Fae Farm

Fae Farm is a farm life simulation game that launched in 2023, originally created and published by Phoenix Labs. The story starts when the player character is shipwrecked on an island and rescued by the mayor, who gives them a house and a farm to tend. The game was first released for Windows and Nintendo Switch on September 8, 2023, and later made available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on October 22, 2024. Following Phoenix Labs laying off most of its development team in January 2025, the game's future operations remain unconfirmed as of early 2025. Critics generally praised Fae Farm as a cozy game, though some noted the Switch version’s price.

Gameplay combines farming, crafting, exploration, combat, and romance. Players grow crops across four seasons of 28 days each, water them regularly, and craft items using tools like a loom or gem polisher. They can also explore dungeons, fight enemies, complete quests, and customize their home with furniture that boosts “cozy ratings,” which increase health, energy, and mana. Stamina is replenished by eating food or resting. Combat can be avoided by running away or using stealth, but invisibility potions are not available. Resources come from foraging, cutting trees, or mining in dungeons, and crafting pulls materials from a storage shed. Progress is made by removing environmental hazards like whirlpools or thorns after finding their source. Characters don’t die from hazards—they simply return to town without penalty. Wayshrines, unlocked with crafted seals, allow fast travel. The game supports up to four players online or locally on Nintendo Switch.

The plot begins when the player finds a message in a bottle inviting them to the island of Azoria. After a shipwreck, they meet Mayor Merritt, who sent the invitation and provides a house and farm. A wizard named Alaric gives them a magical staff to clear thorns. The player meets a dragon-like sprite, Neppy, who created whirlpools for fun and helps stop them in exchange for a meal. The Wisp Mother, the island’s guardian, gives the player wings and opens a portal to the Fae Realm, an alternate version of the island where magical creatures live. Humans once interacted with the Fae Realm, but a harmful mist called miasma forced the creatures to evacuate, and the Wisp Mother sealed the passage. The miasma is