Summer with Sunflowers Blooming: A Review
by FEMAELSTROM, HSM team writer
“Summer With Sunflowers Blooming” is the newest estate offered by developer O-Two. I had a chance to walk through it recently. I was really glad I did, and here’s why.
First, some information: the estate has nine spaces for wall decorations, but no mini games or prizes, and no ability to adjust the time of day.
It is really very beautiful. I mean it — take a walk around this space if a friend has it, and you’ll see for yourself that the estate is very well designed. I was happy to see the amount of detail that was put into the estate. It has a very distinct look, one that separates it from the other Japanese/Chinese styled estates in Home, though it is distinctly Japanese in design.
One difference is that the exterior looks like an older estate, from an ancient period in Japan’s history. But when you enter the home, it has plumbing fixtures, and there’s even a manhole on the side of the house, hinting that it is actually contemporary. This in no way diminishes the estate though — to the contrary, it gives it a flavor that sets it apart from previous Asian themed estates like “The Moonlight Space” by O-Two, “The Japanese Tea House” by Granzella, and “The Mahjong Apartment” by Sony. Those estates are great ones and are worthy of your attention, but as a new estate, this one deserves a close look, if not an outright buy.
Bathroom, Bog, Loo, Head, whatever you call it, its got it, and it’s nicely done.
The house itself is small, but still very spacious inside. There are quite a few rooms and hallways between them. Some rooms seem smaller and others larger than you might expect for an estate this size. The walls are designed to look aged and worn, and that is a great effect that makes it very welcoming and real. There is a bathroom and a kitchen with some ‘baked’ in items like a urinal, a Japanese-style toilet, and a stove and sink; these add to the feeling of authenticity. There are windows that look out on the area that surrounds the home and they are very well crafted.
The area outside the home is absolutely amazing, with a vista of mountains and modern farm structures in the distance. Across the walkway is a pond, and across a small bridge is a field of sunflowers. There are some paths that lead off into the horizon as well as one that leads into a crack in the wall. These all are rendered very well and really dazzle the eyes until the one thing happens that was disappointing.
I saw the crack in the wall, and went running, and pretty much broke my virtual nose on the invisible barrier that stops you. After I shook that off that thump to the nose, I started to wander to the small bridge that sits close to the house, but was stopped by the invisible walls again. I then turned to the magnificent pond, and walked to it. One can stand on its edge, but that’s all.
The gap in the wall to the right screams to be inspected.
My issue is this: there are some places that are humongous in home. The Peakvox Moonlight Space is massive, as is the Luxurious Tropical Paradise Beach Crib. You expect to have to stop at some point in any estate. But here the beautiful scenery is so close that even a small increase in the estate’s invisible barrier size would have let us cross the bridge or walk a little bit down the well crafted road.
Then there is the crack in the wall. When I got the Lockwood Dream Island, there was a small grotto under the house and the first thing I did was to run under the house to it. I was pleased to see that it was fully accessible to the owner and their guests. The idea of making a secret place, and letting us get there is a great addition. Here the road leads up to a crack in the wall, and stops. I do wish the property lines had been a little bigger to encompass more of the beautifully-crafted surrounding area.
Beautiful scenery, but I really want to travel down that path.
One other issue I saw while there was that the person I visited tried to pull out the Juggernaut Observer and was only able to move it to the gate and not beyond, where the people are able to travel, so it restricts using the road for videos. Maybe these seem like nit-picking complaints. But sometimes it is the little things that can take away from an experience, and for this place, it should not.
This is a great space. It is small when one considers what would be up the road or through the crack in the wall, but when the estate is seen for itself, it is a beautiful and well-crafted home that is worthy of enjoying and decorating, especially if one enjoys the Asian style homes. I for one am going to buy it, and I applaud O-Two for this new estate.
Now, if I can just find a way to get through the crack in the wall that does not involve breaking my virtual nose!
- Beautifully designed
- Great layout
- Great addition to Asian themed estates
- Holds promise of being fun and interesting to decorate
- Has wall slots for pictures
- I want to go places that are just out of reach but close
- Not an interactive environment
- No mini games (if that matters to you)
- No rewards (if that matters to you)
October 1st, 2013 by FEMAELSTROM | 5 comments
FEMAELSTROM came to Home in June 2011 and never wanted to leave, even at weekly maintenance when he usually gets booted. The sand box environment appeals to the explorer in him and often is out and about as he ‘geeks’ out dressed like some sort of sci-fi character, while he people watches in popular public spaces. An artist and writer, FEMAELSTROM loves making friends and meeting people. He loves sci-fi and decorating Home estates and loves to respond “here” when people ask “where are you from?” in public places.
Share
| Tweet |
I’ve been contemplating on getting this Space, seeing as how I love cultural estates on Home. I’ve been slightly shy on O-Two Inc’s personal spaces due to aesthetic appeal but the Peakvox Ninja space still highly impresses me and it is something that I will continue to laud.
For that, I’ll be looking into this space.
Thanks Femaelstrom.
A friend of mine and I got a chance to check this space out, courtesy of a friend of hers. It was unbelievably well decorated! My friend likened the space to Miyzaki’s My Neighbor Totoro. My only niggling issue is, as you said, are the invisible walls in the space. It’s such an unfair tease!
The screenshots definitely reminded me of the country house in “Totoro”. It’s a pity you can’t explore the surrounding landscape. Possible public space, perhaps?
I loved almost everything about the space. I, like Seal, would have liked to explore those fields, they beg for a walk through. I found the walls restrictive for the same reasons, but I have this same problem with my Japanese apartment. I wish the modern conveniences weren’t present here though,but I can work around them I expect. Bravo O-Two! It’s a beauty
I bought the space sight unseen. I like it. I, too, would like to walk down the road but even more, I’d like to put a chair & fishing rod next to the pond. I can walk there, why can’t I put a chair there> Also, the “ceiling” is too low. I can’t put some trees down that I’d like to place. On the whole, I’m happy with it.