Harvestella looks like Square Enix’s take on Stardew Valley

Harvestella is Square Enix’s spin on the life simulation RPG, in which you’ll plant crops, befriend townspeople, and attempt to thrive across the seasons: winter, spring, summer, autumn, and Bloodborne. It was just announced today, but it’s also launching this November.

Here’s the trailer:

All credit to Alice0 for the Bloodborne joke, but really the fifth season is called the Quietus. In Harvestella’s world the seasons are kept stable by four giant crystals (of course it’s crystals) called “Seaslight”, but problems begin to arise when the Quietus, a season during which crops die and townspeople refuse to leave their homes, begins and then mysteriously starts getting longer each year.

You’ll solve that mystery by going into dungeons and bashing monsters to bits. There are various character classes (called Jobs here) including Fighter, Shadow Walker and Mage. But the trailer makes clear that Harvestella is mostly about chill exploration, palling around, planting crops, and crafting. Cooking your own food will give you stat boosts, and there are fantasy animals to care for including “cluffowl birds” and “dignified goat-like woolum”, says the Steam page.

Stardew Valley is your modern western reference point, but you could just as easily compare it to either Rune Factory or perhaps Koei Tecmo’s Atelier series, given the focus on friendship among the battling and crafting. It also looks to have a bit more of Square Enix’s class and polish than either of those games, mind you.

Harvestella will launch November 4th via Steamwhere you’ll find a handful more screenshots and other details.