7 Games Like ‘Stardew Valley’ That Are Worth Playing
In the pantheon of indie video games, 2016’s Stardew Valley holds a place of honor. Designed, developed, programmed, and even written by one person, under the online handle ConcernedApe, the game is, at its core, a farming simulator, but it goes far beyond Farmville . Players can grow and harvest crops, yes. But they can also fish, mine ore, defend their farms from the monsters that roam the countryside, use the profits from their farms to upgrade tools and homes, and visit nearby towns to interact with the locals—and maybe even find love. It’s a game that can be played almost forever: There are no specific goals, and just when you think you’ve accomplished everything, ConcernedApe will release an update with new features.
But for now, ConcernedApe has promised to hold off on new expansions while he focuses on finishing his next game, Haunted Chocolatier . If you’re looking for something new after that, here are seven other games that share similar characteristics: addictive gameplay, resource management elements, mechanics like fishing or crafting, and a light RPG element.
The Bear and Breakfast
IGN User Rating: 7.5
While it’s heavier on resource management than Stardew Valley, it’s hard to resist the charm of Bear and Breakfast , which casts you as Hank, a brown bear who decides to open a cozy bed and breakfast for the people who inhabit his valley. You’ll spend your time renovating the run-down building and furnishing the rooms, booking guests, and scavenging for the supplies you’ll need to keep them fed and happy. It’s less of an open-ended sandbox than Stardew — you don’t have as much freedom to choose how to build your B&B empire — but the graphics are cartoonishly charming, and there’s plenty of silly humor to keep you playing.
Platforms: PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Steam
Fields of Mystria
IGN User Rating: 9
Although still in early beta at the moment, Fields of Mistria is a promising contender for Stardew Valley’s cozy gaming crown. The setting is the titular city of Mystria, recently devastated by an earthquake and in dire need of rebuilding. Don’t worry, though, the townspeople aren’t letting a little thing like a natural disaster get them down: They’re still tending their gardens, running their businesses, and scavenging for ingredients to make delicious meals. You play as a newcomer to the area who inherits a tiny house on an abandoned patch of land, and it’s up to you to clear the land and build a life, all while helping the Mystrian community rebuild along the way. The raster graphics and friendly atmosphere are very reminiscent of Stardew Valley , but the supporting cast of cute NPCs sets it apart.
Platforms: Steam
Coral island
IGN User Rating: 8.2
Coral Island eschews Stardew Valley’s retro style in favor of a more polished visual aesthetic, but the gameplay is the usual mix of farming, harvesting, fishing, crafting, cooking, and relationship-building, with some interesting twists like raising animals and diving to explore the depths of the sea. Your goal is to build your own farm, helping your neighbors rebuild the island, and defend it from corporate buyers, if you like a bit of anti-capitalist messaging in the game.
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Steam
San Haven
IGN Rating: 7.9
Here’s a farming sim that’s different from the others: Sun Haven puts more emphasis on RPG elements. There’s a much greater focus on combat, and you can choose and develop your character’s skills while doing the usual farming, harvesting, and resource management. With a quirky sense of humor, a leisurely storyline, and plenty of monsters and magic, it’s a mix of Stardew Valley and Dungeons & Dragons .
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, macOS, Steam
My time in Portia
IGN Rating: 8
While the art style might be a bit questionable – the main character reminds me of Jimmy Neutron (derogatory) – it’s not a bad choice if you like the crafting aspects of Stardew Valley . You play as a spunky guy who moves into his dad’s run-down old workshop, determined to fix it up and help spruce up the surrounding town of Portia. The focus is on gathering resources to build things, with the usual cozy game trappings of dates and mini-quests like horse racing and battling local bandits. The fact that the game’s map expands as you craft items to help you access new areas will see you racking up hours of playtime.
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, macOS, Xbox, Steam
Cemetery Keeper
IGN User Rating: 7.4
A dark twist on Stardew Valley , Graveyard Keeper puts you in charge of not a farm, but, well, you guessed it. Instead of garden beds, you tend to family plots! Instead of fruit bursting out of the ground, there are zombies! It’s capitalism meets medieval graveyard as you gather resources, manage your plots, and try to attract locals with fun events like a witch-burning festival. There are graves to dig, dungeons to explore, and grieving locals to exploit. In truth, the execution (no pun intended) isn’t as good as the concept, but once you get the hang of it, it feels less like a grind and more fun and silly.
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Android, PlayStation 4, iOS, Xbox, Linux, macOS, Steam
Dave Diver
IGN Rating: 9
This 2023 Game of the Year nominee is far from a cozy farming sim, but its engaging, expansive story—as protagonist Dave, you run a sushi restaurant next to a magical pool, and must dive in a boat every day to collect seafood to serve to customers—makes great use of the familiar gameplay loop. While there are plenty of restaurant sim elements and Stardew -style task repetition, this game, ahem, delves much deeper into the story-driven RPG elements, but that doesn’t make it any less fun.
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC