Minabo: A Walk Through Life

Minabo: A Walk Through Life is a cozy, 2D side-scrolling life simulation game where players experience the mundane yet reflective journey of living. Set in a simple, charming world, the game emphasizes the passage of time, personal choices, and the quiet moments that define existence, blending adventure and simulation elements to create a meditative exploration of life’s routines and small joys.

Minabo: A Walk Through Life – A Thought-Provoking Yet Flawed Social Simulator

Introduction: A Life Simulator with a Twist

Minabo: A Walk Through Life is a social simulation game that dares to ask players to experience life through the eyes of an anthropomorphic turnip. Developed by Spanish indie studio DevilishGames and published by SelectaVisión, this title blends charming visuals, a meditative pace, and a surprisingly deep exploration of human relationships—all while framing life’s journey as a side-scrolling adventure. At its core, Minabo is an experiment in existential reflection, challenging players to navigate the complexities of social bonds, aging, and mortality in a world where every step forward is a step toward the inevitable.

Yet, for all its ambition, Minabo is a game that divides critics and players alike. Some praise its emotional resonance and unique premise, while others criticize its repetitive mechanics and lack of depth. This review will dissect the game’s development, narrative themes, gameplay systems, and reception to determine whether Minabo succeeds as a meaningful life simulator or falters as a missed opportunity.

---

Development History & Context: A Spanish Indie Experiment

The Studio Behind the Turnips

DevilishGames, the studio behind Minabo, is a Spanish indie developer with over two decades of experience, known for titles like Path to Mnemosyne and King Lucas. The studio’s portfolio often leans toward whimsical, narrative-driven experiences, and Minabo continues this tradition with its unconventional premise. The game was developed using the Unity engine, a common choice for indie projects due to its accessibility and flexibility.

The Vision: Life as a Turnip

The concept of Minabo is deceptively simple: players control a turnip from birth to death, navigating a world populated by other turnips, radish pets, and environmental hazards. The game’s title is a pun on the Spanish word “minabo” (a type of turnip), reinforcing its vegetable-centric identity. According to the developers, the game was designed to be a “pure (and hard) life metaphor,” exploring themes of relationships, mortality, and the passage of time.

Technological and Design Constraints

Minabo’s side-scrolling, 2D design is intentionally minimalist, evoking the aesthetic of a children’s storybook. The game’s mechanics are similarly stripped-down, focusing on basic interactions rather than complex systems. This simplicity was likely a deliberate choice to emphasize the game’s meditative, reflective tone. However, it also contributes to some of the game’s most criticized aspects, such as its repetitive gameplay loop.

The Gaming Landscape at Launch

Released on April 28, 2023, Minabo entered a market saturated with life simulators like The Sims 4 and Stardew Valley. Unlike these titles, which offer deep customization and open-ended gameplay, Minabo is a more linear, experimental experience. Its closest counterparts might be games like I Was a Teenage Exocolonist or A Short Hike, which also blend narrative depth with simple mechanics. However, Minabo’s focus on existential themes sets it apart, even if its execution leaves something to be desired.

---

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: The Philosophy of a Turnip’s Life

Plot Overview: From Sprout to Tombstone

Minabo begins with the player’s turnip sprouting from the ground. From there, the turnip ages in real-time as the player moves through the world, interacting with other turnips, forming relationships, and eventually dying. The game offers two primary modes:
– Mission Mode: 25 pre-set challenges (e.g., “Live to 70 with three children” or “Die young with two best friends”).
– Free Life Mode: A sandbox experience where players can live without constraints.

Each life ends with an epitaph summarizing the turnip’s journey, which can be shared with friends—a clever touch that encourages reflection on the choices made.

Themes: Love, Loss, and the Passage of Time

Minabo is, at its heart, a meditation on life’s fleeting nature. Key themes include:
– Relationships: The game emphasizes the importance of social bonds, with mechanics that reward (or punish) players based on how well they maintain connections.
– Aging and Mortality: Turnips grow older, slow down, and eventually die, mirroring the human experience. The game’s visual design reinforces this, with turnips becoming droopier and slower as they age.
– Choice and Consequence: Every interaction affects the turnip’s personality traits, which in turn influence future relationships. This creates a feedback loop where early decisions have long-term repercussions.

Characterization: The Turnips as Mirrors

The turnips in Minabo are intentionally simplistic, serving as blank slates for players to project their own experiences onto. However, this lack of depth is also a weakness. Critics like ScreenRant argue that the turnips “fail to reveal recognizable specks of personality,” making it difficult to form emotional attachments. The game’s reliance on randomness—such as the success or failure of interactions—further distances players from feeling truly invested in their turnip’s journey.

Dialogue and Writing: Minimalist but Effective

The game’s dialogue is sparse, consisting mostly of interaction prompts (e.g., “Give a hug,” “Tell a joke”). While this fits the game’s minimalist aesthetic, it also means that relationships feel mechanical rather than organic. The lack of narrative depth is a missed opportunity, especially given the game’s existential themes.

---

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: The Joy and Frustration of Being a Turnip

Core Gameplay Loop: Walk, Interact, Repeat

Minabo’s gameplay revolves around three primary actions:
1. Movement: Players hold a button to crawl, walk, or run, with each step advancing time.
2. Interaction: Players select other turnips and choose from three actions (physical contact, intimacy, belonging) to fulfill needs.
3. Relationship Management: Successful interactions strengthen bonds, while failures weaken them.

The game’s simplicity is both its strength and its downfall. On one hand, it’s easy to pick up and play; on the other, it becomes repetitive quickly.

Combat and Progression: A Life Without Conflict

Unlike traditional life simulators, Minabo has no combat or traditional progression systems. Instead, “progress” is measured by the turnip’s relationships and lifespan. This design choice reinforces the game’s meditative tone but also limits its replayability. The lack of meaningful conflict—beyond the occasional environmental hazard (e.g., a mole that can kill turnips)—means that the game often feels passive rather than engaging.

UI and Accessibility: Functional but Uninspired

The UI is clean and functional, with clear indicators for needs and relationship statuses. However, it lacks the polish of more established simulators. The game’s reliance on button-mashing (e.g., repeatedly pressing a button to move) has been criticized as tedious, particularly in longer play sessions.

Innovative Systems: Hats and Time Manipulation

The game’s most unique mechanic is its collectible hats, which grant temporary buffs (e.g., increased charm, longer lifespan). These hats add a layer of strategy, allowing players to tweak their turnip’s traits to better achieve mission goals. Additionally, the ability to “rewind” a turnip’s life and make different choices is a clever nod to the game’s themes of regret and second chances.

Flaws: Repetition and Lack of Depth

The most common criticism of Minabo is its repetitiveness. As LevelUp notes, “The game becomes repetitive and boring very quickly.” The lack of variety in interactions and the absence of a compelling narrative arc make it difficult to stay engaged for extended periods. The game’s short playtime (each life lasts about 15–30 minutes) helps mitigate this, but it’s not enough to overcome the core gameplay’s limitations.

---

World-Building, Art & Sound: A Charming but Shallow Experience

Setting and Atmosphere: A Whimsical Journey

Minabo’s world is a side-scrolling landscape where seasons change dynamically as the turnip ages. The art style is reminiscent of a children’s book, with bright colors and simple, expressive character designs. The turnips themselves are adorable, with animations that convey emotion despite their lack of facial features.

Visual Design: Strengths and Weaknesses

The game’s visuals are its strongest asset. The seasonal transitions—from spring blossoms to autumn leaves—are beautifully rendered, and the turnips’ aging process is subtly conveyed through drooping postures and slower movements. However, the world itself is relatively empty, with little environmental interaction beyond the occasional hazard or item pickup.

Sound Design: A Single, Repetitive Melody

The soundtrack consists of a single, looping melody that, while pleasant, becomes grating over time. As Higher Plain Games points out, “Only one song in the soundtrack… wears thin after many hours of play.” The lack of musical variety is a missed opportunity to enhance the game’s emotional impact.

Voice Acting and Audio: Minimalist but Effective

The turnips communicate through simple sound effects (e.g., grunts, giggles), which are charming but limited. The absence of voice acting is understandable given the game’s indie roots, but it further contributes to the sense that the turnips lack personality.

---

Reception & Legacy: A Divisive Experiment

Critical Reception: Praise for Concept, Criticism for Execution

Minabo received mixed reviews upon release, with critics praising its unique premise but criticizing its repetitive gameplay. Key takeaways from reviews include:
– Positive: Hobby Consolas (85%) called it “an example of indie well planned and well executed,” while Higher Plain Games (9.5/10) praised its emotional depth.
– Negative: ScreenRant (20%) dismissed it as “tedious and randomized,” and Gaming Nexus (5.5/10) criticized its lack of a compelling hook.

The game’s Metacritic score of 62% reflects this divide, with many critics acknowledging its ambition but finding its execution lacking.

Player Reception: A Niche Appeal

Player reviews on Steam are more positive, with a “Mostly Positive” rating (77% of 53 reviews). Many players appreciate the game’s relaxing, meditative qualities, though some echo critics’ concerns about repetitiveness.

Legacy and Influence: A Minor Footnote in Life Sim History

Minabo is unlikely to be remembered as a groundbreaking title, but it may influence future indie experiments in life simulation. Its focus on existential themes and minimalist design could inspire other developers to explore similar concepts, though with greater mechanical depth.

---

Conclusion: A Flawed but Fascinating Experiment

Minabo: A Walk Through Life is a game that succeeds in its ambition to create a thought-provoking experience but falters in its execution. Its charming visuals, meditative pace, and existential themes make it a unique entry in the life simulator genre. However, its repetitive gameplay, lack of narrative depth, and shallow interactions prevent it from achieving greatness.

For players seeking a relaxing, reflective experience, Minabo offers moments of genuine emotional resonance. For those expecting a deep, engaging simulator, it will likely disappoint. Ultimately, Minabo is a fascinating experiment—one that asks players to confront life’s big questions through the lens of a turnip, but struggles to make that journey compelling enough to stick with until the end.

Final Verdict: 7/10 – A bold but imperfect exploration of life’s journey.