My ever-increasing number of farm life simulators each week prompts me to look on with judgment as I return to my eerily silent husband in Stardew Valley. However, this list of Stardew likes is getting harder and harder to ignore. I’m really looking forward to it Grave seasons (aka Stardew meets Murder Mystery). I was looking forward to it Pacha roots (aka Stardew meets the Stone Age) before its publishers run into trouble. And now I’m incredibly excited about Mirthwood (aka Stardew meets Fable). Watch the announcement trailer below:
Myrthwood puts you in the shoes of a wartime refugee fleeing to magical lands across the sea. You will then arrange your homestead, plant crops, take care of your animals, and then trade with nearby townspeople. You know, all that Stardew stuff.
The twist of the fable is combined with social (or anti-social) elements. When meeting other traveling world dwellers, you can go the friendly new kid at school route and choose to befriend people, or you can channel your inner demon and spam insults at every passerby. Each of the NPCs in Fable had their own weird preferences and reacted to you accordingly: some wanted gifts and lavish flattery, others would fall in love the moment they smelled your fart. It’s still unclear how the social elements work in Mirthwood, but I’m hoping they lean toward this childish fantasy. Either way, more social interactions will open up throughout the game, and communication can also unlock a few side quests.
Plus, you’ll slaughter mythical creatures in real-time combat, explore better loot, and level up with specialized character classes. There’s also a bit of survival involved, as you have to fight disease and the weather. Myrthwood pulls inspiration from all over the place, which can lead to some messy results, but hopefully the game will really stand out with its reactive social elements (aka allowing me to childishly gossip, romanticize, and mock strangers without consequence).
Mirthwood plans to release on PC in early 2024. You can add it to your wishlist now on Steam.