Perhaps the most well-known farming simulator game is Stardew Valley. With wholesome storylines, quirky characters and enticing gameplay, players seem to always find their way back to planting seeds and romancing NPCs. Many games have attempted to capture the explosive success of the indie game, but one of the best and most fun by far has to be Harvest Town.
Unlike Stardew Valley, Harvest Town is a free-to-play option Harvest Town keeps a lot of the same mechanics that are the most fun in Stardew Valley like farming different kinds of crops, expanding relations with townsfolk and personalizing your farm to fit your aesthetics.
Harvest Town starts off with an elderly protagonist who is in the city and wishes they were back on the farm they grew up in. After a mysterious and nostalgic sip of milk from their hometown, the protag is whisked back in time to the day they were set to leave the quaint farm and head towards the big city. But due to old age, they require the help of family and the neighboring villagers.
The tutorial for the game helps the player to get a feel for all the mechanics in the game by providing short quests to perform around town. This teaches players how to upgrade tools and buildings on their farm as well as how to clean up the farm space as it unlocks with the player’s level. This allows for an upward mobility of more room to grow crops and place buildings like chicken houses.
There are events that occur along with the changing seasons, giving players the chance to win decorations and outfits that are available during those limited durations. Such as the Fireworks festival that occurs in Summer, and Christmas and Halloween decorations becoming available in fall.
With a cute pixel design as well as an automatic run cycle that allows for players to wait as their character moves around the map, Harvest Town is a perfect game for those who wish for similar games to Stardew Valley. If you’d like new characters to interact with, different crops to grow or a new map to explore, this is the game for you.
Jordan is a student studying Digital and Print Journalism at the University of North Texas. After discovering how much fun gaming journalism can be, she hopes to make a career in it once she graduates. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys playing games such as Genshin Impact, Ace Attorney, and Fire Emblem or watching Murder, She Wrote late at night on weekdays.
