A Promising Competitor to Stardew Valley Is Already Playable for Free

by Carlos Mendoza October 26, 2025

written by Carlos Mendoza October 26, 2025

Key Takeaways

Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark

Romestead, a new farming simulator inspired by Stardew Valley and ancient Rome, is being developed by Beartwigs using their Candide Engine.
Players rebuild their city as Roman citizens, combining elements of farming, city-building, survival, and action-adventure.
The game is currently available for free testing on Steam and will be released by the end of 2025, with the developers addressing bugs and implementing controller support following Gamescom 2025.
Players can help finalize development by providing feedback during the free testing period. Currently, Romestead is only available in English.

A Fresh Contender: Exploring Romestead in Farming Simulators

Stardew Valley’s recent entry into survival mode offers a fresh experience. However, some players may still seek alternative farming simulators. While many exist, few exhibit the same promise, making games like Romestead worth following.

Eric Barone, known as ConcernedApe, has expressed surprise at Stardew Valley’s influence on the farming sim genre. While he didn’t intentionally popularize pixel art, his game paved the way for titles like Romestead. Fans of both Stardew Valley and Valheim should consider Romestead, a game blending farming and city-building with survival and action-adventure as players rebuild their city as Roman citizens. Romestead combines elements of Stardew Valley with ancient Rome, where players act as mayor, farming, crafting, and exploring.

Stardew Valley’s Rival Romestead Debuts on Steam for Free Testing

Currently, Beartwigs is developing Romestead, aiming for a launch by the end of 2025. Because the team is using its new Candide Engine for the first time, it is taking the time to ensure a polished release. Following its showing at Gamescom 2025, the developers are addressing bugs and implementing controller support. Players can try Romestead for free on Steam by requesting access and awaiting approval. Currently, the game is only available in English. Beartwigs anticipates a release soon and is seeking player feedback to finalize development.

In Case You Missed It

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