Available now on PC and Xbox consoles, Homestead Arcana is a game worth checking out for those interested in a farming sim with a magical twist.
Okay, ‘farming sim’ might not quite cut it: there’s much more to Homestead Arcana than simply growing crops. You’re cast as a witch sent to farm a plot of land amidst a range that’s been corrupted. While your homestead – a basic tent to begin with – is in a safe area, it’s surrounded by a toxic, purple miasma. Your ultimate goal is to rid the land of that miasma – and do to that, you’re going to need to grow crops, learn new spells and craft potions in your cauldron.
There’s a lot to do in Homestead Arcana, and its mixture of adventure and simulation is sure to appeal to fans of games like Stardew Valley and Disney Dreamlight Valley. It’s a game that wastes no time in introducing you to all it has to offer, and in the first half an hour you’ll have grown some crops, cast a spell, brewed a potion, crafted some tools and ventured into the dangerous miasma.
That’s right: you can venture through it – and it’s here where the true adventure of Homestead Arcana takes place. A mask allows you to spend a few minutes in the miasma without taking damage, but overstay your welcome and you’ll start losing health. Over time, you’ll be able to upgrade your mask, which will enable you to spend longer in there, venturing further – and uncovering more secrets.
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Starting with finding your aunt’s old home, now swallowed by the miasma, you’ll uncover lots of secrets in Homestead Arcana. It seems your aunt had starting working on battling against the miasma – and perhaps you’ll be able to make sense of her work, picking up from where she left off. With a talking cat to help you – you are a witch, after all – the world will be your oyster. Eventually.
We’ve only scratched the surface of what Homestead Arcana has to offer, but we’re very much enjoying what we’ve played so far. It’s certainly going to appeal to players who like adventuring at their own pace – particularly if you also enjoy seeing a world develop and improve in front of your eyes. That’s the real draw here: seeing your own settlement grow – and seeing the world around you begin to heal – is incredibly satisfying.
Homestead Arcana is available now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
