Inspired by the classics likeStory of Seasons,which was originally known as theHarvest Moonseries,Stardew Valleyset a new bar for farming simulators. While the oldHarvest Moongames such asA Wonderful LifeandFriends of Mineral Towncreated the formulathat gamers know and love today,Stardew Valleyimplemented it in a way that no modernHarvest Moongames were able to capture anymore. Follow its success, a number ofStardew Valley-inspired titles have spawned, includingCoral Island.
Now, thanks toStardew Valley,new indie farming sims have fallen victim to the “clone” accusation that often comes when a game sets the new standard for a genre. For example, afterBreath of the Wildbecame a groundbreaking adventure-exploration title, a number of games inspired by it began cropping up, such asGenshin Impact. But as players now know,Genshincreated many of its own, unique mechanics separate fromBreath of the Wild. The same will likely be said aboutCoral Island.
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What Is Coral Island?
Coral Islandis like any other farming sim in that it implements the same basic mechanics: tending to farm with crops and animals and romancing villagers by getting to know them and giving them gifts. Based on the game’s extended trailer, there’s a lot thatCoral Islandpulls fromStardew Valley, such as mining and some rudimentary combat. And it draws back to the old days ofHarvest Moon’s Harvest Goddesswith the Coral Three, one of which is the Goddess of Flowers shown in the game’s trailer.
ButCoral Islandis centered around the fact that it’s set on an island, with all the struggles and perks that come along with it, such as environmental activism and pollution, as well as swimming and water activities. The underwater merfolk kingdom, which now features dateable NPCs thanks to the Kickstarter milestones, is a huge draw for prospective players.
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What Makes Coral Island Different?
Different than otherfarming sims that only support heterosexual and homosexual relationships,Coral Islandtakes it a step further by including a nonbinary character named Dippa. There’s currently only speculation and rumors about the game including trans characters, because that type of information may only be revealed once getting to know a character, butCoral Islandis currently the most diverse upcoming farming sim, with a range of races, genders, and backgrounds to represent all players. Each dateable comes with in-depth backgrounds, not only including their interests but what drove their career paths, the struggles they’ve faced in their lives, education, and goals.
Another villager that shines in terms of representation is Suki, a recently divorced mom. Previously, Suki was just an NPC who is currently figuring out self-love and has a healthy relationship with her ex-husband. Her character’s design prominently features stretch marks on her belly, a side of pregnancy that often gets swept under the rug. But now, instead of keeping the divorcee ineligible, she can be romanced in the upcoming farming sim as well.
Similar toJojaMart inStardew Valley, a corporate entity known as Pufferfish Drilling Co. plays a large role in the game’s story. Here, however, the focus is on environmental justice than on evil corporations. Marine biology is an important factor, surfacing in ways such as a lab, and players can go diving. Diving itself unlocks a number of activities, such as cleaning the ocean floor of pollution and meeting the merfolk in the mermaid kingdom.
So while many of the game’s aspects stem from the classic farming sim formula found inHarvest Moon,Story of Seasons, andStardew Valley, and players can expect that standard playstyle,Coral Islandpays special attention to marine life and environmental activism, while being more inclusive to the spectrum of genders and sexualities where other farming sims lack.
Coral Islandis expected to launch Early Access in October 2021 for PC, PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox.
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