Mirthwood spins Stardew Valley into a medieval life sim RPG with more war, a hint of Fable, and "a fully simulated, breathing world"

Mirthwood has just released, offering players a stunning blend of farming sim mechanics like those found in Stardew Valley and elements plucked straight out of fantastical medieval RPG experiences like Fable.

Whether you're a longtime Fable fan or a hardened Stardew Valley stan, you may find a thing or two to love within Mirthwood. Standing as Bad Ridge Games' debut title, this little indie gem is a unique RPG set in the Middle Ages - albeit with a bit of farming or life sim flair in for good measure. Players can choose to lead a more relaxing medieval life marked by trade and farming, or take up arms as an adventurer.

While managing your own homestead, you'll be in charge of building your farm up, planting and harvesting crops, rearing animals, and upgrading any necessary facilities to craft items or gear - much like in Stardew Valley and other cozy farming sims. There's a lot to do outside of the farm, too, with an open "fully simulated, breathing world" as the game's trailer describes it featuring six unique regions and three towns to explore.

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The visuals are also stunning, hand-drawn for an undeniably enchanting storybook feel. It's not all relaxing, wholesome vibes out in the vast open world, however - you'll need to survive diseases, storms, and brutal winter seasons all while fighting off a variety of enemies, from bandits to werewolves. Combat is what you make of it, as you can choose to specialize in different classes to suit your own personal tastes.

There's plenty of socializing to be done as well when you're not farming or fighting. Bad Ridge Games describes socialization in Mirthwood as a "Sims-style" system, where you can grow a relationship with any NPC and discuss everything from gossip to romance. Honestly, I can't wait to hop into the game myself as a fan of The Sims 4, and it's currently 10% off on Steam in celebration of its release.

Here are some of the other most exciting new games this year and beyond to keep an eye on.