Stardew Valley’s Pelican Town is as deep as it is iconic, as it’s full of hidden lore involving fictional wars and NPCs with deep stories and character mechanics to uncover. Because of this thought-out setting, many cozy gamers likely see a memorable environment to live in as being integral to an appealing cozy game like Stardew Valley. Nailing the day-to-day farming mechanics and charming pixel visuals are just pieces of the puzzle, after all, with world design and the characters within that world arguably being the biggest reason that developer ConcernedApe’s game took off like it did. Fortunately for Steam users, the upcoming game Daomei Village seems to nail this hugely important element.
To be clear, Daomei Village’s setting isn’t colorful and immediately comfortable like Pelican Town is; it’s deliberately less welcoming, at least early on, as it’s home to a society of criminals who have wronged the Emperor. Players are given a small piece of land and tasked with rebuilding the area by their leader, and if they fail, they’ll be banished completely. While this bit of pressure forces players to make sure their farm is always producing money, the act of caring for that farm, interacting with NPCs, and adventuring through combat-filled mines will be hugely reminiscent of Stardew Valley. With Feasts being a spin on Festivals, and tons of mythology to take in, Daomei Village seems like a no-brainer for cozy gamers seeking to fill out their Steam wishlists when it releases in Q4 2026.
- RESTORE the titular village to its original splendor, starting with the bare minimum and working up to a massive farm.
- MANAGE a range of animals, crop automation technology, and seasonal changes.
- EMBARK on expeditions into hostile territory and mines, battling bats and slimes while getting raw materials, seeds, and blueprints for new technology.
- MEET fellow criminals in Daomei Village and uncover their stories.
- FEAST with your NPC friends and LEARN about folklore and previous dynasties.
You have been banished to Daomei Village for your offense. In order to return to the Emperor’s favor, you must make an effort. Repair, build, cultivate fields, and fight various adversities. Meet new friends and learn their stories. Do whatever it takes not to be banished forever!
Daomei Village’s Core Mechanics are Very Stardew-Like…
In Daomei Village, cozy gamers will take control of a criminal who the Emperor has given a second chance to. Instead of locking up the player or immediately banishing them, they’ll be given an opportunity to help restore the aforementioned village and make it a thriving community once again. Obviously, this redemption won’t come easy, as they’ll be given the bare minimum to start: a handful of simple tools, 100 yuan currency, a handful of rice seeds, and a bit of tea. Still, if players tend to these early items carefully, they’ll be able to slowly make some money just like Stardew Valley.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
With this money, players will be able to decorate their farm with fields, buildings, and detailed surroundings, acquire some new fruits and vegetables to plant, or begin raising animals, as expected in all farming simulation games. Each type of animal will require its own space to properly produce resources, though managing them could be easier once automation technology is put in place for crops. Getting access to that technology, however, will take a bit of doing.
After the player’s farm has grown successful enough, the emperor will trust them to enter enemy land occupied by the imperial army. Here, they’ll raid mines for resources, tools, seeds, and new technology, keeping whatever they leave with. However, they’ll have to fight for this loot, with hostile bats and slimes shown in early footage. If they get out alive, they’ll have a ton of new materials to work with to create a more interesting and profitable Village. How quickly this Village grows is up to the player, as they’re in charge of its development.
…But a Reformed Criminal Concept and Mythology Set It Apart
When not farming, prettying up the village, or adventuring for new items, players can interact with the NPCs of Daomei Village. Much like with Stardew Valley’s characters, players will complete tasks for these NPCs to gain their trust and learn their stories. However, unlike the Stardew Valley cast’s diverse backgrounds, every single person living in Daomei Village has something in common: everyone is a criminal. Whether these crimes are too much to deal with is up to the player, but learning about them should be intriguing. Players will also uncover lore about previous dynasties that lived in the area, study mythology and demonology, and hold celebrations for characters they’ve come close to. Feasts will take place for special events on the Chinese Calendar, as well as for characters’ birthdays.
In addition to a setting that fully embraces Chinese culture and a bold premise that produces more flawed NPCs, Daomei Village stands out by having a fail state. While the title is still definitely a cozy game, it can only be that way if players keep their taxes in mind. As part of their punishment, they’ll have to make consistent tributes to the Emperor, delivering whenever the tax collector makes a visit to their home. If they fail to do so, having spent all their money on luxuries as opposed to setting some aside for their mandatory donation, they’ll get a permanently banished message and be forced to start from scratch. So long as players remember that their character is in debt to the emperor, though, Daomei Village should be a relaxing game with interesting lore and characters, scratching the exact same itch that Stardew Valley does.
