Intro
Among the realm of cozy gaming there is a form of nostalgia that often plays a role in many popular indie titles. Stardew Valley for example is a prime example of a retro looking game that feels cozy and gives the player a sense of fun as they venture through the story. This type of low-resolution aesthetic brings to mind games that many played as kids and adds to the comfort of the experience as it brings to mind a simpler time.
One other more recent title that has taken this form within its game is Fields of Mistria. Released in early access on August 5th this game has been baked with love within its five years of development. You play as an adventurer who has been tasked by the Lord and Lady of Mistria to help rebuild the town’s rank after a devastating earthquake cripples Mistria’s legacy.
Meet a charming cast of characters as you farm, quest, and adventure your way through your journey. Fields of Mistria has been a well anticipated game for a while now, but is it the right game for you? This article is here to give you all the information you need to know if this title suits your taste. Let’s head into the enchanted unknown and see if you should play Fields of Mistria.
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Story
The little country town of Mistria enjoyed a bustling reputation before the earthquake. While Mistiria is still reeling from the effects of this natural disaster the town officials, siblings Lord Eiland and Lady Adeline, devise a plan to hire more help to rebuild the town’s reputation.
This is where you come in.
You respond to the posting asking for an adventurer to help rebuild the town and are given accommodations in the form of a farm as your home base. Complete quests to help raise the town’s rank as you improve Mistria’s quality of life by restoring it back to its former glory. As you follow the story will meet, and even romance, NPCs, rebuild the museum, fight through the mines, build the farm of your dreams, and enjoy life on the simple side within the pastel-colored retro style farming sim game.
Within the bounds of this story there is a lot of coziness to be enjoyed. The plot is there to supply a level of fun adventure as you bustle around the town as you perform your various tasks. While there is a straightforward story in Fields of Mistria it is not overbearing to the point of being the one aspect of the game.
There is enough freestyling to make the game unique while also not bogging you down with extra RPG stats. The formation of the game facilitates fun in the form of a relaxed journey that ushers you along through your own wholesome story. While the plot is fun it is not a heart pounding saga of a game. Those looking for a game that is more story focused may want to look elsewhere. But if that is not an issue for you and the thought of wholesome light enjoyment is more your speed, then you will definitely enjoy Fields of Mistria.
Gameplay
The gameplay marries itself to the story seamlessly and creates a cozy pair between the two. Fields of Mistria is a wonderfully low stakes experience with low stakes gameplay. While Fields of Mistrria employs all the same gaming mechanics as its fellow cozy farms sims, such as gardening, farming, mining, combat, magic, etc., it does this in a way that is easy going.
While the game has challenges and tasks that you need to complete that keep the gameplay interesting there is nothing in this game that is exceedingly difficult. Those who like similar games will find a lot to love within the bounds of Fields of Mistria. However, this game does an amazing job of creating gameplay and tutorials that welcome gamers new to the genre in a way that is easy to comprehend.
Though I have played many games like this one before I found that it was easy for me to pick up and understand. Even if I hadn’t played as many games as I have I felt that the game walked me well through the process of how to play so that I wouldn’t get lost. Every task comes with a well thought out tutorial and the controls are not hard to figure out either.
By implementing this manner of gameplay within the game’s experience Fields of Mistria is able to be played by both seasoned gamers and those of the greener variety. That being said, those looking for more complex gameplay may want to look elsewhere for something to play. But if you’re willing to give this lovely farming sim a try I highly recommend you pick up this game.
Pros
- Relaxing gameplay
- Easy going story
- Fun for newer and older gamers
- Pleasing and nostalgic aesthetics
- You can pet a chicken
Cons
- Gamers looking for a heavier story will not find it here
- Those looking for complex gameplay will not find it here.
Conclusion
Given the array of cozy farming sims on the market it’s easy to see why the genre has grown over the past several years. The calming and wholesome quality of many of the titles in the genre have proven to add more to their individual experiences with their gameplay by focusing on how a game feels to play rather than its complexity. Those looking for a story heavy title or heavy-handed gameplay will not find it here. However, if a bright and wholesome story with magic, charming characters, and the feeling of helping others seems attractive to you then maybe you should play Fields of Mistria.
Ready to add Fields of Mistria to your gaming backlog? You can snag it here on Steam.
