Dinkin' Around with Dinkum

I decided to bite on a new game and have spent some time playing the Animal Crossing/Stardew Valley inspired Dinkum.  I'm still trying to work out my exact feelings but, for an early access game, it seems to be in a very playable and enjoyable state.  If you're in the mood for something nice and relaxing, Dinkum is a great fall gaming option.

My character doesn't have a permanent home...yet.

What I like (so far):

+ The controls have been very intuitive and easy to learn.  There's no need for a tutorial so players can dive right in.

+ It's set in Australia so there are lots of cute (and dangerous) Aussie creatures that populate your island.

+The map allows you to place and remove custom markers--I wish every game did this (and yeah, there are plenty that do).  It's nice to be able to easily mark the location of a resource so that you can go back later.

+ There aren't a ton of character customization options, but I still felt like I could design a unique, cute character.

+ I haven't had a single crash or bug yet. (*knock on wood)

+ There are plenty of activities to choose from--fishing, catching bugs, foraging for items in the environment, mining....I'm sure I'll unlock even more.

What I don't like:

- I've unlocked licenses for several activities but can't utilize them until I'm able to buy the correct deed and build the correct building.  (Although, it does look like you get new visitors to your island fairly frequently and can somewhat utilize their services)

- To place a new building you need to pay off the debt you incur from buying the deed.  So far it has felt like a real slog to pay off my debts.  It's likely that I haven't discovered the best ways to make money yet, but the time between building a new structure and then paying it off is sort of...weirdly un-anchored.

I'm hoping to spend some more time with Dinkum and see if I can't unlock my inner creativity and design the ultimate Aussie island paradise.