The trailer for new game Everdream Valley has serious Stardew Valley vibes. The farming sim will likely interest those who enjoy games of this genre, but the similarities to Stardew Valley go even as far as the name of the game itself.
Stardew Valley came out back in February 2016. It was praised by critics and sold over 400,000 copies within two weeks. Incredibly, it was created entirely by Eric Barone, who designed, programmed, animated, wrote, and composed the game. By May 2022, Stardew Valley had sold over 20 million copies. It's the ultimate cozy game for countless players.
The new farming sim wasn't too subtle when it came to admitting similarities with Stardew Valley, considering its name is Everdream Valley. The story goes as most would expect. The main character takes over a dilapidated farm, and it's up to them to bring it back to life and fill it with crops and animals, turning it into a successful business. However, there are certainly differences to set it apart from its similar namesake. In Everdream Valley there are very few people to interact with, but plenty of animals to discover. While players can also get a dog or a cat as a pet in Stardew Valley, in Everdream Valley the emphasis is on the dog companion. There are 13 breeds to choose from when it comes to dogs, but apparently, there is one single cat which can potentially be charmed into cooperation with enough effort.
Another interesting detail is teased by the name of the game. In Everdream Valley, the player character experiences strange dreams every single night in which they become an animal. The more animals the player character has on the farm, the wider the variety of these dreams will become, each animal offering unique mini-games. These games will also provide either a unique reward or will have a special impact on the farm the next day. So at least in name, that makes it similar to Dreamlight Valley as well. There are certainly plenty of valleys to go around.
Although the inspiration from Stardew Valley seems obvious from the name, it's also worth mentioning another possible influence. Before Stardew Valley, the series that started it all when it comes to farming sims was Harvest Moon. Its inspiration in the design of Everdream Valley is impossible to miss. However, there seem to be plenty of elements for Everdream Valley to distance itself from its great predecessors.
Everdream Valley is still in development.