I just finished Sakuna: of Rice and Ruin.

Its one of the best farming games I’ve ever played, but it’s also like… a real ass simulation game. You don’t get to grow whatever you want, you will grow rice and you’ll either like it or leave. Kept your paddy’s water level too high? Mold. Didn’t get rid of pests? Disease. Didn’t keep enough water in on a hot day? Uh oh, water evaporated and now your rice is under watered. If the waters too cold it won’t absorb nutrients right.

It’s also 50 percent a action rpg platformer, but don’t think you can get around doing the bare minimum in the farming just to play it: your stats are directly reliant on how good you rice farm. No level grinding through combat.

I really enjoyed it but I’m still not sure who the target demographic for this game was. How big is the overlap between “traditional rice farmers” and “action rpg enjoyers”? At any rate, I high key reccomend it if you think you could be interested in rice farming whatsoever, because the story is great too.

I just started back up one that I rarely see talked about: Ever Oasis. Does it do everything perfect? No, but it’s a cute little handheld game where I get to help an adorable water spirit save adorable seedlings and owl people. There’s characters to befriend and take on quests too! It offers a lot, but cause it was on the 3ds I don’t think too many people have played it.

Outside of that, Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life is my nostalgia favorite so I am hopeful about the remake.