My Time at Portia is getting a sequel with My Time at Sandrock

My Time at Portia is getting a sequel with My Time at Sandrock, developer Pathea Games has announced. 

The Chinese indie developer has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its upcoming follow-up to the farming life sim that released last year. Set in the "rugged mining town of Sandrock", the sequel will see you build up a new workshop and help the struggling town in an all new adventure that builds on the foundations of My Time at Portia, with new gameplay features and a new story arc. 

You play as a builder who's recruited to work in Sandrock. When you arrive in the town, it's in a "sorry state", with run-down shops, empty buildings, and residents who want to leave. You have to set out to use your building know-how and skills to unite the townsfolk and help Sandrock prosper once again. With an open-world setting just like My Time at Portia, you'll be able to gather materials and explore "deep canyons, vast deserts, endless salt plains, breathtaking ruins, and more". 

"First, Sandrock will have a similar pathos to My Time at Portia, but offer a completely new experience with new types of gameplay," Pathea Games says on its Kickstarter page. "We're still aiming for a Miyazaki-inspired kind of world, but with a few other surprises thrown in… Second, we wanted to have the overall story arc be more satisfying, but also with more focus on individual NPC." 

Pathea also details that My Time at Sandrock will have dedicated single-player for the RPG experience, along with a multiplayer "special mode" where friends or strangers can play together. And just like My Time at Portia, you'll once again be able to develop romantic relationships with the residents of Sandrock, but this time around all of the characters are set to be more interactive. 

Almost all NPCs will also have character-specific questlines and their own unique personalities. Initially, there will be fewer romanceable characters, but Pathea says it's working to make each one unique with personalized quests. 

"The relationships are, once again, more than just something extra to do in the game; they're tied together with the overall game loop: if you have a good relationship with a specific character, you'll unlock perks such as new missions, stat boots, cheaper goods, or a more willing hand to help out when you need it. Going the romance route will allow you to go on dates with the NPC, and eventually, you'll be able to marry the character and have kids." 

Released back in 2019, My Time at Portia was a great addition to the farming life sim genre that's reminiscent of games like Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon. There's no release date for the upcoming sequel just yet, but it looks set to deliver another adventure with more features and improvements.

Here are some My Time at Portia tips if you want some help.