Sometimes with farming sims, you're either all about making money or making your own fun. They're often very open-ended, with few goals beyond figuring out how to buy the upgrade, another cow, or more seeds. But with Everdream Valley, there's always a quest to tick off, all with the aim of telling a fun little story or adding something new to your farm.
Well, I say your farm but actually, you're just a little kid who's been unceremoniously dumped on their grandparents for the summer. What your mom might remember as a thriving, working farm is now pretty run down and all the animals have escaped. Your poor grandparents have seemingly been in quite bad health recently, leaving the farm to become a bit of a wilderness. Not that your mom seems too bothered though as she disappears into the sunset…
Handily though, despite your initial protestations, you're not too bothered by the idea of spending your entire summer fixing up the old place. I, personally, am thrilled by the idea. Immediately there's the fixing of fences and wrangling of roaming chickens to be done, and lots and lots to learn.
Of course, it's not dissimilar to the scenario most farming sims start with, but the difference here is that your grandparents are here to help - and reap the benefits. Cue wholesome conversations with Grandpa and Grandma about how to raise chickens, cook scrambled eggs, and bring bees safely to a new hive. Think Grandpa giving you a daily knapsack full of items that could come in useful like food and resources, rather than constantly having to think about the grind.
What's money anyway?
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That's a lovely touch with Everdream Valley, you really don't have to worry about much. There's a discovery element in how to get specific items, but if you wander around enough or just continue to progress through the story, the game usually gives you everything you need. Or at least a clear way to get them.
Take nails for example, a seemingly crucial element to repairing the bridges needed to access new areas of the map - which is absolutely massive by the way. Your first nails Grandpa will give you, and then more will just be provided as part of the narrative before you're given an objective that requires crossing said bridges.
This allows you to appreciate the brilliant silliness of the game without worrying about how to get more cash. You can earn money by selling produce, but it's mainly used to buy new clothing or as a shortcut to more animals - which are unlocked through the main story in healthy increments.
But there's also a playfulness to the game that sets Everdream Valley apart. I've just added pigs to my farm, for example, which required rescuing them from the ruins where they were being tormented by mean geese. Having run away from many of them in my time with Everdream Valley, I really felt their pain. These geese have serious attitudes, in a way that would make Untitled Goose Game proud.
Dreaming of analog sheep
That playfulness extends to the daily chores of farm life, too. Shearing involves a mini-game where you're madly spinning your animal about to see how fast you can whip the clippers around a sheep or alpaca. Meanwhile, you'll have to figure out the best ebb and flow to turn logs into wooden boards with the tree saw. Let's not even talk about the udder manipulation required for milking, as I fear writing it down would err on the side of pornographic.
But that's all before even mentioning the 'dream' element of Everdream Valley. Amongst the chats with grandparents and the odd little traveling salesman, you'll also get quests through dreams. Specifically dreams where you converse with and subsequently become one of the animals on your farm. Some of these might just be little story beats that make our hero question their sanity, where in the morning you've got a new location to check out, but others are mini-games that are brilliant fun. One night saw me taking on the role of the farm dog, keeping wolves from stealing the sheep, whereas another saw me becoming a mother duck gathering up her unruly young.
Everdream Valley is an adorable new farming sim, with some lovely unique aspects. It's the perfect cute tonic for an evening after a long day of work, and I can't wait to see what other silliness is in store with this one.
Everdream Valley is out now on PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Coming to Nintendo Switch on June 23, 2023. For more recommendations, head on over to our Indie Spotlight series, or keep track of future releases with our roundup of upcoming indie games.
