I played these Cozy Farming Games in my Quest for the ULTIMATE Farming Sim

the bean arc has affected our protagonist dosh so deeply he's spending his remaining life on earth farming

For someone as committed as you to logistic simulators, going from modded factorio to casual farming sims must be the gaming equivalent of a leaving crack cocaine for caffeine.

Now to be fair, the idea of sci fi farming game where your gifts to npcs are attempts to bring them into your revolution against your alien overlord would appeal to at least 2 people

Travellers rest is just like real life. It doesn't matter what you put in an IPA, the public at large will gladly drink your orange mint abomination

The farm must grow

I love the “power down like a cyborg” thing because it’s the same thing in every single one of these games

20:19 I think if you want this you've gotta try Sakuna: of Rice and Ruin. It's not a comfy game necessarily but the whole game is focused on ONE crop: rice, and the detail it puts into that is staggering. I honestly feel like I could talk to a rice farmer about rice growing techniques and follow the conversation after it. There's (non exhaustively) disease, water level, weather, temperature, soil type and quality, timing, crop spacing and seed density, as well as worrying about changing almost all of those things during each stage of growth and how they interplay. For example: pests. You can catch spiders to put in the rice to deal with other bugs that cause disease, but you can also use unlock ducks which are easier to use (just let them out into the paddy and forget about them vs having to keep catching spiders every day). However, they come with the downside that the ducks will eat spiders and the rice itself once its of a certain ripeness, so you cant use them all year... I could go on. The depth is insane. Just the detail in the water alone is more than most farming games have. You have to pay attention to not just the water level but the water temperature and how those things are affected by the weather. For instance, flowing water is colder than stagnant water, so opening both the gates to let water run through can keep water cooler if its warm - but also, if its raining, you need to keep the water levels correct by also opening both gates... but that might cool the water down if its already a cold rainy day. So you have two options - just chose one (too much water or cold water) and leave it, or spend the day carefully maintaining both by foregoing doing other activities and just monitoring your rice. Like, I've never had to make a choice in a farming game of deciding my crops are in a delicate state so I should monitor them closer than normal. I know this 100% isnt the kind of game a lot of people would like, but honestly, learning more and more about how rice is grown and different kinds of rice and what goes into it not only made the farming far more engaging on its own beyond what I get out of it (i.e. money or ingredients) but also just... was really educational and makes me appreciate people who have to do the undoubtedly just as complicated but harder work of growing rice in the real world

"I can access my imagination any time I want, and I usually play games because I want to experience someone else's for a change." Man, I feel like that succinctly describes a feeling that I've had a lot.

NOBLEMAN SWERVE. PEASANT COMING THROUGH. GOOD SEASON FOR CROPS

The crafting, farming, fishing, etc, in stardew all work because they are all effectively optional. You can (almost) finish the community center without ever earning a single coin, you can play the whole game without ever shopping, or without ever leaving your farm, you can get to Qi's secret room without ever doing anything that completion tracks. Crafting isn't just another progression gate, it's genuinely an option.

Sun Haven isn't a perfect game but does things that just seem so obvious that I'm surprised I haven't seen it done before. Like the food increasing your stats permanently. Good idea on it's own but each food slowly decreases in value for stats, which encourages you to eat a wide variety of foods to maximize your stat gains. Awesome, and fitting for that 'Live a fulfilling life' vibe these games often have.

49:54 That game would appeal to at least two people, you and me. Have an apple 🍎

I haven't seen anyone mention it but I always laugh at that one clip of Palpatine absolutely throwing that shit down that you use every time. Please never stop

One thing you briefly touched on about the tavernkeeper game that could be a really interesting part of a game is being an information-broker. Tavernkeepers, in fantasy settings or otherwise, wind up being linchpins of their community due to just how many people come and go from their tavern, and NPC tavernkeepers are constantly used as quest-givers or info-brokers in tabletop roleplaying games or actual videogame RPGs. Giving some actual meaning to the rumors you overhear could be amazing. Maybe the farmers start complaining about poor harvests, and after a couple weeks a wandering druid asks you if you've heard any information, and if you've been paying attention, you can tell him what you know about the troubles the farmers have been having. It doesn't have to have any major consequences, but even just little things that add up over time like that would really help you feel like you're someone important to the community, even if you're not the one at the center of the action, since without you, that adventurer would've just passed the town over and never learned about the wolf problem you've been having or whatever. Or, alternatively, you could court a different sort of crowd and have your bar become the place where all the thieves and crooks hang out... A game like that wouldn't really need crafting elements beyond brewing to be interesting, I think.

Been really enjoying these "I played a bunch of games from x genre" videos. Your analyses are consistent and fairly thorough, with common themes and comparisons across games making it a cohesive video despite the linear format to it. Your consistent voice makes these long form videos less intensive and hence easier to digest, with the occasional straining of your voice keeping it engaging. You're a wonderful creator Dosh, and frankly the best kind of schizoid I can think of. Keep up the great work!

20:00 They already did innovate on these ideas, years ago. Rune Factory 4 has soil condition, various types of growth potions, quests and daily chores involving farming, etc... Otoh, Story of Seasons Trio of Towns has a town link system, where in order to get better reputation for the town you need to do services for them, one of these is growing and selling town specific crops. There are also award shows to show off your crops and an entire questline (Like the community center from SDV) that gives you tons of good rewards to help with the town rep quest. Also, both these games came out before all others on this list.

Hey uhhh the higher complexity you wish for is in Sakuna of Rice and Ruin, more limited crop choice but... From what I've seen it involves a lot of real rice farming complexities.

"Wouldn't let me marry the single mother" so real, that's literally my only gripe with stardew. I'm so glad mods exist🙏

communing with ancient heroes' spirits to discover the recipe for tomato bread is hilarious, you gotta give that to them, it'd be cool if Traveler's Rest had this kind of humour throughout

Graveyard Keeper is a decent cozy farming title as well... oddly enough.