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"Cozy MMO" is a burgeoning new genre in the indie space that I'm fully onboard with, and the latest game to spawn from it is a solarpunk-themed adventure taking Kickstarter by storm.
Loftia is a chilled-out MMO centered around farming, crafting, customizing, exploring, dressing up adorable pets, and of course, its central themes of environmental awareness and sustainability. It's clearly inspired by games like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, but with a unique look and message and, of course, tons of other players occupying the same in-game world at once.
The farming elements sound plenty meaty to keep you busy for a long while, and they're all tied into both the solarpunk aesthetic and overall message. For example, you'll be able to grow crops from your home balcony as well as within communal farms to help sustain the various shops and restaurants around Loftia. You'll also employ real-life sustainable farming techniques including hydroponics, polyculture, and more.
Narratively, your main goal in Loftia is to build a new world using environmentally conscious energy and natural resources while minimizing the carbon footprint of production and consumption. Crafting, for example, will utilize materials obtained through recycling and scavenging, and you'll be able to co-own living spaces with other players to further reduce your footprint.
You'll also be able to build hydro energy stations that harness the power of flowing rivers, SolarHex panels to draw power from the sun, and special batteries made from recycled materials.
Elsewhere, Loftia will let you decorate your home, join virtual group study sessions, explore diverse biomes, and celebrate all manner of holiday, from Earth Day to Halloween. There will even be special mini-games where you can earn exclusive wallpapers, skins, outfits, and other neat rewards.
Gameplay-wise, Loftia really does sound like what would happen if you took Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and the non-violent parts of Runescape and chucked 'em into a blender. That's why it's no surprise to me that the game has already doubled its initial $150,000 goal on Kickstarter and is quickly plowing through its stretch goals.
Loftia doesn't have a release date yet, but developer Qloud Games is working on releasing a closed beta "as soon as possible." The game is coming to PC and, with any luck, Nintendo Switch.
Palia, another self-styled cozy MMO, just launched in closed beta. Read our Palia preview to see why GR+ editor-in-chief Sam Loveridge called it "exactly what I've been looking for since diving into Stardew Valley in co-op."
