at your job, you are adamant about delivering the mail, even if it means you must be extra friendly. Soon after, you’ll start by talking to the resident and learning more about the locals, each of whom has a series of quests you’ll follow.
Mail Time is a short and sweet adventure that’ll take no more than five hours to see the ending. The objectives are what you’d expect them to be when delivering mail to the forest’s residents. A lot of the residents are anthropomorphic and resemble people in your neighbourhood. In a world where developers seem to think that bigger is better (it isn’t), Mail Time is a standout. Some quests might show you need to gather several requested items and then return them to the requestor, but the primary goal is ensuring timely mail delivery. It’s not the most exciting task, but someone must ensure everyone gets their mail.
The world of Mail Time is cozy and filled with charm; some places might look like it comes from a farmstead picnic with larger-than-life pies, pancakes, and desserts on display. Grumblewood Grove is filled with unique places to deliver mail to, and I’ve always enjoyed video games where the characters are scaled-down and more diminutive than everyday items.
As this game is marketed as a relaxing experience, don’t expect anything more. Mail Time delivers a good balance of whimsical and engagement. There is a decent platformer that you’ll engage with while delivering mail. The mechanics aren’t groundbreaking, but it is worthy enough to push the narrative forward.
The biggest problem in Mail Time is bugs that bring the experience down. Sometimes, items delivered to the client may not register or vanish from the screen. In other cases, a thing you’ve yet to give wouldn’t be recorded as being delivered. I’ve also had to repeatedly speak to a character in hopes of moving forward, only to have to restart and try again.
Verdict
Mail Time is a fun little tale about delivering mail and getting to know the community. While most elements combine to make a cozy little platformer, the bugs bring down the experience. Thankfully, the cast is memorable, and the writing is excellent, so you’ll at least have some interesting characters to deliver their mail to.
[The publisher provided a copy of the game for review purposes.]
Reviewed on: PC
