My favorite indie game of 2024, a perfect mashup of Sailor Moon and Stardew Valley, just got a massive new update adding romance – and I already know who I’m dating

Following thousands of "Overwhelmingly Positive" reviews on Steam, witchy early access farming sim Fields of Mistria is back in the limelight following a massive new update.

Considering its reputation of offering a mashup of Stardew Valley and Sailor Moon vibes, it's no wonder Fields of Mistria has already hooked me for over 100 hours – and now, I'm going back in for more. Developer NPC Studio just released the cozy sim's third major update, and it already feels bigger than anything else on its previously outlined roadmap. From dating to greenhouses, version 0.14.0 boasts various genre essentials.

The most exciting addition (if you're shamelessly thirsty for pixel-style goth girls like I am) is undeniably eight-heart events and the dating feature that accompanies them. While marriage is still in the works, players can now choose to move forward as either "Best Friends" or as "Dating" partners with romanceable NPCs of their choice – and yes, they can date multiple characters at once. Once together, in-game couples can go on weekly dates.

Romance isn't the only addition to come in 0.14.0, either. A new autumn-themed festival is in Mistria: the Harvest Festival. Players can participate in the accompanying "Queen Berry" gathering competition "to win various rewards, enjoy a delicious feast, and even ask an NPC to dance with you after the judging," as detailed in NPC Studio's patch notes on Steam, all in the leadup to the festival itself, which arrives on Fall 10th.

As announced earlier this year, greenhouses are also finally available in-game now and can be purchased Carpenter's Shop. Much like in Stardew Valley, the greenhouse allows crops to grow year-round and is customizable with furnishings. Some of the update's other highlights include another house upgrade, large and extra large storage chests, fresh Saturday Market vendors, monster variants, new skill points, and more.

Patch 0.14.0 stands as the farming sim's third major update, coming after past additions like adorable mounts to ride around on. It means we're one step closer to Fields of Mistria's full release, too – although there's quite a bit more on the way.

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