Pixelshire is a 2D farming simulator game similar to Stardew Valley being developed by Kappa Bit. It had an initial planned release date for 2024 but they released a notice stating that they are planning to move the release date to sometime this year.
Unlike Stardew valley, it is aimed at being a single player experience with a bit more focus on the narrative and a more in-depth focus on the relationships we make.The game is set to release on all platforms when it releases as per a post on their Steam page.
A Clear Inspiration From Stardew Valley
The initial expression surely speaks to the creativity and freedom Stardew Valley provided with popping colors and relaxing music as we start cutting trees, watering our crops, build barn houses to keep livestock or build silos to store food. While some may label the game as a copypaste of Stardew Valley, it is more akin to a compliment than a degrading comment as it speaks to the game’s quality already.
Now where the game differs from Stardew Valley are the new mechanics that the developers wanted to bring focus on. As a player we have the ability to landscape, for example we can start carving out river beds in the direction we want, control how wide it can be, we can also make hills or carve out valleys and truly be able to shape the land however we want.
Another standout feature is the interactions with people around your land, while in Stardew Valley we interact and try to build up friendships and get a peek into their individual lives. In Pixelshire, we ask them to tag along with us to collect resources such as wood, stone etc. This gives more of an immersive experience with other characters and highlights the narratives that involve them.
Focus On Exploration And Interaction
As mentioned before we can ask our neighbors to tag along with us to gather resources, we can then use these resources to make houses for them however we please. This gives a sense of true freedom in shaping the area however we want since we have such granular control over decisions.
Another exciting aspect is the exploration of the procedurally generated land, there caves, dungeons, haunted forests and many other dangerous areas to explore to gather those unique resources. Each of those areas being filled with variations of monsters such as skeletons, deadly trees, giant bats to name a few.
It will be interesting to see if the overarching narrative push the developers are aiming towards ultimately guide the player to these dungeons or they are just optional areas for those willing to explore beyond the surface. Some of the gifs shown hint at completing certain quests to unlock areas that are hidden away and may require significant exploration to discover.
Definitely To Keep On Your Radar
The indie industry has been very clearly providing artistic masterpieces for a while now, where even triple-A developers are faltering when trying to even present a finished product. Just like its peers, Pixelshire is shaping up to be a worthwhile relaxing Farming simulator similar to Stardew Valley.
Although there is no official release date, the developers did post on steam about reaching an alpha test. Along with that they have been steadily keeping the community updated on progression with the game’s system mechanics and giving brief overviews on what they will be working on next.
Conclusion
It will be interesting to see where Kappa Bits goes with this game’s story, it would be amazing if the game presents itself as a relaxing farming sim but for keen observers it will present a surprising twist or two in the story to keep things interesting and keep something for the players to discover on their own.
Overall, the visuals and updates promise an enjoyable experience for those wanting something similar to Stardew Valley but is also unique enough to stand out on its own with its quirks and features. As there is no official release date, we just have to wait and see when Pixelshire releases or when Kappa Bits provides another update on their progression with the game.