5 Best Games Like Our Life on Water

Different Tales’ Our Life on Water, a farming and life simulation game based on the vibrant canals and streams of the Mekong River, has been on our minds ever since the first announcement dropped earlier this week. However, seeing as it’s still a fair few months away from arriving on Steam, we thought we’d branch out to alternative sims — if only to scratch that itch whilst the devs continue to iron out the last remaining creases. In the same boat as us? If so, then be sure to check out the following titles the next time you get a chance.

5. Disney Dreamlight Valley

If it’s a hearty and effortlessly wholesome farming and life simulation game you’re after, then you needn’t really dig any deeper than Disney Dreamlight Valley. Its concept is simple: restore an old Disney-themed village to its former, magical self, either through farming, questing, crafting, or cooking. In addition to all the traditional tropes, there are also a selection of magical portals to unlock—passageways in which you can explore and recruit new Disney-Pixar characters for your village and unlock new recipes, tools, and blueprints. There’s also a whole lot of customization, too, which you can apply to your own home, as well as all the biomes around the town.

As it stands, Disney Dreamlight Valley still has a fair ways to to before it unravels its final portal and batch of characters. For what it’s worth, though, there are quite possibly hundreds of hours of quests and other activities to indulge in already — so don’t feel as if you’re missing out. You can begin your journey across the ever-wondrous realm of Dreamlight Valley on consoles and PC today.

4. Coral Island

Coral Island is yet another tropical island-themed life simulation game that has all the same features as both Disney Dreamlight Valley and Our Life on Water. In short, you take on the role of an islander—a fresh-faced townie who’s given the opportunity to start anew in a harmonious society, a world in which folks earn their way through fishing, diving, crafting, and hosting communal events. As one of said folks, you have the freedom to choose your hobbies, friends, and the passive income needed to flesh out the town.

Like the vast majority of life simulation games, Coral Island doesn’t really pose all that much of a challenge, as it more less allows its players to not only explore at their own free will, but make small bursts of progress without any real time restrictions. So, if the likes of My Time at Portia or My Time at Sandrock managed to win you over with either of their charming locales, then you’re guaranteed to find something to enjoy in Coral Island.

3. Spiritfarer

If it’s the connection to the spirit realm that drew you into Our Life on Water, then consider Spiritfarer—a side-scrolling crafting-farming simulation game in which you take on the role of the guider of lost souls. Similar a lot of farming and life simulation games, your hero can explore vast open seas and unique islands, as well as make lifelong (or temporary) friendships. Add the fact that you can also gather supplies, cook, farm, quest, and of course, build your vessel to accommodate new rooms, workshops, and studies, and you’ve got yourself an absolute treasure of simulation goodness.

Although Spiritfarer does fall short in the life simulation department, it does make up for it in dozens of other ways, particularly in the story itself. So, if you’re after something that’ll have you in fits of laughter, as well as bawling in tears on the odd occasion, then consider becoming the next tour guide for the lost and the weary.

2. Wylde Flowers

Wylde Flowers takes all the signature ingredients from a traditional farming simulation game and adds a pinch of magical energy and witchcraft to it. As Tara, a fish-out-of-water townie, players can learn to master spells, brew potions, and of course, manage their own farms, all while maintaining healthy relationships with the folks around town and even the odd love connection. Sure enough, there’s a lot of depth to this one, so if you’re all for the idea of mixing in some Witch’s Breath with your oats and seeds, then look no further.

In addition to all the bog-standard features that Wylde Flowers holds by the baker’s dozen, the game also includes a rather nifty, drawn-out storyline, too. So again, if you don’t mind forking out dozens, or perhaps even hundreds of hours to a single adventure, then you can’t really go wrong with this one.

1. The Sims 4: Island Living

If it’s the scent of the sun, sea, and sand that you’re chasing, then perhaps it’s time to uproot and head over to The Sims 4: Island Living, a cozy expansion pack that grants you the power to build stunning lakeside homes, find new hobbies, and decorate your own island paradise till your heart’s content. Think The Sims: Castaway, but without the fear on losing your Sims to a lack of amenities and supplies, and you’ll have a vague idea of what we’re getting at.

Of course, when it comes to top-shelf life simulation games, you can’t really go wrong with The Sims. In any case, it’s a safe bet, and one that’ll guarantee you a good result, regardless of many hours you’ve already poured into the base game. Therefore, if you’re planning on seeing one or two bodies of water before heading over to the Mekong River, then be sure to make the well-needed pitstop in The Sims 4: Island Living for some TLC.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up any of the above five games this month? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.