Fans of idyllic, cozy life simulators have long been fans of the farming simulation gameStardew Valley. Its retro art style, immersive world, and never-ending story are beloved by gamers of all ages, and a resurgence of the farming and life simulator genres can be partly attributed to its success. This resurgence means that fans ofStardew Valleyoften have new games to be excited about that use similar styles and formatting.
Players inStardew Valleyget to farm, fish, socialize, explore, and much more, and while there is a magical element in the game, it’s mainly centered around simulating farm life. Fans of more fantasy-orientedgames likePokemonor theZeldafranchise may be looking for a cozy life simulator with more magic. The upcoming gameMoonstone Islandcombines elements ofPokemon, retro Zelda, andStardew Valleyto create an adorable, magical experience.
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What is Moonstone Island?
Developed by Studio Supersoft and published by Raw Fury Games,the publisher behindCall of the SeaandBackbone,Moonstone Islandfeatures a retro, top-down art style reminiscent of old-schoolLegend of Zeldagames. It was unveiled during MIX Next in 2022 and features an adorable white-haired protagonist wearing a blue pointed cap, not unlike Link’s iconic green hero outfit. Promotional art also invokes the imagery of Studio Ghibli with beautiful scenery, quaint towns, and interesting flying machines.
Moonstone Islandis described as an open-world deck builder RPG. UnlikeStardew Valleywhich keeps players mostly withinthe main area of Pelican Townwith the exception of a few external areas,Moonstone Islandwill have more than 120 islands that players can explore. These islands will serve to provide resources and benefits to the main hub world ofMoonstone Island, which is struggling, and players will venture out to attempt to bring prosperity back to their homes.
In the adventures players embark on inMoonstone Island, they’ll be able to tame nature spirits. These nature spirits can be seen in promotional images and trailers and resemble everything from newts to coffee mugs to lamps. Not only do these adorable spirit creatures follow players around, but they also participate in battles against enemy spirits, just likePokemon. The combination of the retro, pixelated art style and these creature battles will likely scratch a nostalgic itch for fans ofGame BoyPokemongames.
UnlikePokemongames,Moonstone Island’s battles are card-based, meaning that players will need to build their decks up by collecting cards in the world as they adventure. The deck-building and combat system isreminiscent ofSlay the Spire, which combines roguelike and deck-builder elements in a fantasy setting. Beyond exploring, collecting, and engaging in combats, players will also be able to return toMoonstone Islandand tend to a farm, socialize with NPCs in the community, and build up the town around them.
WithStardew Valleybeing nearly a decade old, it’s not surprising that many fans of the game and genre have turned to otherfarming simulator games.Moonstone Islandisn’t out yet but is set to release in 2023, and it will not only appeal to fans of farming games, but RPG and deck builder fans as well. Gamers looking to satisfy a craving for card battlers, retroPokemongames, or old-school RPGs likeLegend of Zeldashould definitely keep an eye onMoonstone Islandand check it out upon release.
