For anyone looking for a new, Stardew Valley-like game to get stuck into, listen up, because in September your hunt may well come to an end. Upcoming life sim Mirthwood has just locked in its Steam release date and dropped a new trailer that shows you what would happen if you picked up Stardew and sent it back in time a few hundred years.
The creation of a two-person development team over at Bad Ridge Games, Mirthwood looks to be one of the closest experiences you’ll get to Stardew Valley if you enjoyed your time in pixel paradise. This new life game will have you growing your homestead by rearing farm animals, growing crops, harvesting resources, interacting with villagers, adapting to the changing of the seasons, and partaking in some light melee combat as well. All sounds very similar, right?
Well, there are two main differences. The first, and most obvious, is the hand-drawn art style. I’m digging it, and from what I’ve seen so far it’s doing a great job at portraying its characters and environments.
It also complements the second big difference, which is the setting. Heavily inspired by games like Fable, Mirthwood drops the Stardew Valley formula into a medieval fantasy setting. Woodlands, lanterns, knights riding horses, tunics, you name it. It looks like a great choice of setting for this kind of game.
As well as all the life sim busywork, the RPG side of Mirthwood will have you venturing out into its open world to explore. You’ll be going on quests, slaying bandits and werewolves, uncovering mysteries, and discovering other settlements.
The best bit is, you don’t have too long to wait to play it. Mirthwood’s release date has just been confirmed, and it’ll arrive on Wednesday, September 11th.
You can also try out its free demo right now or wishlist the game over on its Steam page here.
The only downside to Mirthwood in comparison to something like Stardew is that it’s single-player only, so here are some alternative co-op games for you to try. Also be sure to check out our best indie games guide for loads of other excellent hidden gems.
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