Garden Story is an upcoming indie game made by developer Picogram and published by Rose City Games. Because of its style, as well as its name, it's easy to mistake Garden Story for another farming simulator like Stardew Valley. Additionally, Rose City says that players must work towards a common goal in Garden Story along with the rest of the community in the game.

While it may pull some gameplay elements from the 2016 hit indie game, it looks like it also takes inspiration from games like Undertale; from its adventure RPG gameplay, to the cozy feeling the game invokes. Perhaps Garden Story is a little bit of both indie games, enticing players from two different genres to create one, lighthearted experience.

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Why Stardew Valley Players Would Enjoy Garden Story

garden story fishing

Much like the start of a new save file in Stardew ValleyGarden Story is quaint, even if it has more sinister elements to discover. While it's primarily an action-adventure RPG, there are some noticeable elements that give it that same relaxing tone. "Action isn't isolated to combat," Rose City says about Garden Story. Players can fish, garden, and build, and these tasks will be an equal part of Garden Story's gameplay to its monsters and fighting. Similar to how combat is only a small piece of Stardew ValleyGarden Story offers refreshing breaks; tying the action into a service Concord, the protagonist, does for the community along with other menial tasks.

The pastel-colored pixel game is largely about community and helping others, judging by the most recent showcase at Day of the Devs. Players will have to complete favors, not unlike the old Animal Crossing games, and completing tasks will bring the entire town closer to a mutual goal. Task management, the system that makes Stardew Valley so addicting, will also make an appearance in Garden Story. For example, Concord can manage stores and build structures to develop the island, which does change as the seasons pass.

Fishing, often a major draw when it comes to cozy games, will be a unique system in Garden Story. Instead of trying to keep the fish within the parameters of the bobber like in Stardew Valley or correctly timing the reel like in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Picogram tasks players with hitting specific arrow keys on command to successfully catch a fish.

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Garden Story Has Major Undertale Vibes

garden story fall season

Part of what makes Garden Story a wholesome game is the way it doesn't shy away from the menial tasks like opening an umbrella and the backstory of even the smallest characters, two things Undertale largely became known for. For example, Frisk can buy hot dogs from a hot dog stand and stack them on their head or pet dogs in battle to quell and pacify them instead of killing them.

Undertale's charm came from the unique characters found in every corner of the game. Each NPC has a distinct personality, whether it's the bosses Frisk can befriend, or Temmie the dog monster. Much like how each creature in Undertale comes in its own shape and size, Garden Story's townsfolk and enemy, known as the rot, are completely original creations.

Garden Story is a whimsical tale of Concord becoming the town guardian and discovering the secret behind the rot, a quiet force that's been popping up and threatening the peace of the villagers. Exploration is a big part of discovering the game's atmosphere and much like Undertale, there's a lot to discover in each area. And in terms of atmosphere, music will help create the world around Concord, setting a relaxing tone when he's in town or a dainty one when he's playing around in the snow, similar to Toby Fox's masterpiece album.

Garden Story is set to release Summer 2021 for PC and Switch.

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