If You Liked Stardew Valley, You'll Love This New Cozy Game

is 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 the series of games (now known as ), but delivered 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 often one brings a uniquely strong experience to the table.

The newest farming/life sim hit,, 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. 's top-down pixel art style might immediately bring to mind for many modern players, but it's clear that this is one case where the game's inspirations stretch deeper.

An inquisitive Stardew Valley player shares an exciting fishing discovery that's managed to elude the entire community for over five years.

When viewing its Steam page, the first thing that tends to jump out about is the unique color palette that distinguishes it from games like isn'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 of than most farming sims.

Snacko is a delightful farming sim where players take the form of a cute kitten looking to revitalize a mysterious island full of hidden depths.

also 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, as places a big focus on the romance side of the life sim equation. Out of over