If you’ve played a farming sim before, you know what I mean. The struggle of pockets getting stuffed with seeds and tools all too quickly is always an issue in this genre, and Fields of Mistria's obvious Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley inspirations made it clear I should beeline for a big bag of slots ASAP. A bigger backpack is the road to a more fun, more efficient parochial existence, and having been down this road before, I knew I needed to save up.
I had to fast track my first crop of potatoes and forage in the woods to do it, and by day six I had enough cash for my first exciting purchase. But that morning was also the town’s first Saturday Market, so I stopped by on my way to join the bag-owning elite. The whole town was out, chatting and laughing.
Vendors were selling handmade furniture and treats, and cherry blossoms blew in the spring wind. It was the perfect place to get a latte and a little snack. The temptation was too great.
I impulsively spent the money I'd been hoarding for a backpack on strawberry-shaped hair clips and a cute gingham rug for my house. It was a financial disaster, but I was happy. Fields of Mistria might look like just one of many farming games out there, but moments like this one throw the genre’s slow-paced, well-trodden loop into pleasant disarray.
In its current early access release, the farming sim prioritizes shaping its kooky, bright-haired collection of townsfolk into a real community, and providing you with opportunities to help,.