It seems like no genre is quite as popular right now as cosy simulators. Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing might have really kicked the whole thing off, but, since then, many excellent games have been released that allow players to live out their virtual lives in relative peace.
The next contender on the scene is Outcity, a cosy sandbox farm simulator from developer Titan, that really does look like it has everything that fans of the genre could ever want. The game tasks (and I use that word very loosely) you with transforming your own little wild corner of land into the perfect little farm.
On the face of it, it looks like one of those games that gives the player the agency to play exactly as they wish. In the developer's own words, "Your journey to build the farm of your dreams will take you through lush fields, arid hills, and fertile lowlands. Each region offers exclusive crops, valuable resources, and endless expansion possibilities. Venture into new territories and let your creativity shape the map."
Under the hood, that design ethos has led to some impressively deep mechanics that should make it stand out in a competitive field (excuse the pun).
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The first is the upgrade system, which will allow you to pursue rarer resources and build more complex tools and buildings. There are a lot of resources to take advantage of as well, with fishing, mining and farming all on the proverbial table as pursuits for your little pixel art character.
A big part of what crops you'll be able to grow is dependent on your exploration and the biomes you've come across up to that point. Each environment has it's own unique seeds and produce that you'll be able to grow, but you'll be restricted if you aren't farming in the right conditions for the crop you want.
Outcity is currently marked as "coming soon" on Steam, but don't worry if you're looking to jump in right away. The developer has made a demo available and it's basically feature complete for the section you will be playing through.
It includes the ability to start your first farm and build away, as well as several different biomes to explore to collect the resources you'll need to develop your farm. All of the main mechanical systems are also in place, so if you do decide to have a go, it should be a very good representation of what the final product will be like.
Topics: Indie Games, Steam