A new Steam game is essentially a horror-themed take on a Stardew Valley-style game, and it has earned high review scores from critics. Stardew Valley is easily one of the most popular games that has ever released on Steam, and so it’s no surprise that many other developers have taken direct inspiration from it. Steam is flooded with Stardew Valley-like games, which is good news for anyone that enjoys the kind of life/farming sim cozy vibes that ConcernedApe’s classic embodies.
Back in September, a new Stardew Valley-like game hit the market in the form of Welcome to Elderfield. What makes Welcome to Elderfield stand out when compared to other Stardew Valley-style games is its turn-based combat and horror themes. It’s a risky experiment that has paid off handsomely, as Welcome to Elderfield has earned strong reviews from fans and critics alike, making it a safe bet for anyone that is looking for a fresh Stardew Valley-like experience.
Welcome to Elderfield is a Creepy Stardew Valley-Like With a Horror Theme
Since its release, Welcome to Elderfield has earned a “Very Positive” overall rating on Steam, and it’s also earned high marks on review aggregate site Metacritic. At the time of this writing, Welcome to Elderfield has an 8.7/10 critic rating on the platform and an 8.6/10 user rating, comfortably establishing it as one of the highest-rated new game releases of the year. Needless to say, if you are someone that loves Stardew Valley and is wanting another high-quality experience that’s similar, Welcome to Elderfield should definitely be on your radar.
Welcome to Elderfield has features that should be familiar to Stardew Valley fans. It functions as a life sim, with players able to interact with the locals and even romance them like they can in Stardew Valley. Welcome to Elderfield has farming like Stardew Valley, as well as fishing, cooking, house customization, and more. The graphics look like a Halloween-infused take on Stardew Valley and are equal parts charming and creepy.
Welcome to Elderfield‘s turn-based combat system is how it truly separates itself from Stardew Valley. Whereas Stardew Valley uses a simple hack-and-slash system when players venture into the mines, Welcome to Elderfield features deeper, more intense turn-based battles against all kinds of horrific monstrosities. This may make the game more appealing to those that enjoy more typical RPGs, but anyone that wants to keep the focus on the farming and life sim elements can adjust the difficulty so the fighting doesn’t get in the way of the rest of the game.
Welcome to Elderfield isn’t the only game that has decided to inject horror into the Stardew Valley formula. Grave Seasons is another horror-themed Stardew Valley-like, but whereas Elderfield is all about cosmic horrors, Grave Seasons is a bit more grounded. When Grave Seasons releases next year, it will give fans the chance to experience a Stardew Valley-style game where one of the local townspeople is secretly a serial killer. Both games offer unique takes and should prove to be solid additions to the growing list of games inspired by Stardew Valley.
- Developer(s)
-
Chris Cote
- Publisher(s)
-
Ill-Advised Games
- Engine
-
RPGMaker
