Stardew Valley has become a household name. And to think, ConcernedApe was inspired by Harvest Moon, a game that came first, but was a Nintendo exclusive at the time. Little did he know that he would set the blueprint for modern farm and life sim design.
Some fans of the game grew up to become developers themselves. Which brings us to the new generation of farm simulations. This time, they’ve replicated the same magic of Stardew Valley but with a twist. Stardew Valley with a focus on magic? Yes, please. Stardew Valley but in space? Set phasers on fun! Stardew Valley but ooga booga? Ug! As easy as it is to do this, these games deserve to be called their own, and I will try my damndest not to mention Stardew Valley to describe these wonderful games.
So clear out those weeds, lay out those plots, ready your seeds, and prepare your lots (I didn’t mean to rhyme, but it was right there). Let’s dig into 10 Farm Sims you should play if you loved Stardew Valley!
Sun Haven
Welcome to the medieval town of Sun Haven.
As the new farmer, you need to investigate and resolve conflicts between rival towns to establish peace across the land, all while building and decorating your farm, managing crops and fantastic beasts, and developing relationships with the townsfolk.
Wow. This is my first day, Jerry.
Meet hundreds of quirky NPCs and get a chance to romance 23 eligible characters across four different towns.
You can play solo or in multiplayer, supporting up to 8 players. The great news is your inventory and levels carry over in both modes!
And yes, there’s fishing! My favorite thing to do in every farm sim.
Roots of Pacha
A cozy farming sim set in the Stone Age where you shape the future of your clan.
In Roots of Pacha, you guide your clan’s migration, seeking the promised land foretold to you by the mother-goddess.
Grow crops, gather resources, and learn to process and preserve food.
Befriend animals; keep them as pets, or as providers for eggs or clothing in your village.
And if you aren’t too keen on hunting yourself, don’t worry. There’s a hunter in the clan who will provide meat for you.
But more importantly… you can fish!
The game encourages that you play at your own pace as goals can be completed in any given season, so there’s no need to run around trying to finish things while you’re in a cave gathering whatnot.
Moonstone Island
Explore over a hundred floating islands in the sky in Moonstone Island, a creature-collecting life sim where you brew potions, tame spirits, and uncover ancient secrets as you travel by balloon, broom, or glider!
Grow crops and flowers to brew potions so you can tame and befriend over seventy Spirits and put them to battle with a card-based system through dungeons.
And the devs just keep cooking. Since launch, they’ve updated the game to add cooking, marriage, new cards, free decorations, the Infinidungeon for nonstop battles and loot, as well as five paid DLCs!
Little-Known Galaxy
Mixing things up with the sci-fi farm sim Little-Known Galaxy.
You play the new captain-in-training and scavenge alien worlds for resources to build new machines, upgrade tools, and complete missions. Grow your leadership skills as you rank your way up to be a full-fledged captain of Space Alliance.
There’s no fishing in this one, which is almost unheard of! Instead, you’re catching microbes in the ship to use later for crafting or selling for credits.
Hear me out, though. You do get the option to romance an alien. A fair trade if you ask me.
Graveyard Keeper
Manage a medieval cemetery in the most accurate depiction of a farm sim as you turn your graveyard into a booming business.
Aside from farming, your daily tasks will include digging up graves, sorting burials, appeasing the church and townsfolk, alchemy, dungeon adventure, and facing moral dilemmas from the past, such as… well, being quite resourceful when it comes to meat products.
But don’t worry, there’s fishing here too!
It’s a graveyard sim, a satire of work culture, and somehow, a love story, too.
Everafter Falls
You wake up and discover your well-lived life on Earth was only a simulation. You find yourself in Everafter Falls. The longer you stay here, the more you realize you could get used to this place.
Not only do you get to farm, fish, fight, and make friends, but you’ll also eventually get automated drones to do all the manual labor. This place seems perfect!
And you had a pet this whole time, and they missed you while you were sleeping, so there’s a lot of catching up to do.
Everafter Falls feels like home. Just ignore the feeling that something doesn’t feel right…
From here on out, the games I’ll be mentioning are still in early access.
Little Witch in the Woods
This is a farm sim with a bit more magic and whimsy!
Fresh out of witch school, you play as Ellie, assigned to a magical village to complete her apprenticeship and become a full-fledged witch. And it wouldn’t be practical magic if you didn’t apply those skills in helping many creatures and villagers, now would it?
Befriend the local critters and NPCs, forage ingredients, brew potions, craft tools and candy, and explore the woods, the village, and other whimsical places either on foot or by broom!
Enjoy a cozy daily life filled with all manner of good-natured witchcraft, fishing, and quiet moments that make each day in the woods as enchanting as it sounds.
Farlands
Another sci-fi farm sim on the list, but instead of spending most of your time on a ship, you are now the proud owner of an entire planet!
That’s right. You just bought this floating rock for a bargain price (nothing shady about that at all). And you did it not for ancient relics or lost civilizations but for a lifestyle change.
Restore the planet to make it more your home, explore the solar system for more resources, make friends with the planetfolk, and find out the reason why you got this planet cheap!
Fields of Mistria
Enter Fields of Mistria, a late 90s anime-style farm sim RPG where there’s magic and mystery in the sweet, fresh pixelated air.
Following an earthquake, Mistria offers you a homestead in exchange for aiding the town’s rebuilding efforts.
As you farm, fish, forage, mine, and craft throughout every season, you’re sure to discover ancient secrets surrounding Mistria.
Romance twelve love interests, befriend over thirty villagers, raise rare animals, go on dungeon adventures, and shape a life filled with wonder and warmth.
Chef RPG
Shape your culinary story in this cozy RPG where every dish you cook up brings new beginnings.
As a budding young chef, you take on the huge task of bringing a once legendary seaside restaurant back to its former glory and cook your way to win the hearts of White Ash Harbor’s townsfolk.
Take on quests and explore various areas as you hunt, forage, fish, harvest, and trade for ingredients or exotic flavors on your menu.
And while managing your restaurant, befriending locals and rebuilding the town, you just might master rare recipes and charm your customers and critics.
This list is sure to keep your green thumbs busy. Happy farming (and fishing)!
