Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time has quietly expanded in an unexpected direction with a free New Year update that adds a self-contained roguelike mode to the otherwise relaxed role-playing game. The update, titled Sinister Broker Bazario’s Schemes, is available now across all platforms, including PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch, and introduces a new area called Snoozaland that significantly shifts how the game is played.
Snoozaland reframes Fantasy Life i’s systems around a more structured challenge loop. Instead of building a character gradually over dozens of hours, players enter the new area as an unequipped level one character and attempt a single run. Each attempt reshuffles the world layout, emphasizing adaptability over long-term planning. Progress depends on what you find during the run rather than what you bring with you, making it a sharp contrast to the game’s usual emphasis on preparation, crafting, and steady progression.
Within Snoozaland, players can still engage with the game’s defining Life system, which blends jobs and classes into a flexible framework. However, instead of committing to a single Life early on, you learn new roles dynamically as you explore. Equipment is scavenged rather than crafted in advance, and decisions are more immediate, often shaped by what the environment and enemies allow rather than by long-term optimization. The structure leans closer to traditional roguelikes, where risk management and improvisation matter more than persistence.
The mode includes its own incentives. A powerful end boss sits at the far end of Snoozaland, with rewards designed to justify repeated attempts. Along the way, players can encounter alchemy robots that convert unwanted materials and equipment into potentially stronger items. These systems introduce an element of calculated chance, encouraging players to weigh whether to hold onto resources or gamble on better outcomes.
Based on descriptions from the game’s official site, Snoozaland appears to be largely isolated from the rest of Fantasy Life i. Characters built during a run do not seem to carry over, reinforcing the idea that this mode is meant to be experienced in short, repeatable sessions rather than as an extension of the main campaign. That separation helps preserve the tone of the base game while giving more mechanically driven players something new to engage with.
Developed by Level-5, Fantasy Life i has often been described as a blend of life simulation and traditional role-playing, drawing comparisons to Animal Crossing for its town-focused activities and to Dragon Quest for its combat and world structure. Its appeal has largely come from its bright presentation and low-pressure pacing, making the addition of a roguelike mode notable precisely because it runs counter to that design philosophy.
Rather than replacing the game’s slower rhythms, Snoozaland sits alongside them, offering an optional challenge for players who want more defined stakes without altering the core experience. For a game that has largely flown under the radar despite being a strong early title for Switch 2, the update adds variety without demanding a return to grinding or long-term commitments.
