It’s been nearly a decade since the launch of The Beginner’s Guide, the second game from The Stanley Parable co-creator Davey Wreden. In that time, Wreden teamed up with Karla Zimonja of Fullbright, makers of Gone Home and Tacoma, and Daniel “C418” Rosenfeld, who handled sound and music for Minecraft, to form a new studio called Ivy Road with publisher Annapurna Interactive. Now, after waiting to see what this new team has been working on, its debut, the Stardew Valley style Wanderstop, has just been announced.
Wanderstop is a management game that looks to subvert the ‘wholesome’ conventions of the kinds of games it most resembles. According to its Steam page, players take on the role of a “fallen fighter named Alta” who works a job she despises running a fantasy tea shop set deep within “a magical forest.” That job requires Alta to grow the plants she needs to make her tea, brew and serve custom blends to the customers who stop by her shop using a giant machine, and make conversation with them before they set out on their way again.
As expected from the games made by Ivy Road’s members before, Wanderstop is focused on telling a story and, going by the trailer and its emphasis on Alta’s barely subdued fury at trading her position as a warrior for a new life as a shopkeeper, that story seems like it’ll offer at least a few twists on genre expectations.
Wanderstop will launch later this year. You can find it on Steam right here.
Otherwise, take a look at our picks for the top relaxing games and simulation games for more like Wanderstop.
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