Skyrim Meets Stardew Valley In Gorgeous New Sandbox RPG

A gorgeous new sandbox RPG that seems like a mix between The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and Stardew Valley is currently in development, and fans of the genre will want to check out this new game that is being crafted by industry veterans. These two games, both released during the past decade, revolutionized their respective genres. Despite not being brand-new, they brought new blood and now serve as inspirations for new titles. For example, Fatekeeper is a brutal RPG in development that takes lessons from Skyrim.

Meanwhile, Stardew Valley is inspired by the classic Harvest Moon series, but its popularity has made it surpass the franchise. Indeed, the title created by ConcernedApe in 2016 has clearly served as a foundation for the cozy new Starsand Island, a title that is currently in Early Access and wears its inspirations on its sleeves – starting with the similarities in its name. However, not all games inspired by these titles are so straightforward about where they draw their influences.

If You Like Stardew Valley, Check Out Hawthorn

The RPG Lets You Control Anthropomorphic Animals & Farm

Inspired by the fantasy themes seen in Skyrim, but mostly the gameplay loop of Stardew Valley, Hawthorn is a new game being crafted by NEARstudios. The studio is composed of game developers from AAA studios, like Bethesda, BioWare, and Naughty Dog. The game inspired by Stardew Valley is available for wishlisting on Steam and is set to soon enter its Early Access period.

Hawthorn is a sandbox RPG that puts you in control of anthropomorphic animals and fairy creatures, as you build a village. In the game, you can farm, craft, explore, and celebrate the passing of seasons – much like you do with the different seasons in Stardew Valley. Meanwhile, you’ll also develop relationships with the villagers of Windermere Valley, each of whom has a unique story to tell.

You’ll be able to play this sandbox RPG on Steam in single-player mode or in a small-scale co-op multiplayer mode. This allows you to explore Windermere Valley along with your friends, should you prefer a co-op experience.

Hawthorn Is So Cute We Could Cry

The Indie RPG Looks Promising

So far, Hawthorn has proven to be a gorgeous game that is simultaneously very cute. Being able to control these animals as you explore the region and enjoy nature in its different seasons is appealing and should prove to be fun. NEARstudios has informed that early marketing materials have been “created with a mix of generative AI and human art.” The studio does inform, however, that it is working to replace those materials and that the game will not be shipped with generative AI content.

Hawthorn looks like an extremely promising project, and a fun and cozy one, as it mixes a believable fantasy world with sandbox management mechanics. This upcoming sandbox RPG may be inspired by Skyrim and Stardew Valley, but it certainly has its own DNA.