Game Review | To Pixelia
Image Credits: Pixeduo Studios, To Pixelia
To Pixelia isn’t just another life sim. It’s what happens when someone takes The Sims, mixes it with the criminal chaos of GTA, wraps it all in pixel art, and gives you complete freedom to be wholesome… or absolutely terrible. After spending over 25 hours living my best (and occasionally worst) Pixelian life, here’s what I think.
First Impressions — Cute, But Spicy
At first glance, To Pixelia looks like another cozy life sim. You create a character, pick some traits, and move into a small city. You can find jobs, decorate your home, meet neighbors, and work toward personal dreams like becoming a doctor or superstar.
But it quickly becomes clear this isn’t just about baking pies and fishing. You can also rob apartments, punch random citizens, join gangs, and hack your way to riches. There’s real choice here. You’re not locked into a “good” or “bad” path. Most players will probably end up doing a little of both.
Gameplay — Live Your Dream (Or Cause Havoc)
The gameplay loop is deep and varied:
Jobs: You can waitress, clean, become a butcher, or even go to college for higher-paying careers. Every job has interactive mini-games.
Hobbies and Skills: Cooking, hacking, programming, music, sports—you can build skills that unlock new opportunities.
Social Life: Over 100 unique NPCs roam the city. You can befriend, date, and even marry them. (I married the local doctor. Zero regrets.)
Crime: Stealing, lockpicking, gang fights, and car theft are all options if you want a darker playthrough.
Farming: There’s an entire countryside area where you can grow crops and fish if you prefer a quieter life.
Dream Goals: These give you long-term objectives that add replayability and structure.
The world itself is impressive. The city feels alive, with busy streets, working cars (which will hit you constantly), and a ridiculous amount of places to explore—from casinos to underground fighting pits. Time passes quickly, and each day can be packed with activities or just casual wandering.
What Works — Freedom, Fun, and Replay Value
1. True sandbox freedom
Few life sims offer this much choice. You can pursue any career, or ignore careers entirely and focus on socializing, crime, or just decorating your house.
2. Replayability
Different “Dreams” and trait combinations keep each save feeling unique. Want to be a heroic surgeon in one game and a criminal kingpin in the next? You can.
3. Humor and charm
Despite the dark possibilities, the game has a lighthearted, self-aware humor. The NPC dialogue, the ridiculous situations, and even the chaos (like your pet randomly floating across rooms) add to the fun.
4. Depth for the price
At around $15, it offers more content than some $40 life sims. And it’s not in Early Access—you get a full game, with ongoing updates promised.
What Needs Work — Bugs and Rough Edges
1. Grinding
Levelling up skills and earning enough money for better housing or career progress can get very grindy. Some mini-games, like exercising or playing instruments, require tedious repetition.
2. Poor onboarding
The game throws you in with minimal guidance. Players who don’t enjoy trial-and-error may feel frustrated. A proper tutorial or official wiki would be a huge help.
3. Controller support
There’s no full controller support yet. Some players have managed to use Steam Input or community bindings, but it’s far from plug-and-play. Steam Deck users especially will struggle without custom control setups.
4. Bugs and performance
A few quests don’t work as intended. UI scaling and menu navigation could use polish. Some players also report frequent sickness for their characters (which was patched once but can still be annoying).
Final Blurb
To Pixelia is messy, ambitious, and extremely fun. It’s one of the best indie life sims I’ve played in years because it doesn’t play it safe. You can live out cozy, wholesome fantasies or dive into crime and chaos—all while managing relationships, building skills, and trying to pay rent before the landlord throws you out.
It has its flaws. If you hate grinding or get frustrated by rough edges, it might not be for you (yet). But for anyone looking for a deep, funny, and flexible life sim—this is a gem worth supporting.
GamerBlurb Rating: 7.5/10
Review by Andrew Hamel
Recommended | View all To Pixelia
