If you’re a fan of Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing and other games in the “cosy farming sim” genre, then you’re going to want to make sure Fae Farm is on your radar. This farming sim RPG set in the magical realm of Azoria is simply delightful, allowing you freedom to explore, make friends and grow your new home however you see fit.
There’s a lot to do in Fae Farm. Like the best games in the genre, it gives players free reign, with no real “right or wrong” way to play. You’re not completely without guidance, though: there’s a main quest line to follow, and plenty of side quests to pick up along the way. Do them or not; Fae Farm is never going to punish you. If you’d simply rather whittle away the hours by tending to your crops and your animals, that’s absolutely fine.
We’ve had a great time playing through Fae Farm’s quests, however. It’s taken a lot of cues from Stardew Valley it would seem, albeit presented in a wonderfully colourful 3D package. Along with a farm to grow and villagers to meet, there’s also mines to explore, where you’ll find essential materials and enemies to take down. The main quest line takes you through the mines gently, encouraging you to level up your equipment and slowly but surely become more adept at dealing with the world around you. It offers a strong introduction to everything that Fae Farm is, in other words.
Levelling up your equipment – your pickaxe, axe, shovel et al – allows you to access better materials, and you’ll want those better materials as you make your way through the game. Crafting is a big part of the experience, and whether you’re making fancy pieces of furniture for your farmhouse or useful bits of machinery that’ll help you make potions or equipment upgrades, you’re always going to want to stay ahead of the curve.
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Or, well, maybe you won’t. Again, that’s your choice, and that’s the beauty of Fae Farm: you don’t have to do anything. You could choose to make food out of the crops that you grow, which you can eat yourself to boost your energy as you explore the dungeons. Or you could sell them at the market, boosting your bank balance. Maybe you’ll want to spend your days fishing, making money from trading fish. Or maybe rearing animals is more your beat, creating the perfect home for a range of magical creatures native to Azoria.
What’s particularly neat about Fae Farm is that it can be enjoyed in multiplayer. You can create a shared online world with up to three friends, where everyone’s efforts count towards creating the perfect farm. You don’t have to, of course. Fae Farm is just as enjoyable in single player, but it’s great the option is there to play with friends. You can simply opt to visit a friend’s world, too, or have them visit yours, if you don’t want to play the game together in its entirety.
With its chunky 3D art style, Fae Farm is a delight to look at. The world of Azoria has been wonderfully designed, filled with different regions – some of which you won’t be able to access right away. Venture off away from the main town and you’ll find an icy region that you’re not prepared for to begin with, and a spooky forest that you’re going to need a new magical ability to get through. Even if farming is your main draw, there’s a lot to be curious about in the world around you, and great reason to press on with quests to become stronger and unlock new abilities.
The more you put into Fae Farm, the more you’ll get out of it. This is a delightful entry into the farming sim genre, offering a wonderful, magical world that begs to be explored, and an endless list of things to do. Whether you want to simply tend to your crops or hunt down every secret that Azoria holds, you’ve got dozens of hours of gameplay to look forward to here.
Fae Farm Review – GameSpew’s Score
