People who love both The Legend of Zelda and Stardew Valley are feeling the same way right now: they’re eager to find out what the future holds for these games. We know a bit about what’s coming up – more Zelda LEGO and a Netflix series are planned, and Stardew Valley is getting a large 1.7 update with new marriage candidates and more complex family dynamics. But fans are hoping for a bigger picture of what’s next for each franchise.
But bigger questions remain: will we ever see a sequel to Stardew Valley? Will the next Zelda game return to a more classic style, or will it continue the open-world design of recent games? And when will we actually get some solid details? While fans are eager for answers, a new game on Steam called Plague Alchemist might offer something to enjoy in the meantime for fans of both series.
This new Steam game successfully blends elements of both classic Zelda and Stardew Valley, but it feels more like the older Zelda games than the newer ones. And that’s a good thing! The combination sounds fantastic, and it looks just as good in practice. Players won’t have to wait much longer to try it out, as it’s coming out at the end of February. If you’re interested in Plague Alchemist because it reminds you of Zelda or Stardew Valley, here’s a closer look.
Per Plague Alchemist’s Steam page, the early access launch date for the game is February 27.
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.
Explore a beautiful pixel art world in this RPG focused on alchemy and uncovering secrets. You’ll investigate a mysterious plague caused by the breakdown between the magical and normal worlds, and progress by exploring and crafting items.
Plague Alchemist Looks Like Stardew Valley But Plays Like Old-School Zelda
The visual style of Plague Alchemist is strongly reminiscent of Stardew Valley. This influence is apparent not only in the gameplay – where you move a character through a colorful town with familiar elements like grass, paths, and trees – but also in how characters are presented during conversations. Similar to Stardew Valley, the game features detailed character portraits when you talk to NPCs, helping you to get to know them better. While it’s unknown if the game will include romance options and relationship-building events like those in Stardew Valley, the text and on-screen display should feel instantly familiar to fans of ConcernedApe’s popular farming sim, just like the game’s art style.
Unlike Stardew Valley, which includes some fighting, Plague Alchemist focuses entirely on exploration and a sense of accomplishment. The game has no combat at all. Instead, you’ll spend your time collecting resources, discovering new areas, and enjoying a calm, story-driven experience. There’s a bit of adventure too, inspired by The Legend of Zelda, with players solving puzzles in seven dungeons, each themed around a different element: Earth, Fire, Water, Air, Body, Mind, and Spirit. Each dungeon offers unique environments, challenges, and crafting materials that seem central to the game’s design.
Plague Alchemist’s Crafting Seems Like Its Biggest Draw
Similar to the Zelda games, this game has a clear objective and a story to finish. To succeed, players will need to learn alchemy – the art of creating pastes, elixirs, and potions. These concoctions are essential for overcoming challenges in the story, but players can also experiment with different ingredients to discover powerful, hidden effects. This experimentation is encouraged, and as players explore the world for new ingredients, they’ll also uncover extra lore and build a comprehensive guide. Ultimately, this knowledge will help the player character – a plague doctor – break a mysterious sleeping curse and save the town.
Plague Alchemist’s Early Access Road Will Be Long, But the Journey Could Be Worth It
Image via Hardcoded Plague Alchemist is designed to be a deeply engaging game that unfolds gradually, and its early access phase will reflect that same deliberate approach. The developers, Hardcoded, anticipate the game will be in early access for between two and four years, due to its complex systems. Throughout this testing period, Hardcoded plans to regularly share updates on the game’s development, fix bugs, and add new content at a steady pace, with the goal of delivering a refined and polished game when it officially launches.
There are clear advantages and disadvantages to this development approach. The biggest drawback is that when Plague Alchemist enters early access in late February, it won’t have much content. While all the core gameplay elements – alchemy, exploration, and quests – will be present, players will initially only have access to the first area and dungeon. Additional content will be added for free later on, but the game might only provide a few hours of gameplay at first. However, the benefit is equally significant: players will have the opportunity to directly influence the game’s development from the beginning. They can share feedback on things like dungeon design, item drop rates, and quest structure, helping to create a polished and well-paced final product.
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If you’re excited about Plague Alchemist and believe in the developer’s plans, getting in on the early access version might be a good idea – it’s much cheaper than the full game will be. The price will go up once the developers feel the game is polished enough, but it will happen eventually, so it’s worth considering. While many games copy Stardew Valley or try to recapture the magic of Zelda, Plague Alchemist offers a unique and promising blend of both.
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2026-02-11 17:05