Review of Home’s 2012 Winter Island
by Phoenix, HSM team writer
It appears off the coast of Pier Park, on the eve of the winter solstice.
Just as it did last year, the Winter Island has returned with winter attractions and fun. Snow and ice glittering in all its winter beauty, the island is home to new attractions. The cabin just off the dock is still there, with its hot tub in the back. There are still snow men on the island as there were last year; this year, however, they do not speak to us. Gone too is the activity board and its clues. This year there is no scavenger hunt to keep Home’s residents scurrying here and there, questing after a reward. Replacing it, there are game attractions for offer, and the rewards are a series of collectible masks — so let the masquerades begin. These mask would suit the most refined of renaissance revelers. The Lady and the Lord masks you will receive upon entering the space.
To win the rest of these rewards, you need to earn experience points. Playing the games will give you that xp. There are several games, none of which are hard to play. 
Duel Game is a game were you pace off with an avatar challenger and shoot it out using flintlock pistols. Kudos to the developers for this one. We get to see our avatars as they take their paces, aim and fire. May the best shot win. This game gives 25xp.
The next game in which you can earn xp is a game called Parade game. In this game a player sits in a chair, and one to three players chose a question and are judged on that question. This game can earn you 50xp.
Then there is The Dancing Game. An outdoor ballroom is set up, with floating chandelier and costumed dancers amid the ice and snow. Christmas music is heard as you dance. Again, the game is not hard to play. More kudos for the animation of our avatars dancing together. This game will net you 50xp. Players click the game, select multiplayer, and next either create a game or find one to join.
Santa’s sleigh is another game on the island, called Sleigh Game. This is probably the simplest and quickest game there. You simply click on the game and are treated to a ride in Santa’s sleigh. The ride takes you around the island in an almost panoramic view of the 
festivities. Santa’s sleigh gives you 15xp for your ride.
The Food Game is another new game for the space. There is a banquet table set up near the cabin, with a seating area, and there are a number of seats present for players. No xp is awarded for it. It is more or less an odd distraction. It almost feels as if it is incomplete. Perhaps an eating competition game should have been here.
Now for the most popular game on the island. The Kissing Game. This game has two places from which to play it. First there is the large gazebo, with an enormous mistletoe ball hanging from center overhead; the other spot is the front porch of the cabin on the island. No mistletoe here. You can check your progress in the mask, collecting as you play at this location.
Again, the game is pretty straightforward in its play. Click the game, and invite or be invited to kiss under the mistletoe. I would advise using the gazebo for this game as the front porch can quickly become a jumble of failed clicks with the majority of people playing here. The selecting is not always successful. Nonetheless, it is the most popular game here even given the fact that this game only nets you 25 xp.
I wonder what the reason could be for its popularity. Hm. Could it be the kissing of avatars? Maybe? Just maybe.
Finally, the last attraction on the island, simply titled Ice Skating. It is found on a small island off a pier. There are skating snowmen on the ice with you that weave in and out of your line of movement. Festively dressed, they poof away if you skate into them. This to my way of thinking could have made a good means of gaining xp. Perhaps a particular colored scarf could have netted the xp, were you to hit that particular snowman. Whatever the idea behind the ice skating, it was a wonderful one. Though skating has no purpose other than fun, it is enough. Playing this game can cost you time in Home lost to that secret dream of being an ice skating champion. The skating controls are excellent, too; spinning, jumping and learning special moves make for a lot of fun if you’ve a mind too. No xp is earned from this one.
All in all, I think the winter island is a fun destination on the navigator; the only things missing here would be a public snowball fight game, or a “build a snowman” game of some sort. Perhaps the sleigh ride could have had an invite option, to go along with the kissing and dancing games to add to the almost “date night” feeling it could invoke.
My advice: grab that special avatar, or meet a group of friends on the Winter Island, and have some winter fun. Happy Holidays.
December 22nd, 2012 by Phoenix | 7 comments
Phoenix writes poetry and is a photography enthusiast, along with writing for HomeStation Magazine. She is currently studying for a BFA in Creative Writing and BA with concentration in Photography. psn ID phoenixstorm21
youtube.com/user/phoenixstorm21
This is a really good over-view of the Winter festival brought to us by Sony. I’m sorry that it’s under-appreciated by a lot of people.. very vocal people on the forum. The theme there is winter, even if it is from a previous era, and no where did Sony say it was for Christmas. The rewards are beautiful masks that I will enjoy wearing all year. Well written, Phoenix and Thanks, Sony!
im glad they did it this way, after 4 years ive collected enough reward turkeys, and christmas trees. looks like they set the activities around the mid 1800’s. which was when a lot of modern day traditions became important including St Nicholas and Christmas Trees before that the celebrations would of been much different.
Oh btw a Merry Christmas to all
I must say my first impression wasn’t very good. Esspecialy with the santa ride and the “eating game”…
I wasn’t impressed with the idea of mask either, until I saw the higer level ones! This is a neat reward idea. Something we don’t already have a dozen in storage already and some of them look really good.
I gave the space a second chance and I must say it’s not bad at all.
Good review.
I’m not going to knock the Holiday space. It’s something a little different and it’s free. Not that I’ve taken a poll, but I’d assume that the people on the Forum complaining about this free event are the same ones who complained about having to pay for Xi. And probably the same ones who complain about most everything else. They want the games, the rewards, the moon and the kitchen sink. And they want them for free.
All that said, I’m fairly neutral about the space itself. I’m not upset about it but the rewards and games didn’t really interest me much. The space doesn’t wreak of neglect or disdain from the Home team as some would suggest. The effort was there but the results are a little too quirky to appeal to the masses, I guess.
I visited the space a couple times and thought it looked nice. I tried the kissing game once and enjoyed a sleigh ride. The games, quests and rewards at the past 2 Winter Wonderland events were superior. C’est la vie.
Oh yeah, I tried the skating as well. Definitely a cute feature in the space.
I had another thought, and that is that when Sony or our developers try something different (Tikiween) people complain, when they do things the same (Winter space 2010) people complain, etc, etc. People just want to complain and not appreciate, and it saddens me even more at this time of year.
Home is NOT free and won’t be. Not everyone will like everything. If you don’t like something, offer constructive comments, not generic complaints. Grow up. /end rant
Merry Christmas (if you celebrate it) and Happy New Year to you all!