3 upcoming farming simulator games to get excited for

We love a laid-back, charming little adventure filled with cute animals and pleasant sights to see, and nowhere does this look more promising than in the near or distant future with those gorgeous upcoming farming simulator games.

Here are 3 of my most anticipated farming sim titles that are expected to drop either this year, or sometime in 2022. It may be quite a wait for a couple of these promising little games, so for now, tide yourself over with a few other chill and wholesome games in the meantime.

Kitaria Fables

PQube continues to hit it out of the park with a catalogue of sublime goods when it comes to small video game adventures brimming with adorableness. And who knew Cat Quest could be outdone in this regard?

Developer Twin Hearts have done a fine job with Kitaria Fables, which looks absolutely packed with a wild amount of content in its tiny paws. There’s a lengthy list of chores and fun activities to keep us all busy.

Forage, farm and tinker around with some alchemy on the side, then explore dungeons and gorgeous landscapes filled with adorable wildlife that is becoming increasingly aggressive. Sounds like trouble. Defend Paw Village and go explore the great wide world for resources and loot as you fight your way in real-time combat with a variety of play styles – bow and arrow wielder here!

Kitaria Fables offers plenty of combat and exploration for those keen on adventure, but its inclusion of more laid-back farming mechanics is greatly appreciated — as that’s where most of my time will go into!

Not only does farming help add more provisions to your storage, but by making time for your locals around your adorable home and farm, you’ll get the opportunity to acquire even more goodies for your journey. This sounds like a recipe for success. And on top of all that, there’s the option for local co-op play! You know how to keep us happy, PQube.

Wishlist Kitaria Fables on Steam now, and keep a look out for its release on Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One.

Coral Island

Indonesia-based studio Stairway Games are making a splash with their first ever project: Coral Island.

Inspired by classics of the farming sim genre such as Harvest Moon, the game received a lot of attention during its very successful Kickstarter campaign. It resulted in 36, 373 backers, and reached far beyond their intended goal. To say that the release is already highly anticipated for many is an understatement.

While Coral Island is expected to release 6 months after its Early Access version launches, this is expected to not be until late 2022. So while we have a while to wait before we can play this very promising little gem, the team have shown exceptional examples of just why we should be excited about this release.

While it’s got the expected activities of any farming sim such as tending to livestock, going fishing, mining for materials, and planting crops, its social aspect may be the most exciting mechanic. Socialising in Coral Island seems lively, with over 50 islanders and 22 of those being dateable.

By dating and tying the knot with your special someone, this will lead to starting a family unit of two possible children. All islanders have one standard outfit per season, but the romanceable options will keep our heads turning with various outfits donned depending on the season and event, such as a bathing suit.

And for those who are not so fussed about the virtual dating, there’s plenty more to enjoy in Starlet Town. While customising your player character, you can choose a pet too, which will be gifted to you by your first friend on the island; said pet can be a dog, cat, monkey, lizard, fox or rabbit. A variety of animals is also available to rear on the farm, with coop animals including chickens, ducks, peafowls, and quails, while the barn can hold cows, goats, llamas, luwaks and pigs. In a later stage in the game, mythical pets will also be unlocked.

A theme of fairy-tale wonder runs throughout the game, with lore involving three Coral Goddesses, and an environmentalist message through a narrative concerning the land’s underwater Kingdom of the Merfolks. Not only should you make time for the townsfolk by fulfilling community projects to improve the land, but you’ll also need to explore the briny depths in order to restore the corals to prosperity — only then will you be able to access the mystical Merfolk Kingdom.

And there’s so much more! Net bugs to hand over to the local museum to put on exhibition, build structures around the town, and even join up with a buddy on your shared island! The developers managed to keep reaching many milestones in their Kickstarter, which ended up confirming a multiplayer option by online or local split-screen co-op. Up to four players will be supported, and excitingly, each player can still romance an NPC, or even each other!

This feels like it’s going to be a perfect time, and by how many words I’ve dedicated to the game here, it should be clear enough how excited I am for Coral Island!

Coming to Steam and Switch.

Roots of Pacha

If you’re looking for even more Stardew Valley-style farming goodness, then look no further than Roots of Pacha. Set in the stone age with a heavy focus on friendship, it is evident how the game was shaped from the ground up as a co-op experience with its friendly, community driven themes.

Brothers Timo and Jhony from developer Soda Den reminisce about passing their controllers to one another while playing Harvest Moon, which birthed the idea for Roots of Pacha. And then concept of being inspired to develop ideas is also pulled into the game as a gameplay mechanic, as developing Ideas enriches the clan’s culture, develops relationships and helps you become closer to the land’s secrets concerning Mother Nature.

For a game set in the very distant past, its mechanics as a farming sim feel comfortably familiar. By farming, foraging, and increasing your bond with the many wild animals on the land — and your fellow clan members — you’ll be getting much more from the game with each achievement and small victory. The lore already sounds absolutely splendid and intriguing, the amount of activities will be too long to simply list, and my hype is incomprehensible. Bring on 2022 already!

Wishlist it on Steam now, and expect it to drop on Switch at the same time. PlayStation and Xbox platforms will soon follow after initial release.

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