Xbox Game Pass Adds Brand-New Cozy Game That is Like a 3D Version of Stardew Valley

Xbox Game Pass has just added Starsand Island to its ever-growing library. Announced in May 2024, Starsand Island is a 3D life sim that shares a wealth of gameplay features with fellow Xbox Game Pass title Stardew Valley.

Generally speaking, Xbox Game Pass has had a strong start to the year. January saw both heavy hitters and indie gems come to Xbox Game Pass, including the likes of Star Wars Outlaws, Resident Evil Village, MIO: Memories in Orbit, Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. February picked up the torch with gusto, adding Indika, Final Fantasy 2, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and Madden NFL 26 to Game Pass.

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Starsand Island Launches on Xbox Game Pass Today

That Xbox Game Pass hot streak continues today with Starsand Island. Originally stated by Xbox to be a February 12 release, Starsand Island has arrived on Xbox Game Pass a day early for those in the US. Those subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will be able to play Starsand Island across Xbox Series X/S and PC. While PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 ports are planned for later this year, the game will be an Xbox console exclusive for now.

Being developed by Seed Sparkle Lab, Starsand Island will see players trading in the hustle and bustle of city-living for a much more peaceful life on the titular tropical island. In typical Stardew Valley-like fashion, the core gameplay loop of Starsand Island revolves around a farm that the player must maintain. Along with growing vegetables and caring for animals, players will be able to customize their countryside villa to their liking, and decorate the surrounding area. Also, much like Stardew Valley, Starsand Island features a deep social system that will see players interacting with the island’s many inhabitants on a daily basis, fulfilling quests and growing their relationships.

One of Starsand Island‘s more unique features is its range of traversal methods. Players will be able to skateboard around the island freely, sail along its shores and visit nearby islands, and use a scooter to dash through certain environments. Starsand Island also features light combat, where players can explore the depths of the island to fight monsters, find ancient ruins, and recover valuable treasures.

One major thing to note, however, is that Starsand Island‘s Xbox Game Pass launch is not the game’s full 1.0 release. Instead, Starsand Island is entering early access on February 11 on both Xbox and PC. While this early access version of Starsand Island “already offers a solid single-player experience,” according to its official Steam EA description, its developers plan on keeping the game in early access for at least four months in order to properly implement player feedback and potentially add new features like multiplayer.

Given that the game has just released, only a handful of official reviews for Starsand Island have been published so far. Currently, OpenCritic lists three Starsand Island reviews, all of which have given the game an 8 out of 10. Screen Hype’s Lyssa Greywood writes that Starsand Island “was made for cosy gamers who want something familiar but softer,” while Loot Level Chill’s Kieran Singh says “despite its early access status, Starsand Island is packed with all the life sim goodness you’d expect.” Based on the few reviews published so far, it seems as though Starsand Island is yet another great Stardew Valley-like with a strong central loop and a captivating atmosphere. Those without Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass will be able to purchase Starsand Island on Xbox Series X/S and PC for $39.99, or $59.99 for the Deluxe Edition.