To be honest, when I saw the name "Xiaoyaoyuan", I was stunned for a while. As someone who has been playing mobile games since the Symbian era, I have played at least hundreds of games over the years. But there aren't many that remind me of the past at a glance like this.
Do you still remember the days when you used Nokia N95 to play Java version of turn-based games? The screen at that time was only 2.6 inches, and the resolution was so low that we couldn't even see the special effects of skills clearly, but we still squatted in bed, turned over after beating a group of monsters, rubbed our sore eyes and continued to work. Fast forward more than ten years, mobile phones have changed from physical keyboards to full-screen, and turn-based games have also evolved into such vertical screen fairy tale masterpieces.
I'm not going to brag about it, but "Xiaoyao Love" is indeed a more thoughtful one. It did not blindly create a gorgeous world with hundreds of people on the same screen. Instead, it created the rhythm of the PC MMORPG back then - teaming up and hanging up, catching pets and training babies, running around the world, and there are many classic gameplays. For an old player like me, this "sense of familiarity" is the biggest attraction.
I especially want to mention its graphics. The vertical screen design is relatively rare in turn-based games, but it is surprisingly easy to play. The scenes are described very delicately, from the red walls and green tiles of Chang'an City to the peach forest and streams of Nv'er Village. Any screenshot can be used as wallpaper. Although I am a big man, I have to admit that looking at the fairy-like characters and mounts in the game, I feel a bit like those days.
The gameplay is relaxed and casual, which suits my current taste. After all, I am 30 years old. I am exhausted from going to work during the day, and I really don't have the energy to study complicated skill combinations when I go home at night. Occasionally go online to do tasks, chat with friends in the gang, and chat about your recent life, which can relax you without feeling stressful. There are often social gameplays such as marriage and sworn vows in the game. To be honest, it is much more real than the fancy social systems in many games nowadays.
Of course, I can't praise it too much. The charging model is free according to the introduction. I have to experience it again to know the specific payment points. But for now, at least it doesn't force you to log in every day, and you won't feel like you're lagging behind the rest if you don't play for a day. This "Buddhist" attitude is really friendly to older players like me.
Some people may think that the turn-based system is outdated, but I want to say that the reason why a classic is a classic is because it can stand the test of time. Just like those games we played back then, the graphics are definitely not good now, but the joy is still clear to me. For me, "Happy Love" is like repackaging those beautiful memories, allowing me to occasionally take a break in my busy life and be that carefree young man again.
Finally, let me share a few words that were most commonly typed back then: +++1=1, come and team up with me, I'm the boss! 😄
If you have also played turn-based games of that era, you might as well play in "Xiaoyaoyuan" and see if you can find the feeling of that year. After all, we old players say that the game has changed, but in our hearts we have been waiting for a game that can bring us back to our original aspirations.