Why Fields of Mistria Is Your Next Cosy Gaming Obsession

Fields Of Mistria Is Officially The Best Farming Sim Since Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley cast such a large, whimsical shadow over the video game industry that we are still seeing new experiences directly inspired by it even a decade later. Now, I am abundantly aware that ConcernedApe’s goal was always to create something that could live up to the majesty of Harvest Moon, but in doing so, it redefined an entire genre and helped to introduce a new era of cosy and comforting games that are still going strong today.

There have been countless copycats or titles that take the cosy genre in completely different directions, but few have been able to live up to the perfected formula that Stardew gave us. I believe Coral Island came close: it boasted a gorgeous aesthetic and an excess of innovative mechanical ideas, but it still fell short. Then along came Fields of Mistria, a farming life sim so good that I played it for dozens of hours in early access and followed each update with feverish anticipation.

And this week saw the game deliver its 1.0 update after two years in early access as I dove back in to start a new playthrough and fall in love with this charming countryside homestead all over again. I’m nothing but a curious farmer willing to move to a new town in exchange for some free land and the opportunity to find my lifelong sweetheart, but I’m going to make the most of it. If you’re a Stardew Valley fan looking for your next obsession, look no further than this gem.

Why Fields Of Mistria Is Well Worth Your Time

Fields of Mistria begins like so many other games of this ilk. Why a new face is moving into town is briefly explained with a charming cutscene before you are asked to create your own character and meet up with a couple of main characters. Before you know it, you’ll be putting down your first seeds and taking a stroll into town to greet everyone. But what’s this? There’s a jump button, and I don’t need to refill my watering can at the nearest body of water all the time? And why is this stone dragon statue talking to me in my dreams?

As Mistria gives you a healthy dose of tutorials detailing several genre mechanics you are likely familiar with, it is laying the foundations in the background to subvert or expand upon them instantly. A vast array of quality-of-life improvements make every action feel more comprehensively rewarding.

While I will always bemoan the stamina meter that runs out way too quickly, everything you do on a chosen day feels like it’s building towards something. Whether you are speaking to your favourite villager, digging up a relic and taking it to the museum, or even crafting ingots for a future recipe, it feels like you belong in this town and have immediately become one of its many moving parts.

I love that everyone knows each other, and within the first few hours of play you’re brought into this community and encouraged to become a part of it. Arguably more so than any other game in the genre, since Mistria wants to present itself as a classic slice of life anime where every character is up to their own hijinks.

Progression in the early hours of Stardew Valley is often driven by making enough money to unlock specific buildings or upgrades, and while the same is true here, there are more layers to character interactions and the routines they take part in away from the player.

It’s adorably common to stumble upon two characters fishing together by the lake, spending their lunch at the tavern, or even working together on a task that has nothing to do with the player. You are not just chasing a potential love interest or building a specific relationship, but also watching as they bleed into one another. As I said before, it’s like a really good anime cast.

And How It Builds Upon The Brilliance Of Stardew Valley

One of my favourite social aspects so far is the town ranking system that rewards you for doing pretty much anything with renown points that build the town’s reputation and advance the main narrative. You can also achieve this by completing quests, which then result in cute letters from the townsfolk, new tools, recipes, and so on that make it feel like everyone who calls this town home truly cares about you. All of the dialogue is wonderfully written as well, going to great lengths to give each character their own distinct personality.

Every little task you complete also results in purple experience orbs, which can be used as a means to unlock new skills, abilities, and overall improvements to your farming techniques. It is expected that you’ll fall into a routine eventually, but Mistria never hesitates to introduce a new surprise or character development that reinvigorates the experience all over again. And much of this positivity comes from my time with the early access build, so who knows what I will find in the full version now that I’ve just started a fresh playthrough.

One of the things that distils the brilliance of Fields of Mistria is Friday nights at the tavern. It is suggested early on that you should drop by and take part in this universe’s Dungeons and Dragons equivalent, a cute touch considering it seemingly has both of those things in spades, judging by all the time I’ve spent in the mines.

It’s a delight to watch all the characters bicker and cheer about their virtual adventures every week while others play cards and get way too drunk around them. Each conversation is wonderfully reflective of the relationships you have spent time fostering with each towns person, whether they’re a loose acquaintance, a budding romance, or a close friend — you feel like you belong right away.

I haven’t even touched on the gorgeous art style that feels like a classic ‘90s anime come to life and how it bleeds through every aspect of the experience, but let’s just say you’ll likely be charmed in the opening moments like I was and never look back. If you’re huge into Stardew and want to jump into an all-new adventure that builds upon its brilliance in untold ways, then I can’t recommend Fields of Mistria enough.