Cozy gaming and horror games might seem like they’re diametrically opposed, but our review of Welcome to Elderfield found that these two genres can actually work together. At least, conceptually.
Eric “ConcernedApe” Baroni has been keeping famed farming simulator Stardew Valley fresh for many years past its theoretical expiration date. But even with that title still receiving active updates, the appetite for farming and life simulators has grown large enough that loads of similar games have tried to leverage Stardew’s success for themselves. Plenty of games try to imitate Stardew as closely as possible, often with some twist in tow that sets them apart.
Welcome to Elderfield is the newest farming simulator to arrive on the block, and it sets itself apart with a Junji Ito-inspired horror aesthetic and setting. This makes for an intriguing combination similar to peanut butter and chocolate that, unfortunately, seems to land a bit shallow rather than hitting on the greater potential of the pairing.
The Good:
- Great character design and art style
- Compelling opening and an interesting story
- Robust gameplay offerings, even if it’s derivative of Stardew Valley
The Bad:
- Awkward menu system
- Generally lifeless town
- Music isn’t ideal for the genre
Review Details:
- Reviewed on: PC
- Platforms available: PC
- Official release date: September 10, 2026
Welcome to Elderfield gets most big things right
There’s no shortage of “Stardew-like” games and the farming simulator formula is at this point very well-established. But Welcome to Elderfield follows that formula quite well, able to set itself apart from some titles that struggle with the fundamental concepts that make these games work.
Like Stardew Valley, players drop into the game with lots to do from the jump. Though farming and questing are the biggest elements of the game, players will quickly be able to fish, fight, and explore the game’s world as they see fit.
Welcome to Elderfield does a good job of differentiating itself from Stardew in terms of its various gameplay elements. Farming is considerably easier thanks to contextual inputs, so no hotbar is required. Combat is solid and uses a turn-based system with random encounters, a significant departure from most other farming sims.
There’s enough here to have a solid alternative to Stardew Valley, especially with the horror theme differentiating things. But there are a few shortcomings that see it fall short of its competition.
Without a doubt, the biggest issue we found during our review of Welcome to Elderfield was just how empty the world actually feels while playing.
But it gets some little things wrong
Something Stardew Valley did extraordinarily well was to make its world feel truly alive. Every NPC was a person that had their own life, their own set of relationships, and their own schedules to follow.
Players could follow an NPC and see them work, hang out with their family and friends, and pursue hobbies during their downtime. Welcome to Elderfield has very little of that, save for some NPCs having eerie habits and hobbies that are discussed through text but never actually seen, as they mostly just stand in place all day long.
The lack of life in the city also exists well beyond its boundaries. Welcome to Elderfield’s game area is large to a fault, making players trek through large swaths of nothing happening. Unlike many similar games, Elderfield has a surprising amount of nameless and faceless NPCs. The more time we spent with the game, the more its interesting concept and fun opening section began to fade, and its lifelessness wore on us.
While the art in Welcome to Elderfield is generally solid, the most troublesome aspect of the game’s presentation is its music.
Though it’s not commonly discussed, games that offer 100 or more hours of gameplay typically have some spectacular music supporting the proceedings. There’s a reason that the Final Fantasy series, the Persona games, Elden Ring, and even Minecraft all have highly-regarded soundtracks. They’re meant to be heard on repeat without growing old.
Welcome to Elderfield’s music isn’t bad by any means, but it doesn’t really encourage the player to get up and at ‘em at the start of each day. It’s hard, maybe even impossible, to boost the player’s spirits while staying true to the game’s horror themes. But even with that in mind, we did find that it negatively affected the experience here.
It may be a minor thing for some players, but it speaks to a broader issue with the title. Welcome to Elderfield serves up a fun idea and makes a good first impression, but the more time players spend with it, the more it seems to fall short of its own promise.
There’s still a decent game here for big fans of the genre or those who are particularly eager to take on its horror theme, but it ultimately feels like a missed opportunity, relatively hollow compared to its top peers.
The Bottom Line: Welcome to Elderfield has plenty to offer players desperate for a fresh farm simulator, but a lack of polish sees it fall short of its many competitors.
Score: 7.0/10
