izigame.me

Preface
I have played this game for almost 24 hours since release and close to the end. It is NOT a farming sim like stardew valley: it is all about collecting resources to craft things so you can collect more resources. If this is not a genre/game-play loop that you enjoy, then this game is likely not going to be for you.
TD;LR this is a very cozy crafting simulator. If you like laid back games with a specific game play loop then this is for you. If you don't like repetition and running around, then don't. The game is good, but it's a very specific genre/style.
If you are stuck on EXP: open up your quest menu and do quests. Go to the different islands and do the food stand and parties. This is your main source of gold & EXP. Don't rely on gathering and crafting alone.
Pros
‎ ‎ ◉ The game runs pretty smoothly. There was a few stutters here or there but it didn't impact my experience.
‎‎ ◉ The pixel art is very beautiful with creative and unique settings. It is very whimsical and fantastical. If you like cozy pixel games then I highly recommend this
‎‎ ◉ The writing is pretty good with funny jokes and fun characters. I am a League player so I am familiar with the cast, but there is a lot of prominent "original" characters to Bandle Tale. I don't think you need to be familiar with the lore since the game explains the setting and plot well enough.
‎‎ ◉ The quests are very enjoyable! Not too difficult but not too easy.
‎‎ ◉ The game-play loop: it is quite repetitive but I did enjoy the grind. You run around collecting the basic resources so you can craft items necessary for quests or to build new machines. There is a lot to unlock and find which I find enjoyable.
‎‎ ◉ Side-games: I am counting the food stand and the parties as the sort of "side" games that you play. You unlock new recipes, parties, and "furniture" for both through the skill-tree. They're both fun but I find the food stand more enjoyable as the food recipes get more complex. This is your main source of money and exp.
Cons
‎‎ ◉ The tutorials: some of them aren't as clear as they should be
‎‎ ◉ UI: the readability for the skill tree can be rather confusing. Pair this with just the sheer size of how big it is, it's easy to get lost. I have been stumped 2-3 times because I had no idea what I had to do and there wasn't much clarification.
‎‎ ◉ Running Around: you will have to do this A LOT. I recommend just using the portals, you won't run out of thread easily but it can be tedious when you start running low on sources.
‎‎ ◉ Item Recipes: it can be so easy to forget what you need to craft and what those need to be crafted. It would be nice to have a recipe book for craftable items in the menu to remedy this.
‎‎ ◉ Vending: it isn't really well explained and it takes much longer to generate money through it versus the food stand. It's better to just stick items into it to sell (be careful that they aren't necessary for quests/crafting) and check it periodically.