The Tomorrow Children, today.

Imagine playing a game from the moment it was released, free to play, on your favorite console until suddenly, poof, it was gone.

This was unfortunately the fate of The Tomorrow Children when Playstation had the publishing license. The game wasn't pulling its weight for the gaming giant and therefore the company decided to shut down the servers in 2017. However, and as the named edition suggests, it rose from the ashes and was announced as a stand-alone, paid, game. Q-Games won the publishing rights back from Playstation and revamped the game from the ground up. This included an upgrade to better suit the Playstation 5 console. ***Spoiler alert***

My time playing the game has been nothing but addicting. The charm of the game's graphics still draws me in and with the updates for the PS5, I noticed a huge increase in frame rate over the memories of the original. One thing that remained from the original and was improved upon with the PS5 version is the lighting. While it might not be exactly Ray Tracing, it still looks stunning.

Jumping into the game after a short tutorial and unlocking your train station allows friends, "comrades", and other random players to join you. This is great with a friend and you usually find people willing to help, however, occasionally you will get a troll who wants to steal your materials. I believe it may already be in the works but I think adding a "friend only" or "invite only" option would be helpful. There are options when you unlock the Police Booth to block these players from using certain features additionally you may even shun them with an emote.

Besides that little gripe, the only other thing I would change/fix is the AI regarding the "comrades" I mentioned before. I witnessed on many occasions the same character, Natasha, picking up the same pear and repeatedly throwing it into a loading zone by the bus stop, only to then grab it from the loading zone, run ten feet away, and throw it again.

One thing I have found most useful is the fact that it feels less grind-y, still grind-y but less tedious and far more rewarding. F or instance, the cost of manufacturing items and buildings has dropped, and the time for the "Dolls" feels less. Lastly, when islands come and go, the wait time between is also less significant. It has been so long since I played the original but one thing I remember is things felt longest to complete with the timers placed on certain features; Phoenix Edition feels quicker-paced without the feeling as if you will complete things too quickly and unsatisfied.

The quality of the game feels fresh and more revitalized overall and leaves me wanting more. The character's designs and customizations bring something to the table as well with different buffs to one or more of the character's six stats. Options like the Black Market add more flexibility for players that don't want to go all the way back to town just to buy the pickaxe they need. This is truly the multiplayer, co-op experience I have been wanting for a long time. Working with nine other players to build your town up, designating roles for each member of your group, and witnessing progress as it rises from the ground, is the essence of the gaming community that so many others in this genre miss.

I highly recommend The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition to anyone that loves Role Playing Games and/or games with similar mechanics as Minecraft. You do a lot of mining, foraging, and fighting; if you enjoy that, you will love this game too.