Fields of Mistria And The Farming Games Before It

 

Farming is hard; you have to plant seeds, water, weed, and rely on a bit of luck to keep the plants alive. It’s especially difficult when done by hand on a hot summer day. You wouldn’t think that farming games would become the kings of all cozy games. Yet, when news of another farming game spreads across the web, cozy gamers are there waiting on day one with dreams in their hearts. A professional cozy gamer will have the farm of their dreams in a week, with perfect rows of crops and a beautifully decorated home. I’ll use their posts as inspiration for my own mess of a farm. My biggest struggles come in the form of remembering what I planted and using sprinklers efficiently. With Fields of Mistria releasing, I figured, why not go down memory lane? The wide world of farming games awaits.

I purchased Harvest Moon from the Wii shop years ago, not sure what to expect. My first impressions were soured by the fact that I had to not only ask for the game but also found out that I needed to ask my parents for a Wii Classic Controller to play it. Sitting in the cool basement on a hot summer day, I fell in love with the slow pace of farm life. It was easy to watch the hours slip by as I set goals for myself. Between cultivating crops, raising animals, and exploring, I got to know the townsfolk. I became wrapped up in their stories, their lives more interesting than my own farmer’s. The story wasn’t inherently about me; it was about the people around me. I went to festivals and felt like part of the community; I even pursued a romantic interest—visual novels had prepared me for this moment. That summer, I was enthralled by farming games; they were simple, and each task I completed or crop that I harvested felt fulfilling.

Seeing how big Harvest Moon is now, with countless titles still being released, it’s funny to think that people initially thought it wouldn’t sell. A farming game with no action but still an RPG? People thought, no way. Today, it consistently sits at a 73% gamer rating. Produced by Yasuhiro Wada in 1996, Harvest Moon originally debuted on the Super Nintendo. I like to think it remains timeless. It’s the name that comes up in any conversation about farming games.

I attempted to play one of the Story of Seasons games not too long ago, Pioneers of Olive Town. I heard it wasn’t bad and it was on sale; however, the art style took me out of the cozy farming world vibe more than I expected. 3D isn’t bad, but 2D-pixel art seems to be what the best farming games are made of, and nothing proves that like Stardew Valley—Harvest Moon’s Prince.

Stardew Valley had me in a chokehold when I bought it during a Steam summer sale. I played it all summer on my computer. I came home from college and lost myself in the Valley. I cleared a year in what felt like a week and made multiple saves for all the love interests. The farmer styles were creative, and there was a lot of freedom in how you decorated your farm. The characters were unique, each having their own likes, dislikes, and stories that unfolded around you as you got to know them. They were flawed and had good and bad days, and depending on your save, you may have felt closer to different villagers during different playthroughs. Stardew Valley also introduced the concept of the mines to collect important ores like copper, iron, and more. Monsters resided in the mines, and you also had to become a fighter to keep yourself safe. I think the mines helped Stardew Valley stand out from its predecessors. They added an exciting combat element. Going to the mines is a task that will take up one in-game day for me. I always feel like I have to tackle it five floors at a time to unlock the next elevator down. The mines definitely have the ‘one more’ effect, so take snacks when you traverse them for health and extra energy. Stardew Valley came out in 2016 and was developed by a one-man studio, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone. He’s still putting out sizable updates every few years, like new maps. The story of Stardew Valley is far from over, and I need to stop starting over again every few months. I should at least finish a few years.

There are plenty more cozy farming games out there that deserve a spotlight for crafting interesting worlds and enticing stories. One that comes to mind is Coral Island. It looked very cute and fun, but I haven’t played it yet; a friend of mine said it has a good story, though. Another honorable mention is Sun Haven, which received a lot of buzz when it came out—a more magical take on the farming sim genre.

Now, for the farming game of the hour, the one on everyone’s minds, the belle of the ball: Fields of Mistria. I had no idea it was coming out until a cozy game TikTok made its way to my For You page days before its release. I am obsessed with it—just as obsessed as I am with Stardew Valley, which I didn’t think could be replicated. Fields of Mistria took notes on what was done right and what could be improved upon in previous farming titles, and they knocked it out of the park. From the '90s anime art style of the characters—very Sailor Moon—to the pastel color palette of the world and the intriguing mysteries of magic, there is so much to love about this title.

I’ve enjoyed the story of rebuilding the town after an earthquake while also reviving the magic that had long gone dormant. Slowly uncovering the mysteries of the town has been fun, especially since one of the characters is really into archaeology and gets excited about your discoveries. As of now, I haven’t reached any pivotal story moments for the characters, and nothing has evoked any emotions other than happy and bubbly. The characters are all very content with their lives in the small town of Mistria, and I haven’t uncovered any drama or darker side to this happy-go-lucky town, which could be okay or boring to some players.

My favorite features are the character customization—I’ve given my character so many outfits! Speaking of outfits, the in-game characters change their outfits with the seasons, which I love! Another big plus is the way the game handles inventory at crafting stations. All crafting stations pull from your home storage boxes. If you go into town and forget your copper to forge an axe upgrade, you no longer have to run back to your farm. The game recognizes that you have the materials, so you can still craft it. Crafting cooking recipes has been really fun. You unlock recipes after selling crops; for example, if you sell a watermelon, the store you’re supplying might say, "Oh, you have watermelon now; here is a recipe for salted watermelon."

I also like the way  Fields of Mistria made foraging feel less impactful on the town's environment. If you cut down a tree in the areas outside of your farm, it grows back quickly, so I’m not stressed about running out of resources. There is a mining mechanic, and some significant story elements come from exploring the mines. This is the first farming game where I’ve spent a lot of time in the mines. Honestly, NPC Studios has done a phenomenal job, and the game is still in early access. There’s a lot to do and a lot on the way.

When it comes to cozy games, there’s no shortage of options, especially in the farming category. If you’re looking for an easy-going experience, Fields of Mistria is ready to wrap you in a '90s anime-themed blanket. Decorate your perfect home, raise chickens, cows, and possibly more types of animals. The most important thing is to create a little farm that makes you smile. There’s magic in the air, and it’s calling you.