As one of the biggest names in cozy gaming,Stardew Valleyis naturally prone to having games that look and feel similar to it, with many treading the line between paying homage toStardew Valleyor simply trying to get a slice of the pie. Often, these games are poor contenders and, though they may receive some brief attention, they can’t stand up against the beloved familiarity ofStardew Valley. One recent title seems to be an exception, though, and it’s quickly gaining in popularity before it even sees its full release.
Stardew Valleyisone of the highest-rated games on Steam, but even with a plethora of mods, the familiar story may be starting to feel a bit stale after nine years. There are plenty of other farming sim experiences on the market, but one early access title has started getting noticed by many big streamers and players recently, and isearning a reputation as possibly being one of the best cozy gamesof recent years.
Fields Of Mistria Could Be Even Better Than Stardew Valley
Where Else Can You Romance A Dragon?
Fields of Mistriais the first game put out by a small dev team called NPC Studio, and has already earnedPatchmagazine’s “Game of the Year” Award for 2024 and Twitch’s “2024 Wholesome Game of the Year”. OnSteam,the game has a review score of 97% “Overwhelmingly Positive"and several cozy streamers have added the game to their rotations. And it hasn’t even finished development yet.
I was doubtful any game could topStardew Valleyfor me, butFields of Mistriaquickly changed my opinion.
The early access title combines magic, romance, and adventure into a beautiful and idyllic farming sim with a surprisingly involved storyline. While it shares similarities in its pixelated art style and basic farming sim mechanics,this isn’t just aStardew Valleyclone.
I recently began playingFields of Mistriaafter hearing many in the cozy communitytalking about the third major update to the game, and I instantly became hooked. The charming animals, relaxing gameplay (even thefishing mechanics are more intuitive), and the immersiveness of the experience drew me in and made me want to keep playing. I laughed with glee after discovering that on Friday nights many of the NPCs playDungeons & Dragonstogether.
Third Major Update Adds More Romance And Dating To The Game
Romance And Best Friend Relationships Are Even Better
Even better is the fact thatFields of Mistria’searly access statusisn’t a sign that the game is barely functional, as can sometimes be the case. While I playedFields of Mistria, I forgot about it still being in early access, but a recent major update to the game shows there is still much being added. Besides quality of life updates,this massive patch added a new Dating mechanic and 8 Heart Events for characters, including the choice to move forward as either “Best Friends” or “Dating”.
The game mechanics are similar enough toStardew Valleythat it is likely that anyone who likes one will like the other. The novelty and continued development ofFields of Mistriamakes it one to take note of, especially with the ability to use a strawberry cow as your mount if you want. Rebuilding the community of Mistria after a devastating earthquake can easily be one of the coziest experiences available today, and yes - you can even romance a dragon inFields of Mistria.
