If Stardew Valley’s cozy routines and character relationships were combined with Moonlighter‘s focus on running a business, the result could look something like this new life simulation game on Steam. Life sims have become increasingly popular by giving players the freedom to settle into a relaxing routine, build relationships, customize their homes, and decide how they want to spend each in-game day. Stardew Valley remains one of the biggest examples of that formula, needing little introduction for how it revolutionized the cozy game formula. Add in the management systems of Moonlighter, and this new cozy game on Steam has an interesting foundation.
Combining Stardew Valley and Moonlighter‘s gameplay could create a unique gameplay loop for fans of both cozy games and life sims, and that’s what this new life sim title on Steam is aiming to achieve.
Monsterest is a Stardew Valley Meets Moonlighter Life Sim/Management Game
All of that is the core idea behind Monsterest, a cozy pixel-art adventure about running an inn for monsters, developed and published by indie dev Sile. Each day brings new guests with different needs, requiring rooms and meals to be prepared before they are assigned a place to stay. This requires players to engage with the other systems that fans of games like Stardew Valley are familiar with; for example, players will need to chop down trees to build whatever these monsters require.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.
Outside of managing the inn, Monsterest also gives its monster guests a much bigger role in the adventure, allowing friendships to eventually turn them into companions. Those companions can then join the player for activities including fishing, hunting, and chopping wood, adding a Stardew Valley-style relationship system to the innkeeping. Monsterest also lets players give their friends new outfits and upgraded tools, making it possible to customize more than just the inn itself. The stronger those friendships become, the more useful the monsters can be outside of their guest rooms.
Overall, though, it’s the inn that becomes the center of the life sim game experience, with its success depending on how well guests are treated. Rooms can be built and decorated, furniture can be crafted and dyed, and other daily tasks await someone to do them in Monsterest. As the business improves and its Stay Rating increases, new guests begin appearing, and additional furniture recipes become available, giving the management side of the experience a steady sense of progression. There is also a world beyond the inn to explore, too, with hidden treasure chests, resources, cooking recipes, and a research system adding more reasons to venture away from the business.
Monsterest looks like it could hit a particularly appealing middle ground for fans of cozy management games. The Stardew Valley influence is obvious in its emphasis on friendships, gathering, cooking, and daily routines, while the Moonlighter side comes through in the responsibility of building and improving a business. Instead of running a shop for adventurers, Monsterest puts that management loop inside a colorful monster-filled inn (a compelling twist, if there ever were one).