Summary
Stardew Valleyis one of the most charming indie games on the market, but it’s not the only title to offer an excellent cozy farming experience. The genre originally gained popularity thanks to theHarvest Moonseries of games (now known asStory of Seasons), butStardew Valleydelivered just the right package at just the right time to inspire a lot more imitators. While some farming games never manage to carve out enough of their own identity to be particularly worthwhile, every so oftenone brings a uniquely strong experienceto the table.
The newest farming/life sim hit,Fields of Mistria, is the first title released on Steam by independent developer NPC Studio. Although it’s currently only in early access, the game already offers an experience that’s arguably more impressive and polished than plenty of finished titles.Fields of Mistria’s top-down pixel art style might immediately bringStardew Valleyto mind for many modern players, but it’s clear that this is one case where the game’s inspirations stretch deeper.
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Fields Of Mistria Isn’t Another Stardew Valley Clone
A Unique Aesthetic Is The First Big Selling Point
When viewing itsSteampage, the first thing that tends to jump out aboutFields of Mistriais the unique color palette that distinguishes it from games likeStardew Valley.Fields of Mistriaisn’t going for particularly realistic colors or earthy hues, instead bedecking its world in a curated array of cooler pastels. Minty grass and a surplus of pinks make for an attractive package overall, and an artstyle that uses detailed pixel textures sparingly is more reminiscent ofPokémonthan most farming sims.
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Fields of Mistriaalso beckons back to the ’90s with its character portraits, which bear the apparent influence of old shojo anime style and feature some adorable alternate expressions in conversation. For many players, the character portraits might end up being important, asFields of Mistriaplaces a big focus on the romance side of the life sim equation. Out of over 30 villagers in total, 12 are positioned as marriage candidates, although actually tying the knot isn’t yet available in the current build of the game.
NPC Studio is currently planning forFields of Mistriato have a roughly one-year early access period with continued updates throughout that time. Community feedback will also play a role in shaping how the game evolves.
Fields Of Mistria Has A Lot Of Early Access Content
Harvest Moon Fans Will Find Plenty To Do Here
For those who aren’t interested in romance, there should still be a lot to do inFields of Mistria.All the genre staples like farming, fishing, mining, and crafting are included, and virtually any core feature that definesStardew Valleyshould be easy to find. The tone and style ultimately hearken back more heavily to classicHarvest Moongames, however, and it might appeal even more to fans of classicHarvest Moonthan newer official entries do. A dash of adventure also touches on theappeal ofRune Factory, andFields of Mistriaeven throws some magic into the mix.
Something that can immediately sink any life sim experience is feeling like the characters and story have little to offer, andFields of Mistriais putting in strides to avoid that trap.The game currently boasts over 5,000 lines of character dialogue, so there shouldn’t be much danger of running into the same trite remarks over and over. Villagers have behaviors, routines, and outfits that change according to weather, seasons, and events that include festivals and markets. Raising animals can also be a lot of fun, with toys, cosmetics, and color variants all on the table.
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Fields of Mistriais certainly proving popular so far, with 98% of its 3,000+Steam reviews opting for a positive rating. It can be difficult to sift through the current wealth of farming sim games to find one that’s truly worth checking out, but at a modest early access price of $13.99 (incidentally undercutting theStardew ValleyMSRP by one dollar),Fields of Mistriashould probably shoot to the top of any wishlist. Truly greatStardew Valleyalternatives can be hard to find, butFields of Mistriajust might be the first perfect choice in a while.
