New Steam Game Slaps Stardew Valley and The Legend of Zelda Together, and Throws in a Plague Doctor for Good Measure
Fans of both The Legend of Zelda and Stardew Valley are in the same boat at the moment, waiting for a clearer picture of “what’s next” for their favorite franchises. Sure, the immediate future is clear; more Zelda LEGO sets and the upcoming Netflix series are on the way, while Stardew Valley’s big 1.7 update will bring new marriages to pursue and deeper mechanics for children.
Beyond that, though, are bigger questions: will Stardew Valley 2 finally become a reality? Will the next Zelda feel more traditional or continue with the open worlds seen in recent entries? And when exactly will more concrete info come? As fans ask questions and wait for answers, one upcoming Steam game—Plague Alchemist—could help the communities of both IPs kill a bit of time.
The Steam game in question is a healthy mixture of both properties, but fans should be aware that it’s more like old-school Zelda than any of the modern entries. That works in its favor, though, as the combination of classic Zelda and Stardew looks just as good as it sounds on paper. Players won’t have to wait long to try out this promising mixture of franchises, either, as it’s set to release at the end of February. For those curious about Plague Alchemist because of its similarities to one (or both) of the franchises mentioned above, here’s what you need to know about it.
Plague Alchemist Features at a Glance
- EXPLORE a living open world impacted by time and weather.
- CRAFT potions that allow for story progression and combine materials freely for secret buffs.
- CLEAR dungeons full of puzzles, unique biomes, and creatures.
- EXPERIENCE a story about alchemy, corruption, and quiet survival.
- FILL a codex with lore entries on areas, creatures, and ingredients found on the journey.
- SHAPE Plague Alchemist through early access feedback.
- RELAX via slow-burn gameplay where music and painted pixel art shine.
A story-rich pixel art RPG centered around alchemy and discovery. Investigate a spreading plague caused by the collapsing boundary between magical and non-magical realms, with progression built around exploration and crafting.
Plague Alchemist Looks Like Stardew Valley But Plays Like Old-School Zelda
Visually, Plague Alchemist feels heavily inspired by ConcernedApe’s beloved farming sim. This isn’t just visible in its moment-to-moment gameplay, which sees a sprite moving through a colorful town with bright green grass, dirt paths, rocks, and trees, but also the conversation screens. Like in Stardew Valley, talking to one of the pixelized NPCs will bring up a more detailed headshot of the character, making it easier to connect with them and their personalities. It’s currently unclear if there will be romance and heart events like Stardew Valley’s, but the text and HUD should immediately feel just as familiar to Stardew fans as Plague Alchemist’s art does.
Even more so than Stardew Valley, which has some combat in its mines, Plague Alchemist wants to prioritize discovery and satisfying progression above all else. There is no combat in the game. Instead, players will be gathering resources, exploring, and taking in the story, which seems to be delivered at a very relaxing pace. There is some adventuring, though, which is where the Legend of Zelda influence comes into play. Specifically, players will be completing a range of puzzles within seven dungeons, one for each element (Earth, Fire, Water, Air, Body, Mind, and Spirit). Players won’t just find unique biomes and themed challenges within each dungeon, but also exclusive materials for the crafting mechanic that seems integral to developer Hardcoded’s project.
Plague Alchemist’s Crafting Seems Like Its Biggest Draw
Like The Zelda series, players have a proper goal to complete and a story to eventually roll credits on, and to do so, they will need to master the art of alchemy. Pastes, Elixirs, and Potions can all be crafted, many of which will be required to clear certain story obstacles. However, gamers are also free to get creative, randomly combining ingredients to discover hidden buffs and abilities. Experimenting with the alchemy system should be a lot of fun, and as players search the open world for new ingredients to assist them with their mad science, they’ll be filling out a codex with extra lore on everything they come across. Eventually, they should have all the knowledge needed for the player character — a plague doctor seeking to free a town from a mysterious sleeping curse — to awaken the victims and save the day.
Plague Alchemist’s Early Access Road Will Be Long, But the Journey Could Be Worth It
Plague Alchemist is meant to be a slow-burn, immersive experience, and a similar careful pace is being applied to the game’s early access period. The game is expected to be in early access for 2-4 years, with developer Hardcoded citing its “large, system-driven mechanics” as a reason for this extensive testing period. In that time, Hardcoded is promising transparent updates on the game’s progress, stability patches, and slow and steady content additions to ensure a polished experience whenever the game fully releases.
The pros and cons to this approach are obvious. On the negative side, Plague Alchemist will be quite light on content when it launches into early access in late February. All the foundational systems (alchemy, exploration, and quests) will be there, sure, but the game will only offer the first region and dungeon at first. The others will be added via free updates, but players may only get a few hours out of Plague Alchemist initially. That said, the upside is equally clear; gamers will be able to help shape this title from the very start. Maybe they think the future dungeons need a different design approach, don’t like the drop rates for certain materials, or have issues with the quest design; all of these things can be shared and addressed early on to ensure a satisfying final product with good pacing.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
Those interested in the game and confident in Hardcoded’s vision for it may want to consider being early access adopters, as this version of the game will cost significantly less than the final product. The price will only be increased when Hardcoded is confident Plague Alchemist is worthy of it, but it’s going to happen eventually, so it’s certainly something to consider. While there are plenty of Stardew Valley clones and Steam games built on Zelda nostalgia, this intriguing combination of the two holds a lot of potential.