Str8JaktJimI like my platformers and when it’s matched with cute visuals like Mail Time, it doesn’t take much more to suck me in. Made by solo dev studio Appelmoes Games, this adorable title has been on Steam and the Epic Games Store since April and is soon to be released on the Nintendo Switch and Playstation.
Mail Time starts with the player heading to a little town to deliver their first letter solo. Not much information is available on where this individual is. Thus, an investigation into the recipient’s whereabouts commences.
Maybe I should describe the game like that. It makes it sound like it should be a thriller when nothing could be further from the truth. Mail Time is a delightfully cozy adventure with a diverse array of interesting characters. That’s where the fun of this title comes from. Exploring the world and its different areas is fun and interesting when there are new people to meet everywhere, each with their own distinct personality.
“Mail Time is a delightfully cozy adventure with a diverse array of interesting characters. “
Players are given basic movement tools, joystick for moving plus a jump button. A glider is available to help get around. This is helpful to glide over to high places.
The NPCs are all animal themed, and it felt a bit overwhelming at first as they were introduced and I quickly forgot their names. Luckily the way Mail Time keeps track of who gets what letter is via a small icon of its intended recipient so rather than having to remember a name, I only had to remember where I saw that animal.
As I went about delivering letters, I earnt badges. These don’t add anything to the game, other than a neat page in my book, but they provide something additional to do. These objectives can range from completing a character’s quests, meeting everyone in town and gliding for a certain amount of time.
Platforming enjoyable but there is an area in the main part of the town that was a little confusing. In an area that already had wooden stairs to climb, there was a series of ropes that at first glance look to be decoration. They are actually a way to climb up to higher houses in town. Given that the stairs already exist it did leave me wondering why rope was used instead as it’s harder to land on. I found myself falling off the rope a lot in the beginning.
Mail Time is a short but enjoyable game. I was able to collect everything in one sitting of a handful of hours but all those hours super chill and relaxing.
Mail Time is out now for Steam and Epic Games Store. It’s releasing on the Nintendo Switch and Playstation on 19th October for AU$29.99. This review was conducted with a Nintendo Switch review key.
Chris Inglis
