Although Stardew Valley has dominated the farming simulator conversation for years on end, there are plenty of other projects, from indie to AAA, that offer a lot of the same vibes. Even better, some of them are free-to-play.
That includes Farlands: Tiny Harvest, which you can play right now for free on Steam. The kicker is that it’s a game that plays entirely within the corner of your desktop, making it very easy to play while relaxing or even working.
Farlands: Tiny Harvest Is Adorable
You Play As A Tiny Space Farmer
Not only is the name “Tiny Harvest” apt for how small the game appears on-screen, but it’s also a fully-fledged feature. This is a small desktop game that runs in the corner of your screen, letting you do pretty much whatever you want while it continues to run on your OS. Your worker will also harvest and plant things on their own, and the developer even describes the game as a “virtual houseplant.”
Fascinatingly, Farlands: Tiny Harvest takes place in a sci-fi setting, as your spaceship is prominently featured on the farm, and you can harvest space plants to earn credits. Eventually, you’ll upgrade the tools, crops, house, and spaceship, if you’re looking for some form of progression while playing.
You Can Play It Completely Free
The Sci-Fi Angle Adds Character
If you’re on the fence, Farlands: Tiny Harvest is completely free-to-play, and is sitting at a “mostly positive” rating on Steam at the time of publication. There’s also a small rewards-based system, as you’ll have the ability to personalize your farmer with an array of hats you can collect throughout the game, with two characters to choose from in total. I wouldn’t mind seeing a full version of this one day using the same aesthetic, as it reminds me of indie titles by Subset Games, like Into the Breach.
If you’ve exhausted every possible avenue in Stardew Valley and want something different, try out Farlands: Tiny Harvest. Since it’s free, you have nothing to lose but your time. Although there are certainly more involved farming simulators out there, it’s hard to get cozier than a game that runs on your screen while you’re doing other things.
- Released
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February 26, 2016
- ESRB
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E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
- Developer(s)
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ConcernedApe
- Publisher(s)
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ConcernedApe
- Engine
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Proprietary
- Multiplayer
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Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
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Stardew Valley does not currently support crossplay between different consoles and PC
- Cross Save
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cross-progression is only available between the PC and mobile versions of the game
- Number of Players
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1-4
