Stardew Valley didn’t invent the farming sim genre, but it arguably perfected it thanks to its pixel graphics, charm, and endless depth. Now Mr. Podunkian is developing a game that appears to capture much of Stardew‘s crafty cuteness but with an urban twist. If the games appear similar, that’s no accident: Mr. Podunkian worked on Stardew Valley previously, helping make ConcernedApe’s iconic title as beloved as My Time at Sandrock and Harvest Moon. The game is scheduled to be released in Q4 of this year, and most of the game’s details remain closely guarded secrets. Here’s what we know about Sunkissed City and why you should be excited.
Sunkissed City Looks Like Urban Stardew Valley
From finding every artifact to filling the museum and falling in love, Stardew Valley gave players a wealth of content, setting a high bar for other games in the genre. There’s so much high-quality content in Stardew that new games must find a unique angle to set themselves apart. That’s what Sunkissed City aims to do. The biggest change here is moving the game’s classic life sim elements out of the country and into the city. Sunkissed City takes place in an urban environment, a dramatic shift from the fields and forests of Stardew.
Just because you’ll be living it up in the city doesn’t mean rural activities are off the table, however. Fishing and farming appear to be big parts of the game. So do befriending locals and finding romance with that special someone. That is if you have the energy left after fighting sewer monsters and grabbing a coffee at the Weird Dog Cafe. It’s too early to say how much Sunkissed City will capture the feel of Stardew and how much it’ll carve a unique space for itself in the genre. Everything we’ve seen from the teasers, however, looks encouraging. Let’s hope that Mr. Podunkian can capitalize on Stardew‘s lessons to make something truly great.
Sunkissed City is scheduled for release in Q4 2024 for PC.
