Village in the Shade (2026)

Developer: Nippon Ichi Software, Inc.
Publisher: NIS America, Inc.
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Adventure, Simulation
Rating: 4.6 of 5, 802 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 66 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More games like this

How it feels

A calm and welcoming farming sim that gradually reveals an unsettling, secretive atmosphere beneath its hand-painted beauty.

cozypeacefulwholesomerelaxingeerieatmosphericmysteriousrestricted

What players say

Players praise the atmosphere, visuals, and a story that ties up its mysteries, but many say farming feels disconnected from the main quest, with mining and night excursions dominating the grind. Some report save file corruption, and several criticize the steep price given the lack of voice acting, while keyboard and controller mapping issues frustrate a few.

Screenshots

More games like this

More by Nippon Ichi Software, Inc.

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.