Games can be intense. We have no shortage of fantasy RPGs and high-stakes racing games at our fingertips. And when we’re all done vanquishing enemies and winning first place, there are plenty of games to help us relax. For example, think of Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley. Both games offer a unique, relaxing experience. Animal Crossing is mostly a social simulator, filled with various activities and characters to chat with. Stardew Valley has more of a narrative focus and centers on the player character’s farm. Both games are great, but you can’t play them simultaneously unless you’re an excellent multitasker. What if you could have the best of both worlds? Now, maybe you can. Today, indie developer Family Devs and publisher Toplitz Productions released Harvest Days, a farming simulator game that draws inspiration from those titles. It’s now in Early Access on Steam.
How much does Harvest Days borrow from other farming simulator games?
The inspiration for Harvest Days is immediately apparent in today’s press release. Firstly, the press release openly acknowledges it by calling the game a “Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing inspired farming sim.” Secondly, the premise of Harvest Days sounds more than a little familiar.
Like the farm in Stardew Valley, it sounds like the farm in Harvest Days needs some TLC. And several of those activities are available in either Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing. The similarities aren’t necessarily bad. Some very successful franchises focus on a similar core gameplay concept (in this case, farming), with some key differences in each series (e.g., Story of Seasons and Farming Simulator). That said, such titles also benefit from years of exposure. Does Harvest Days have enough fresh ideas to help it stand out from the crowd? That remains to be seen. If you’re keen to give Harvest Days a try, you can find the game in Early Access on Steam.
