One former Stardew Valley developer is setting off on their own to create an urban take on the life sim genre.
Arthur “Mr. Podunkian” Lee was once a contributor on Stardew Valley, the biggest farm-life-sim on the planet, and the developer is now putting that rare experience to use on a similar game set in a city. The currently unnamed game has the expected beautiful pixel art and expressive sprites, but some snippets make me very excited for a big potential contender in the Stardew-like space.
My girlfriend and I bought city bikes this year, which led to my decision that I absolutely needed to add a bike to my game. Will they be customizable with unusually expensive addons? Only time will tell. pic.twitter.com/nVoYZVDLvVDecember 18, 2023
Being set in the city probably means that walking isn’t the most ideal form of transport. Enter, bikes! One clip shows our character mounting a bike with an animation reminiscent of Pokémon's old-school adventures. "Will they be customizable with unusually expensive add-ons?" Lee writes on social media, "Only time will tell."
Earlier this year, I showed off how you read books you've found by taking a seat to kill time. As you level up your Reading skill, you can earn the ability to read in bed, which is useful for both early-day-enders and people who play a lot of multiplayer! pic.twitter.com/08JiZXwY5JDecember 11, 2023
Another interesting snippet mentions that you can read books, but also that you can “level up your Reading Skill.” Doing so unlocks the ability to read in bed (how powerful), but I’m more interested in what other new skills are being added to the usual farming/fishing/foraging formula.
Another fun throwback to Harvest Moon, I put together an open air hot spring that you can soak in to revitalize after a hard day's work. pic.twitter.com/e6R2y52SYVJanuary 3, 2024
Lee’s most recent update revealed an homage to the Harvest Moon series - the farming games that inspired Stardew Valley - with an "open-air hot spring that you can soak in to revitalize after a hard day's work." The ambient water and bamboo noises are oh-so relaxing, even when a stranger rudely comes to soak in the same juices.
Scrolling through Lee's Twitter feed makes it clear that his own personality and memories are being injected into this project, making the game overflow with real charm that can’t be faked with some gleeful chiptunes or bright colors. The beautiful scenery and exciting news ideas don’t hurt, though.
See what other upcoming indie games are on the horizon in 2024 and beyond.
