All posts tagged in Farming Simulation
Sep 26, 2024
Wanderstop features a narrative-focused story where you play as fallen fighter Alta. Alta doesn’t want to be here, and if she gets what she wants, the tea shop you run will be nothing more than a short, painful memory. Until that should happen, if it should happen at all, you must run the tea shop to the best of your abilities! Nestled in a magical forest, you’ll serve a variety of customers in a beautifully cozy setting. Make them tea and see what else they can teach you!
Each of your customers is a traveler who holds their own unique story. Listen to their stories and determine which tea is best for them. Even grow and harvest your own tea ingredients for the full management experience. And when you’re not running the shop and serving customers, there’s plenty for you to do in Wanderstop. Decorate the shop to make it more welcoming. Clean up the nearby clearing or even just sit and do nothing. Though, Alta can’t stand doing nothing. She’s not used to sitting still and just being, but perhaps that’s exactly why she’s here!
Release Date
You can find Wanderstop listed on Steam, but there is no release date available. Add it to your Wishlist to be notified, though!
- Sep 26, 2024
If you grew up playing with the Polly Pockets that came in the hard plastic clamshell cases that doubled as houses and scenes, then Tiny Garden is for you! Only instead of playing with tiny little dolls, you’re running a tiny farm. This is a relaxing strategy game that takes place inside one of those fun plastic clamshell toys. Grow some veggies, then trade them to upgrade your little scene.
Plant your seed, turn the crank, and watch your crops grow to maturity. Harvest them and trade them in for new seeds or items like furniture and outdoor decor. Some of the plants in Tiny Garden will even change the soil as they grow. Cacti turn the land into desert, bushes grow grass around them, and fountains flood the ground to make it perfect for growing water lilies. Whatever you choose to grow, discover all possible items to turn this classic piece of nostalgia into the perfectly decorated home you want!
Release Date
Tiny Garden is listed on Steam with no set release date. Add it to your Wishlist and check out the free demo in the meantime!
- Sep 25, 2024
Thank you to Carbon & Kay for the opportunity to play Little-Known Galaxy!
Stardew Valley has been THE pinnacle of cozy games for 8 years now. There have been a great many other cozy games that have tried to follow in its footsteps that have succeeded in earning a spot on many players’ lists. Roots of Pacha, DREDGE, My Time at Sandrock, and Echoes of the Plum Grove are good examples of excellent games that have been released in the past few years, but none of them have quite scratched that itch that SDV left behind, at least for me. However, I’ve been spending my time playing Little-Known Galaxy, whose development I’ve followed for a while now. It has honestly given me the cozy comforting vibes that SDV gave me without being a clone. It’s unique, but familiar and has absolutely devoured my time lately.
Sci-Fi Fun
In Little-Known Galaxy, you play as your own customizable character who has been employed as the captain of a run-down spaceship. You’re a brand new captain-in-training and this is your first real captain assignment. In order to rise through the ranks and prove you’re worthy of being a full-fledged captain, you need to show the Space Alliance you can handle running your own ship!
Alongside your crew, who are a cast of quirky and fun characters, you need to accomplish quite a bit. Restore the old, run-down ship you (and the crew) call home. It’s seen better days and really needs a facelift. You also need to make sure crew morale stays high by providing them with fun new things to do on the ship. And don’t forget to do a little farming, gather microbes for your scientists to study, and solve the mystery of the relic found on the Grey Planet!
Of course, your day-to-day life in Little-Known Galaxy doesn’t have to be solely filled with work. Take time to get to know your crew members. Each one has a unique personality with some fun backstory for you to learn. They also each have their own role to play on the spaceship. The shopkeeper, the gardener, the food bar owner, and more all brighten up what could be very dull space travel. Some of them are even single and you can date them!
So What’s Great About This Game?
Well, all of it. It really does scratch that cozy, immersive itch that Stardew Valley left behind. It has that addictive “I’ll play just one more in-game day” quality to it. Some days I go explore the different planets, which function much like the mines in SDV. Break rocks with your trusty laser to gather resources and fight a few enemies. You search for the travel point hidden in one of the rocks, or buried in the sand in order to progress. It’s easy and familiar while being unique with a different atmosphere (literally!).
Perhaps the best addition is that the NPC list in Little-Known Galaxy allows you to locate which floor of the ship someone is on! No wasting your whole day looking for that one person you want to give a gift. Schedules are fine, but this is by far the better way to find someone in game. Plus, the crew you start with isn’t the whole crew you’ll have. As you progress through the game, you pick up a few more members to flesh out what’s already a wonderfully diverse cast of characters.
I also have really enjoyed the fact that your upgraded tools get delivered to your quarters when they’re ready. No chasing them down and realizing the shop is closed today! The upgrades do take several days to complete, but I’ve found there’s plenty to do while you wait. Catching microbes, for example, was a tedious task to begin with. However, the developers have been eagerly listening to the critiques and made some great updates already. The microbe minigame is now far more enjoyable than it was. And of course the overall storyline and mystery surrounding the relic from the Grey Planet make this game so much fun. It’s hard to put it down.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been looking for something to dive into and get lost in, or some cozy sci-fi game to relax with after work, this is it! Little-Known Galaxy is so cute and has such a diverse cast of characters with depth. The story is great, and even the grinding is fun. Plus, the developers are so passionate about this game it’s hard not to get swept up into their enthusiasm. I would (and do) recommend this game to anyone who will listen to me!
I give it:
You can grab Little-Known Galaxy on Steam!
- Sep 12, 2024
In Garden Witch Life by developer FreetimeStudio, you play as an adorable little witch who hails from the big city. Except you’ve recently lost your job so life isn’t exactly panning out the way you thought it would. Now’s your chance for a much needed change of pace, though! In fact, you move to a tiny island that’s full of possibilities and opportunities. In your new home you’ll get up to all kinds of fun things like gardening, decorating, and more.
Turn your new piece of land in Garden Witch Life from a depressing example of dead monoculture into a thriving, beautiful magical garden. Grow a variety of wonderful crops, and use those fresh ingredients in recipes. Use your magical cauldron to whip up tasty recipes you get your hands on from around the world. Then, share them with the villagers to build friendships. Creating a strong community bond with everyone is important, after all. Or go exploring and uncover all the secrets and mysteries the island has to offer. Plus, your tools have upgrades you can access and your home is your to decorate as you please!
And yes, you can pet ALL the animals. What’s better than that?
Release Date
Garden Witch Life drops on all your favorite platforms today. Pick it up on Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, or PlayStation!
- Sep 11, 2024
Alongside your childhood friend, leave your busy city life and mundane 9-5 workday behind as you seek out the adventurous life on Snacko Island in Snacko by developer Bluecurse Studios! Things didn’t quite go as planned, and you find yourself washed up on shore after a storm. Luckily, you and Mikan are safe and have been found by the last local living on the island, Nobu. Everyone else has abandoned the island looking for better opportunities. Except Nobu, who is happy to have a pair of young cats to join him in daily life.
In fact, Nobu shows the two of you the ropes for farming and general living on the island. And together, you’ll restore Snacko Island to the bustling little piece of paradise it once was. Run your farm where you’ll grow 12 different crops and raise cows and chickens. Demolish old buildings and rebuild with various shops and homes to attract newcomers. Hire shopkeepers, create 200+ pieces of decor to liven up the place, and create a peaceful town. Get to know 26 unique characters from shop-keepers to just plain neighbors looking for a slice of relaxing island life. Even explore 4 different biomes where you can collect resources and encounter mysterious shrines for a dose of adventure!
Sweet and Sassy Fun
Snacko has been the cutest, most wholesome cozy game I’ve encountered so far. The story is simple, but sets you on a fun adventure to restore a town. The color palette for the environments are gorgeous. The biomes are so pretty and unique. Plus, the character designs are just lovely. I’m glad to see other cat characters appear, but also really enjoy the variety of animals you see. Dogs, a horse, birds, and even a penguin are all possible characters you’ll encounter. Each one possesses their own personality, too, which livens up the island. And they all come with their own personal style so homes across your island will be different, too! It all makes for such a good variety in every aspect of the game.
There is a lot of sass thrown into the game, though. A LOT. Some dialogue between you and the characters is full of sass. Some item descriptions are sassy as all get out and I LOVE it. The jokes and sass are funny without being overbearing or making a character seem rude. It also mixes things up a bit, so nothing is overly saccharine. I’ve really enjoyed discovering the different fish to see their descriptions because of the developers throwing in some incredible lines. I can’t get enough of the writing in the game.
Classic Coziness, but Different
I love farm sims. I’ve played so many already and have so many more on my wishlists that I’m drowning in farm sims. So what makes Snacko different from your standard farm sim? Aside from the great bits of humor, building your town and having full control of that is a start. Not only do you remove existing rundown structures, but you collect resources from them that help in the rebuild. Then, you can place homes and stores and decor where you want within the town region to create your dream space. So, you’re not limited to simply decorating your own home or farm space. You’re free to create your dream town and it’s so much fun!
What I also enjoy that sets the game apart is the use of shrines. They’re fun little challenges you can take on at your leisure and give you a change of pace. Complete a shrine the first time simply to complete it. Then, you can take on the shrine as many times as you want to achieve the fastest completion time. That’s right. The shrines turn into speed run challenges for when you’re looking for a little more challenge and a little less laid back. Even better, though, is that the shrines are totally optional. So, if you’re not interested, or like me and just not great at speed running, then you don’t need to do them! You get rewards for completing and finding chests in the shrines, of course, but there’s no fear of FOMO here as they contain items you can get some other way. It’s a perfect system!
Final Thoughts
Snacko’s character creator is fun, too. I mean, creating your own little cat character? Nothing more fun than that. Plus, the developers implemented a great tutorial phase where you read about the thing and then do it. Nevermind you can always access the tutorial pop-ups from your bookcase so if you forget something, you can relearn it. And the fishing mini game is one of my favorite in any cozy game. It’s simple and easy, but still has a slight challenge. Exploring the different biomes is fun. Taking on shrines for a challenge is great. Raising fuzzy cows and fluffy chickens is my definition of cozy. So, overall, the game is so wonderfully fun that I would recommend it to any and all cozy gamers.
I give it:
You can find Snacko on Steam now. Nintendo Switch and PlayStation releases are planned!
- Sep 5, 2024
In Shinehill by developer Peach Bite, you play as a spy who has been assigned a tough new job. You arrive on an unfamiliar planet where you suddenly replace one of the residents. The trusting locals mistake you for a new neighbor and treat you with kindness by giving you a house and plot of land. From there, the rest is up to you!
Spend your days on this supposed island paradise becoming a champion fisherman. Or start a farm on your plot of land and tend to a variety of crops. You can even cook up some delicious meals in Shinehill and go exploring abandoned dungeons across the island that hold secrets. The real question is, what made your command turn their eyes toward this planet? Is there something shady going on and it’s up to you to figure out? Perhaps! Get to know your new neighbors. Help them out and learn their stories. Maybe even make friends, or become more. One of your new friends might actually be a threat to everyone else.
Release Date
You can find Shinehill listed on Steam now. There is a demo available and it’s expected for a full release in September!
- Sep 4, 2024
Captain your very own greenhouse starship in Kohlrabi Starship by developer Whimsical Wolff Games. Begin your space-based journey on a mysterious planet where you’re searching for rare plants and animals that are close to extinction. Bring what you find back to your home planet in an effort to restore the ecosystems there. Turning the vast deserts of home into thriving, lush biomes won’t be easy, of course. You’ll also need to work on repairing the starship, gather resources other than plants and animals, make money, and forge friendships with other people you encounter!
As you explore the stars, choose which plants and animals to bring onto the ship. Carefully introduce the plants to different environments to see which one suits it best. Breed the endangered animals you capture to impact the ecosystems you’re trying to restore. You can even terraform the desert to turn it back into a green paradise. Plus, you can breed the perfect pet to follow you around. Want a cute little kitty with pink fur? You can do that!
Of course, you’re not alone in Kohlrabi Starship. Take time out of your busy exploration schedule to meet a cast of diverse characters. Help them out with some tasks and forge friendships with them. You may even find love in one of them! And you get to decorate your starship to suit your tastes. Collect and build furniture, change the flooring, and place useful pieces of technology to help your mission of restoring your planet. Whatever you do, you’re bound to have an excellent space travel adventure!
Release Date
Kohlrabi Starship is coming to Steam some time soon. Add it to your Wishlist to receive notification of its release.
Little-Known Galaxy is another cute space-based exploration game with fun farming!
- Aug 21, 2024
Snacko is a super adorable farming sim where you and your friend venture to Snacko Island in search of a new life away from the hustle and bustle of the city. When you arrive, you find the island a little run down and empty. In fact, there’s only one resident who’s kind enough to get you settled into a new home. From there, it’s up to you to restore the town and the rest of the island. It’s not just some island, though. It features a deep, rich past full of mystery that you also get to discover!
Run around the idyllic island collecting resources, fishing, exploring, and farming. There are 4 distinct biomes for you to traverse, each with their own unique items to collect, plus 4 different shrines to encounter. You can fish up over 20 different types of fish across the island, as well as grow 12 crops and raise cows and chickens for produce. Then, restore the town! Use resources to rebuild the ruins of buildings. Set up a grocery store and other shops to revive the scene. Invite different characters to join you on the island, too. Those shops will need workers and people to sell to! There are 20+ different NPCs you can encounter, and a system in place to make re-inviting villagers easier so you can befriend everyone!
Quests and Villager Overhaul
There’s already some great stuff in Snacko. Being able to save during the day and sleeping wherever you can using beds and sleeping boxes you’ve placed. Talk about stress-free exploring! Of course, there’s a ton more in this lovely little game, but an upcoming update promises some equally exciting things. Buckle up for a lot of improvements and changes!
First up is the restriction on villagers. You can now have everyone all at once! The blueprint shop and other recipes are no longer all unlocked at the beginning. MIAO will act more like a guide, nudging you in the right direction of progression instead of unlocking everything. In fact, there’s now quests you must complete to unlock them. Some of these unlocks happen through Guild quests. However, you’ll encounter several different ways to unlock new dye recipes, cooking recipes, and crafting recipes. Of course, the Guild function is brand new too! Each Guild has its own representative(s) that possess their own personalities and will communicate with you through quests and deliveries. Some of the reps even have mini story arcs for you to experience.
Villager quests have also been overhauled in Snacko, and there are new ones added to the mix. These quests will unlock recipes like Guild quests, but also unlock new shop items. Plus, you can get to know your villagers more through these questlines! Villager dialogue pools have also been overhauled to make more sense and give you a chance to see them all. For example, Rejka will no longer be confused when you speak to him in the morning while dating. The idea is to move away from the mundane cycle of talking, gifting, and repeating to build a relationship. The developers want to give you more options to build your bonds, which is great!
UI Changes and More
There have been some UI changes for expanded dark mode, which includes a new quest and UI to accompany it. Dark mode has been expanded beyond the dialogue boxes, which is great for those of us who prefer less brightness. Dark mode tones down some of the bright green grasses and shiny blue waters. And I think the developers achieved a great balance without sacrificing the beauty of their art and color palettes!
Crafting recipes can now be tracked on the Snacko HUD just like quests. No more second guessing what you just read or keeping a thousand sticky notes all over your desk like me. Simply track the crafting recipe like you would a quest for better efficiency. You can even pin the recipe to match the quantity of items you want to craft. So, if you want to make 3 softwood lampposts, pin the recipe for 3 to track the total resources needed. You can also buy basic resources from the shops after they’re closed now, too.
Now you can charge your sword into a dash function. The dash can be used mid-air to achieve a type of pseudo flying. The distance you travel is dependent on the charge amount, but if you string smaller dashes together, you’ll stay airborne. The pickaxe can bounce you around, too. When you’re mid-air, like from a jump, you can use the charged pickaxe to bounce off things like cliffs. So, fly around or bounce around town for a fun new way to travel!
Release Date
This Town & Guild Update for Snacko is live now! So, hop on and get familiar with all these cool new features! You can find this absolutely adorable game on Steam.
