On October 27, Village in the Shade will finally arrive on PlayStation 5, bringing the spooky take on the Stardew Valley-like life simulation to consoles. The Japanese game has been available on Steam since July 2026, where it has earned an overall 90% positive rating from players. However, the game has lacked English-language support, an issue that will be resolved with its upcoming PlayStation 5 release.
What sets Village in the Shade apart from most typical cozy life sim games is its dual gameplay. During the day, the protagonist takes part in all the genre staples, including farming, foraging, mining, cooking, building, crafting, and even hunting. But at night, they are lured into a strange adventure, with every corner of the village occupied by yūrei, or ghosts inspired by Japanese folklore.
Village in the Shade Release Details and Price
Developed by Nippon Ichi Software, Village in the Shade is set to release on PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 on October 27. The price on the PS Store has yet to be confirmed, but based on the game’s current price on Steam and the Nintendo eShop, it will likely launch at $49.99 USD. Fans of cozy life sim games might also be interested to know that Nippon Ichi Software offers a limited-edition physical release of Village in the Shade for $89.99 USD, which includes the game’s Deluxe Edition along with an artbook and some other souvenirs.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.
Village in the Shade Gameplay Features
- FARM at your own pace
- EXPLORE the beautiful village during the day and meet the villagers
- CUSTOMIZE your house and decorate it
- RAISE and bond with farm animals
- DISCOVER the secrets of Kagatsu at night when the monsters come out
- DECIDE if you want a peaceful journey or a spooky one
Village in the Shade Targets Two Types of Players
The PS5 version of Village in the Shade includes everything available in the Steam edition, along with official language patches for English, French, and Spanish. Like the PC version, the PS5 release will include a Peaceful Life Mode toggle that allows players to turn Village in the Shade‘s spooky features on or off. In other words, developer Nippon Ichi Software wants to give both types of players an equal chance to enjoy the game, whether they prefer horror experiences or a peaceful anime-like farming simulation with cute, hand-drawn visuals.
The PS5 release will include a Peaceful Life Mode toggle that allows players to turn Village in the Shade’s spooky features on or off.
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Image via Nippon Ichi Software, Inc. -
Image via Nippon Ichi Software, Inc. -
Image via Nippon Ichi Software, Inc.
Village in the Shade will join the growing wave of horror-infused cozy games that have been on the rise. Recently, Moonlight Peaks, which combines cozy gameplay with a vampire-centric setting, launched to very positive user reviews. Another similar spooky life sim called Graveyard Keeper 2 also recently received positive reviews on PS5. Meanwhile, another mix of horror and life sim called Grave Seasons is set to come to PS5 soon.
It remains to be seen how Village in the Shade will be received on consoles. But if the PC reviews are any indication, the game has solid potential to become the next addictive cozy game of 2026, a year that has already seen so many excellent releases in the genre.
- Released
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February 26, 2016
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
- Developer(s)
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ConcernedApe
- Publisher(s)
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ConcernedApe
