Summary
It’s fair to say thatStardew Valleyhas become a cultural phenomenon since its original release in 2016 with the game selling over 20 million copies, sparking a revival of the cozy farming sim genre. Even seven years later, fans are still excitedly awaiting the1.6 Update forStardew Valley, which looks to add even more content like new festivals, new endgame quests, and new items. With how popularStardew Valleyis, it’s no surprise that the farming and life sim genres have seen such a boom in recent years.
The indie gaming scene has become a haven for fans of the farming and life sim genre with games inspired byStardew Valleyreleasing frequently. Although some fans are feeling the fatigue of having so many games in the genre releasing so close together, many of these games are unique enough to stand out from the crowd. There are several games releasing in the near future that should sate fans' hunger for unique newStardew Valley-like experience.
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Harvest Island
For players looking for a cozy farming sim with a horror twist this Halloween season,Harvest Islandmight be right up their alley, as it aims to blend the two genres for a seamless experience. This game features all the genre elements fans could hope for including growing crops, catching fish, and befriending animals. However, it holds many dark secrets involving the ability to make sacrifices to the gods of the island, and players can check out allHarvest Islandhas to offer soon as it launches for PC on October 10.
Bloomtown: A Different Story
AlthoughBloomtown: A Different Storyisn’t a farming sim likeStardew Valley, it shares a similar art style and cozy atmosphere that might getStardew Valleyfans interested. As a JRPG set in the 1960s,Bloomtown: A Different Storyleans into the quirky side of indie games, mixing elements ofStardew Valley,Pokemon, andStranger Thingsto create a turn-based monster collector with a supernatural story. The game also has a pedigree worthy ofStardew Valleyfans, with developer Lazy Bear Games ofGraveyard Keeperhaving a hand inBloomtown’s development.
Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story
Bloomtown: A Different Storyisn’t the onlyStardew Valley-like game Lazy Bear has in development. It’s also working onBandle Tale: A League of Legends Story, which takes characters like Teemo, Tristana, and Yuumi from Riot’s massively popular MOBALeague of Legendsand translates them into a cozy crafting RPG game. Riot Forge has done a great job at letting smaller developers tackle titles in theLeague of Legendsuniverse, andBandle Talelooks to continue that trend in 2024.
Grave Seasons
Adding a more sinister tone to the typically cozy farming sim genre seems to be all the rage right now asGrave Seasonslooks to blend the farming sim and horror genres as well. The game features farming and dating sim mechanics similar to those ofStardew Valley, but with the twist that the player is also trying to catch a serial killer. If players aren’t careful, they could end up romancing the serial killer, so keeping an eye on suspicious behavior is a must whenGrave Seasonsreleases at a future date.
Poglings
Poglingsis a game from YouTuber Chadtronicand Right Nice Games that mixes elements of life and farming sim games likeAnimal CrossingandStardew Valleywith the Chao Garden mechanic from theSonicseries. Players will be able to grow their nest of creatures as they breed, evolve, and race the critters in a charming homage to the game’s inspirations. WhilePoglingsdoesn’t have a release date yet, fans of this blend of farming sim and monster-breeding genres should definitely keep their eye out for future updates.
Stardew Valleyis available for Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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