Redwallfans desperate toembrace the franchise’s lighter themesand live life as an adorable forest animal need to check out this new game from former Bethesda, Naughty Dog, and Bioware developers. The success of titles likeThe Sims 4andStardew Valleyhas breathed new energy into the life-sim genre to such an extent that theFarming RPG market has become somewhat oversaturatedin recent years. Developers looking to break into the market need a unique hook or gimmick to land players, andit certainly seems likeHawthornhas something special going for it.
Posting onYouTube,developer NEARstudios unveiled the first gameplay trailer forHawthorn, a game that sees players step into the role of tiny woodland animalsas they work to build a community in an abandoned trading post in the magical Windermere Valley.
The footage shows off some idyllic shots of owls, otters, and mice making a life for themselvesin the forest by catching fish, crafting furniture, hosting small banquets for friends, and farming various crops. While it’s still in early development,Hawthornseems cozy enough to appeal to bothStardew ValleyandRedwallfans.
Do We Need Another Cozy Life-Sim?
When It Looks Like Hawthorn? Absolutely
As mentioned above, thelife-sim genre is becoming over-saturatedas developers look to capitalize onthe trend of cozy gaming. Whether or not there’s room forHawthornremains to be seen but the gameplay NEARstudios has shown off is impressive in and of itself. More often than not, Farming RPGs tend to go the route of replicating a more welcoming version of everyday life soshifting the perspective to woodland creatures is the kind of novel take that could help the game stand out.
One can only hope thatHawthornis able to set itself apart from its competition with a satisfying gameplay loop and enjoyable progression hooks. Life-sims live and die by the satisfaction they’re able to grant players;WhetherHawthorncan appeal to fans of cozy games while also keeping the less-brutal aesthetic ofRedwallin tandem is the big questionthat needs to be answered. The game isn’t due out any time soon so at least NEARstudio has time to polish it and ensure the final product is special.
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Screen Rant’s Take: Hawthorn Could Be Huge
All It Takes Is Some Viral Marketing
If 2024 has shown us anything, it’s that a clear, concise marketing campaign powered bystrong word-of-mouth advertisingcan take a game’s success to the next level.IfHawthornis able to follow in the footsteps ofPalworldandHelldivers 2, its uniqueRedwallcharm and cozy gameplay could be enough to win players' over. Only time will tell if the residents of Windermere Valley have the kind of mass-market appeal they need to make a dent in the life-sim genre.
Source:YouTube
Redwall
Redwall (1999) is an animated series based on Brian Jacques' popular novels, following a young mouse named Matthias and his quest to protect Redwall Abbey from the villainous rat Cluny the Scourge. Set in a medieval world populated by anthropomorphic animals, the show explores themes of bravery, loyalty, and heroism as Matthias endeavors to become a legendary warrior and find the lost sword of Martin the Warrior.
