Stardew Valley-Inspired “Dark” Cozy Game With Permadeath Launches Today

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Are you intrigued by the idea of a snug, Stardew Valley-esque farming simulation game but with a somber atmosphere and increased risk? In the freshly launched Early Access game Grimshire, survival is more than just cultivating friendships and expanding your farm. You’ll need to strategize and manage your farm and food reserves meticulously, as they are the only means of keeping yourself and your fellow villagers alive amidst a destructive plague ravaging the land. Acute Owl Studio has developed and published

At present, the Early Access version on Steam of Grimshire lets gamers explore Year 1 of the game, adjusting to the shifting seasons until the 28th day of Winter, when the cycle repeats and the same day is lived over again. During this phase, players cultivate crops to prepare for a potential plague in a remote mountain village. They also need to devise methods to preserve their harvest to prevent it from decaying with the changing seasons.

Alongside farming, players have the chance to engage in a variety of other activities like fishing, cooking, gathering resources, mining, and taking care of animals. Players can customize their home with various decorative items, and they can contribute to village projects that help Grimshire prepare for tough times ahead. As players form bonds with the villagers in this struggling town, they must ensure these relationships don’t turn sour, as neglecting the needs of the residents could lead to their unfortunate demise.

This game is the second creation by indie studio Acute Owl Studio, following their initial project, “Bone’s Cafe.” In a unique twist on team-based cooking games such as “Plate Up” and “Overcooked,” Bone’s Cafe offered a more whimsical, slightly ominous take on medieval fantasy. The players adopt the roles of necromancer chefs, cooperating to bring skeletal staff back to life to cater to an ever-growing crowd of fantastical clients.

In the newest game out, Grimshire, there’s an engaging mix of charming, snug visuals and the harsh realities of surviving in a hostile environment. The bonds players form with NPC characters carry more weight because they can fray as the seasons pass. Furthermore, the excessive resources often gathered thoughtlessly in such games serve a more significant function here.

In their Steam community post commemorating the release, the developers have outlined a definitive roadmap detailing what players can anticipate experiencing as the game reaches version 1.0. The upcoming experiences encompass the following aspects:

  • Localizations
  • Year 2 content and story
  • Romance/Relationships/Marriage
  • Children
  • Rival relationships
  • Remappable controls
  • Festivals (improvements to the current and maybe add more)
  • More stations (Seed maker, kiln, mushroom log, etc)
  • Greenhouse
  • Player species (more choices)
  • Decor (more decor items)
  • Multi barns and coops
  • House/barn/coop exterior color customization
  • Pets
  • Mounts

Although the Early Access version may not have certain features, it offers a significant amount of playtime, approximately 40-50 hours, according to developers. Considering its price of $15 upon release into Early Access, this represents a substantial amount of gameplay for the cost. The game was also released with a launch discount that will expire on July 29th.

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2025-07-22 23:41