I know when you see the words post-apocalypse, farming simulator, and Terraria all combined, you either roll your eyes or open up your wallet, ready to hand over your money to whatever game is fusing all these elements. Enter Doloc Town, which has all this plus a gorgeous pixel art aesthetic and mesmerizing soundtrack.
Blending Stardew Valley's farming and Terraria's 2D side-scrolling base-building, Doloc Town is currently in early access, and already has 673 reviews and a 'Very Positive' score on Steam. People can't stop describing what genres it's merging. "Metroidvania post-apocalyptic farming sim... weird combo that surprisingly works very well," reads one review.
If you're worried about it simply being a derivative Stardew Valley and Terraria knockoff, don't be. One review describes it as a "unique take on Life/Farm Sims with hints of metroidvania, and an aesthetic flair for the post-apocalypse."
I'm a massive fan of post-apocalyptic games, and I also love farming simulators, but while Atomicrops just misses the mark for me, Doloc Town looks like a perfect blend.
It helps that it has "fun writing and a progression that feels nuanced and varied." It also goes beyond just building up a farm and planting crops, as the trailer shows some bullet-hell combat and a whole host of weapons that you can create. You've got to protect your plants somehow.
There's also a story to uncover as you investigate the "untold stories of this forgotten land."
If you're still on the hunt for the next thing to play, check out our list of all the upcoming video game release dates.
