Stardew Valley is going to turn ten years old next year, and yet, players are still discussing it and playing it as if it hasn't aged a day. Part of this is due to the fact that its solo developer continues to release updates for the game, as even now a 1.7 update is in development. Even without these patches, though, many fans would have found a place to come home to in Pelican Town, enjoying the open-ended adventure. Mining, farming, fishing, and many more activities make it easy for players to experience Stardew Valley in their own way while unwinding from their everyday work and life. In fact, the game encourages this with its premise of wanting to escape a dead-end job to take care of a little worn-down farm.
Just like how there's no wrong way to experience Stardew Valley, there is also no wrong way to experience The Sims. These two juggernauts of the life-sim genre have all kinds of similarities, from the frequent updates keeping the game alive to being open-ended and fun experiences that are about figuring out what to do next with each passing day. In some ways, however, The Sims and Stardew Valley find themselves at different ends of the spectrum, with a game like The Sims offering more character interaction, and Stardew having more things for the individual player to do. Despite these differences, fans of both are in for a treat as upcoming life-sim Starsand Island might blend the two titles together to create a game that might be the perfect escape for certainplayers.
How Starsand Island Meets The Sims and Stardew Valley in the Middle
Out of the two, Starsand Island could easily be described as a "Stardew Valley-like" thanks to its farming mechanics and prominent RPG elements. Players can look forward to fishing, befriending townsfolk and little creatures, and fighting monsters with weapons like a trusty slingshot. It may borrow a similar bright color design, but in many ways, it's reminiscent of Story of Seasons just with Stardew Valley features. This is in part due to how Starsand Island is in 3D, which gives it its own identity and leaves room to expand features that Stardew had to keep simple in terms of its own scope. Many of the mechanics that have room to breathe in Starsand Island's 3D environment also coincide with The Sims.
Starsand Island Includes Systems That Help The Sims Fans Feel At Home
Stardew Valley did allow players to put furniture in their house and on their farm, and has plenty of room to allow self-expression with a customizable farmer, but compared to The Sims, it was rather rudimentary. Starsand Island, however, offers a wide variety of character creation and pet options, as well as plenty of things to decorate from players' houses to other specific locations. The customization doesn't end there, as fans can expand their lineup of displayed content in Starsand Island with things like a full-size aquarium that can be filled with fish players catch. The reason behind all these options is that the environment in Starsand Island is truly meant to feel lived in, just like how players can expect to live out full lives within The Sims.
Another aspect of Starsand Island that helps with how it invites players to live in its world is the well-designed NPCs, which feel so real partially because they'll make their own decisions. Stardew Valley does allow players to connect with the townsfolk through heart events, but Starsand Island's goal is something far bigger. Allowing players to influence NPCs that will make choices with or without them falls into something players would expect out of The Sims, and fans of both games might enjoy watching these features coincide in one experience.
Starsand Island Uses the Best of Both Worlds to Stand Out on Its Own
These similarities might make a great argument for Stardew Valley and The Sims fans to jump into Starsand Island when it launches, but they are only similarities. Starsand Island uses these RPG and life-sim features in its own way, which might leave cozy gamers with an entirely fresh-feeling game that still checks all their boxes without feeling like the same thing they've already played. From what's been shown already, Starsand Island players who jump into The Sims or Stardew Valley expecting a completely similar experience might come out of it dissatisfied. The same can be said for the opposite expectation, but Stardew and Sims players should walk into Starsand Island with an open mind for the best experience.
Starsand Island... Offers a wide variety of character creation and pet options, as well as plenty of things to decorate from players' houses and other specific locations.
Players can look forward to Starsand Island releasing later this year on most major platforms, if everything goes according to plan. No matter what part of Starsand Island interests players, be it an RPG feel similar to Stardew Valley or the interpersonal connections and decorating like in The Sims, fans are likely in for a great time once the game launches. It'll only be a matter of time before players find out for themselves if Starsand Island lives up to its hype.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
- Released
- February 26, 2016
- ESRB
- E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
- Developer(s)
- ConcernedApe
- Publisher(s)
- ConcernedApe
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Proprietary
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Simulation
