Stardew Valley is one of those games where, if that's what you fancy playing, very few games come close to replicating the feel of the gameplay loop and the overall aesthetic the developer managed to create.
That said, some games have come pretty close over the years, whilst at the same time doing enough differently to make them standout against what has become the grandaddy of the genre.
In even better news, more are arriving all the time, and an upcoming release looks like it has all the ingredients to go toe-to-toe with Stardew Valley, whilst at the same time sprinkling a little magic in for good measure.
Voice of Nature is Magical, Cosy Fun
Over on Steam, you should be able to find an upcoming cosy RPG/Simulation called Voice of Nature, which you'll be able to recognise by its quite Stardew-esque design direction.
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The game puts you in the shoes of an unfortunate individual who was accidentally summoned by a Witch, who was attempting to bring a dragon into her world, basically to be her friend, rather than do anything nefarious.
The big problem arises when you find out she doesn't really know how to get you back to your own world, so whilst she works it out, you'll have to assume you're going to need to make a life for yourself.
You'll need to socialise with the townsfolk to get your life started, before you can buy an abandoned farm, grow crops, and start the gameplay cycle that we all know and love.
There are also animals to raise and look after and you can even join the Adventure Guild for some additional roleplaying fun.
One of the most unique features the game has is a full romance and relationship system, where you can find a partner, get married, and raise your own little bundles of joy to take over the farm when you're not around anymore.
There are plenty of other additional gameplay elements you can look forward to enjoying when the full release of the game comes to pass. Those include fishing, with rare skills that you can't catch without the requisite skills and bait. It also has dungeons to conquer, animals to hunt and mines for you to get valuable materials.
Voice of Nature doesn't have a release date just yet, but the developer has just dropped a brand new demo that should show you more than enough to help you decide whether you want to get it or not.
Topics: Indie Games, Stardew Valley, Steam