If you fancy yourself a digital farmer who has already sunk hundreds of hours into Stardew Valley but are looking for something different, here are seven other games that should scratch your itch for growing crops, making friends, and otherwise just being absorbed in a wholesome world.
My Time at Portia
While it may not feel quite as polished as Stardew Valley, don’t be deceived. My Time at Portia has as much (if not more) content that’s just waiting to be unearthed. Every menial (yet somehow fun) task can be found in the titular Portia, as you’re tasked with creating a life amongst the incredibly friendly characters. Kill time by heading out on a fishing expedition or simply work on building up your farm to grander and grander heights.
The main difference between Stardew and Portia is that the latter’s progression hooks feel a lot more central to the overall experience. Every upgrade leads to a bigger and better version of what you’re improving, meaning you always have something to work towards. But, if you don’t feel like grinding out crafting recipes, then just hang out and enjoy chatting with friendly locals!
Disney Dreamlight Valley
If you play Stardew Valley for the digital friendships rather than the daily grind of watering your vegetables and fishing in whatever lake you come across, then Disney Dreamlight Valley is for you. While you can certainly engage in farming and fishing in the valley, every quest and objective is tied to a recognizable character who more than anything just wants to be your best friend. Like, I get it, Goofy. You’re fun and all but sometimes I need some space…
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The other major upside to Dreamlight Valley is that developer Gameloft has spent an impressive amount of time adding to the game with free updates. Ahead of its 1.0 launch, the studio has confirmed that it’s planning on releasing plenty of paid expansions so players can journey into whatever Disney land they desire. I’ll just be here waiting for the Kingdom Hearts crossover.
Story of Seasons/Harvest Moon
I’m combining these two franchises because, technically, they’re the same franchise that split into two separate entities following disputes over the titles. Having said that, you won’t get much better than the progenitor of the entire farming RPG genre! Harvest Moon kicked it all off back on the SNES and while the series hasn’t always produced the best games, it’s certainly picked up in recent years. 2023’s Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos is arguably the best game in the whole series!
As for Story of Seasons, while the name may not have the reverence of its older sibling, it still manages to be an excellent collection of farming games. In particular, Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town stands out as having an adorable aesthetic coupled with surprisingly deep mechanical systems. Whichever franchise you choose to side with, you won’t be disappointed.
Graveyard Keeper
The title of this one doesn’t exactly scream “wholesome,” but Graveyard Keeper will certainly appeal to Stardew Valley fans who enjoy a bit of dark comedy with their idyllic farm life. Considering most of your clients are dead, this isn’t a game focused on developing relationships with a group of easy-going villagers but rather about setting up the best graveyard you possibly can. Earning gold by completing jobs and quests allows for a staggering amount of expansion, facilitating even more of your grim work!
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While some may believe that Graveyard Keeper is more of a management game than a tangential farming RPG, it does enough to cement itself amongst its competitors. The best part is that developer Lazy Bear Games has supported it with several major expansions that add more story, mechanics, and crafting options. You’d think burying corpses would be depressing work, but this is anything but!
Dinkum
If you’ve found yourself playing Stardew Valley and thinking, “This would be so much better if it were set in the Australian Outback,” then firstly, that’s a weirdly specific thought and secondly, someone beat you to it! Dinkum has all the wholesome farming energy you could desire except you’re not running around a beautiful forest in an unspecified location in the United States of America. Instead, as you likely guessed, you’re making your way through Australia!
All the hallmarks of the farming RPG genre are here including managing your crops, taking care of the livestock you’ve chosen to cultivate, and continuously growing your operation to fuel bigger purchases. Oh, and Dinkum has a great bug-catching system, which is always a great way to kill some time if you’re bored of sitting around waiting for the fish to bite.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
While Animal Crossing: New Horizons established itself as the pinnacle of cozy gaming upon its release, it’s a lot deeper than many onlookers may expect. Given the number of customization options available, Nintendo has crafted a game that rewards players for really sinking their teeth into the mechanics and investing time into the world.
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I admit that the farming aspects of Animal Crossing are fairly light in comparison to something like Stardew Valley, but its emphasis on creating bonds and friendships with an adorable cast of characters is certainly enough to warrant the comparison. It can take some time to really get into, but once you’ve come to terms with its real-time systems, there’s no looking back.
Little Witch in the Woods
Stardew Valley may already have ample amounts of magic underneath all that soil, but Little Witch in the Woods takes that idea even further. Farming may not be your primary concern as a young witch in training, yet you’ll be spending plenty of time gathering resources and materials to brew potions and make friends with the characters living within the woods.
It may still be in early access, but there’s easily enough content in Little Witch in the Woods to keep players satisfied for hours. It’s still receiving frequent content updates and patches that introduce new elements to the core gameplay loop as well as new areas and characters. It’s also on Xbox and PC Game Pass, making it even more accessible!
