Gem Island (2026)

When it boils down to it, Luma Island is ultimately a fun game. The decision to make all so players could complete the game without having to swap jobs might have been the right one but it was incredibly disappointing to find out. With no stamina bars, there’s no need for food, but still, it would have been nice if the things you crafted were useable. That was my main complaint besides the frustration of overlapping traps in the temples.

Luma Island has been out on Steam for some time, almost a year in fact. So this time, I wasn’t there when it was first released. However, in this case, I’m happy that the game has been out for almost a year. Luma Island is so complete, keeps surprising you with out-of-the-ordinary additions and has excellent quality of life elements. I think this is the result of listening to players’ input and wishes, of tweaking so that bugs are squashed and tying the entire package up with a beautiful bow. I’m really delighted at how Feel Free Games took the familiar elements of simulation games, gave them their own twist and added some more to Luma Island.

Luma Island is a no nonsense crafting game with lovely exploration, but everything starts to feel a bit samey after the first few hours.

I'm honestly kind of surprised I hadn't heard of Luma Island before now. As much as I love farming sims, I think part of the double-edged sword of there being

Luma Island is a nice and cosy game to play either alone or with friends, with plenty to do and discover. However, it can be very grindy, tedious, and doesn't really provide much of a challenge.