There's something off about this Stardew Valley-like, and I think it's something to do with all the cosmic horror

Harvest Island
(Image credit: Yobob)

If Stardew Valley is getting a little too cozy for you, why not try out this spooky alternative? 

Harvest Island is already known as the "spooky Stardew Valley," and for good reason. The horror farming sim will have you doing all the things you like to do in ConcernedApe's game - like fishing, planting crops, befriending animals, etc - while also uncovering how you ended up on a remote island and what dark secret your father is hiding.

Playing as Will, who is joined by his sister Samantha, players will explore haunting locations and encounter "ever-changing landscapes" that "evolve over the course of the game" - which considering the context doesn't sound creepy at all. The pair will also need to use hand-crafted tools and items they've found on the island to earn the in-game currency Bless to expand their farm and please the Gods, who will require offerings throughout the game. 

From the outside Harvest Island looks like your standard farming sim, thanks to its cozy art style and life sim gameplay. There's definitely something off about it the more you look into it, though, making it the perfect game to play this spooky season. I couldn't even tell you what it is about this game that makes me feel on edge, it just does. Maybe it's the fact that the game has "horror-realistic sounds"? or maybe it's because the trailer above is full of animal carcasses, who can say?

If you want to give this mysterious game a try yourself, the good news is that Harvest Island is available to play now on PC via Steam. You can also try out its free demo if you're not quite ready to commit to the island just yet. 

We have a load of other suggestions in our games like Stardew Valley and best horror games lists. 

Hope Bellingham
News Writer

After studying Film Studies and Creative Writing at university, I was lucky enough to land a job as an intern at Player Two PR where I helped to release a number of indie titles. I then got even luckier when I became a Trainee News Writer at 12DOVE before being promoted to a fully-fledged News Writer after a year and a half of training.  My expertise lies in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, cozy indies, and The Last of Us, but especially in the Kingdom Hearts series. I'm also known to write about the odd Korean drama for the Entertainment team every now and then.