Not all aliens have to be imperialist monsters, body-horror abominations, or entities beyond human understanding. Ever since E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), a different kind of alien entered the zeitgeist lexicon: the ecologist explorer.
Gaming is no stranger to eco-fiction or aliens. The Pikmin franchise has always been about alien visitors exploring a derelict Earth and salvaging junk. Ultros was a very alien experience, combining metroidvania gameplay with farming. It’s the flexible premise that’s pregnant with possibilities and creative gameplay.
What if open-ended exploration were combined with farm-sim and puzzle elements? Would it still be fun? Find out in our Distant Bloom review!
Distant Bloom
Developer: Ember Trail
Publisher: Kinda Brave
Platforms: Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 (reviewed)
Release Date: March 27, 2025
Price: $19.99
Distant Bloom is another example of a narrative thinking too highly of itself. Its Eco message is noble and it’s worthwhile, but its storytelling overexplains itself. There is an unusually large amount of text and dialogue that isn’t particularly interesting and could have been better conveyed with visuals.
The principal cast are aliens and if all forms of communication was conveyed in a creative and abstract manner, it would have been more engaging. It doesn’t help that the character designs are really lame and obnoxiously cute.
They have very generic designs as if an AI spat them out using Pixar as a model to base their template. The aliens should have been given a more surreal design or something more unconventional.
While the character designs won’t impress, the environments look pretty good. The world has a simple, stylized look that relies on basic textures and flat shading. At first the planet will be a cold and desolate gray rock, festooned with dead trees but will gradually become a lush jungle as players start applying their green thumbs to the loam.
The main gameplay revolves around exploring and planting seeds, gathering plants, and crafting materials to better fertilize the soil.
Planting is done on hexagonal cells, and efficient growth depends on various factors like ground type, atmospheric temperature, and adjacent plants. To get the most out of farming, players will have to plan when planting to avoid repetition.
The farming is laid back, and there are no consequences for a bad plot because you can always harvest everything and retry without consequence. Not that it matters much because you’ll be drowning in seeds and bulbs. This is an easy, relaxing game with low stakes. The satisfaction comes from gradually reviving the land and expanding territory.
Aside from exploring, digging, crafting, and the occasional cutscene, there is not much to Distant Bloom. There are no threats or dangers.
There aren’t any survival mechanics, no thirst or hunger gauges to worry about; just taking it easy and terraforming the region. This is a game made for unwinding and adventuring without stress. It is completely 100% pressure-free.
As laid back as it is, Distant Bloom can feel pretty dull most of the time. Most of the thinking required is automated. The map shows everything, and the quest marker always makes it easy to know where to go. There’s never a moment where you’ll feel lost or feel like you’re exploring because the game holds your hand every step of the way. After a while, Distant Bloom feels like sensory deprivation and veers off into monotony.
Distant Bloom is a game for granola girls. Its saccharine character designs and Roger Dean-style vistas make the visuals a mixed bag, but it’s never an ugly game. At times, it feels like Temu Okami. The gameplay will either relax you or bore you. Either way, you’ll fall asleep after prolonged play and reading the dull dialogue.
Distant Bloom was reviewed on a PlayStation 5 using a code provided by Kinda Brave. You can find additional information about Niche Gamer’s review/ethics policy here. Distant Bloom is now available for PC (via Steam), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.
