As an avid fan of the best farming games, I'm always looking out for cozy life sims that let me carve out an idyllic existence. Naturally that means I'm desperate to play Fields of Mistria (thanks in no small part to our Features Editor's adoration for it), the anime-inspired game like Stardew Valley which left Early Access in August with the addition of marriage and kids – social sim elements that speak to my romance-loving heart. But as a console player who doesn't own a Steam Deck, a port is my only hope… The wait for that, though, is anyone's guess, with the team looking at a release on other platforms "at a future time".
Fortunately, another big farming-RPG-life-sim-hybrid has just launched on PS5 and Switch 2 after leaving its own Early Access period: Starsand Island. Not unlike Fields of Mistria, I've had Seed Sparkle Lab's cozy adventure on my radar since it was announced last year, and now that it's gotten a host of updates and its wider console launch, I've thrown myself into the pastoral world and its many cute critters. I may only be around five hours in after getting an early code from the publisher, but I'm already surprised by how much there is to do and work towards.
A crafter's life for me
You can check out what GamesRadar+'s Emma-Jane Betts made of the Early Access build here.
I'm well-versed in the classic farming life sim formula, and Starsand Island starts out as many do. Trading off corporate city life for a quieter existence in the countryside, you return to your picturesque hometown and reunite with childhood friends to start over. Where Starsand Island diverges a little, though, is the way it throws a bunch of different professions at your feet. Want to become an expert crafter who makes gadgets and gizmos for the community? How about becoming a proficient angler, farmer, explorer, or rancher who raises animals?
The beauty of it is that you work towards progressing in all of these professions at your own pace, which constantly gives me goals to work towards – with each one laying out questlines that help you advance and unlock more skills, better equipment, useful crafting features, and sometimes open up the world in different ways. Angler, for example, led me to discover I could ride out on a boat. Everything you can develop in these jobs feed into the classic mainstay features I've come to expect from the genre, from sowing seeds and helping them grow, to gathering resources with my axe or pickaxe, and doing a spot of fishing.
But with each profession having its own unlockable skill trees, connections to certain NPCs (which can go some way to helping you increase your bond with them), and routes to follow, there's a satisfying loop in chipping away at job milestones and completing tasks that give you new ways of doing things.
I've spent 13 in-game days in Starsand Island so far, and being a crafter is far and away my favorite profession. I'm used to gallivanting about on the back of a horse, but I love the way my crafty ways have led me to unlock all sorts of vehicles and means of travel. Sure, Starsand Island involves a lot of 'make or get this thing and give it to someone' – especially if you're taking on requests from the local community board – but when I can go and deliver it on the back of a skateboard? Or zip down the lane in style wearing my trusty rollerskates? Well, you best believe it's way more fun.
Better yet, I can even rent a snazzy moped, or even a sports car, and cruise around the landscape delivering watermelons, fruit pulp, and whatever else someone is after. I'm absolutely planning on saving up to purchase my own, more advanced rides. As a gearhead who loves driving in games, having vehicles really just adds to my farming experience (even if the Rancher path gives some adorable mounts).
Bonding with the locals
Truth be told, what I'm really here for is to get to know the characters. For me, the chance to develop bonds and even establish romances is at the heart of what I really love about so many farming sims out there. I love how meaningful the relationships feel in the likes of Stardew Valley or Studio Drydock's Wydle Flowers, and I'm always yearning for more experiences that let me form attachments to the locals and build up a life with them in this way.
With Starsand Island's frankly huge lineup of local residents, I could hardly wait to get to know them and see who I would invest my time and energy bonding with. The 1.0 launch is said to have expanded dating activities for 14 romanceable characters, with the likes of picnics, kite flying, and more, along with the promise of bringing to life more varied interactions. While I can't speak to changes or improvements directly since I didn't play in Early Access, I have been enjoying meeting the vast cast and increasing my affection level so far.
In the social tab, though, it does refer to these bonds as "friendships", with the last unlockable goal being that your friend moves in with you. With no marriage option in sight as of yet, or more relationship advancement beyond that, I have a feeling Starsand Island isn't going to rival its peers in the romance and relationship department, but I really hope more time with the game will prove me wrong (if only to make the wait for Fields of Mistria and its marriage update more bearable).
Even if marriage doesn't appear to be on the cards in this world, I have been impressed by the amount of variety there is when it comes to Starsand Island's professions. Not to mention the wealth of customization it offers; from letting you build and design your own home and land, to changing up your character's look with various hairstyles and outfits. My experience on PS5 so far has also been pretty stable, with no major bugs stopping me from progressing – even if load times can be a little on the slower side at times.
If you're looking for a new life sim farming RPG you can easily sink lots of time into on console, then Starsand Island fits that bill. With a host of goals to work towards, unlockables to get, and plenty of room to build and decorate your own piece of land in its cozy setting, it's certainly scratching my genre itch while I continue to hold out for Fields of Mistria.
As a long-time Stardew Valley fan, here's why I'm converting to Fields of Mistria.
