Starsand Island makes me want to quit my job and move to the coast with its adorable new trailer

Starsand Island gameplay trailer - PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2025 - YouTube Starsand Island gameplay trailer - PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2025 - YouTube
Watch On

Well that was just adorable, wasn't it? Farming and DIY sim Starsand Island just revealed a new trailer during the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted, and it makes me yearn for the feeling of soil between my fingers.

Add it to your wishlist

Our protagonist has left their job in the big city in favour of a charming little island that they can grow plants and befriend animals on. Honestly, it makes me want to quit my job right now, but my student loans won't pay themselves.

It's a similar premise to Stardew Valley, but this trailer shows just how much Starsand Island emphasizes the DIY building aspect of the upcoming game. You can construct your own greenhouses, tailoring their shape and size to your wishes, and build your dream home. It's the complete package for those of you that dream of starting a new life in a quaint little town.

You can also get stuck into the farming, though. There are plenty of crops to plant, including giant watermelons. They're my favourite fruit, so you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be growing as many as I can.

There are also adorable critters to rear, and you can even breed them to try and refine specific genetic traits like speed, strength, and higher resource yields. Be careful, though, some of the creatures fight back, but you've got a trusty bow and arrow to tame them with.

You can also wander down to the shore to collect all the treasures washed up by the sea, and there are ruins to explore and underwater aquariums to build.

If you want to focus on building and exploring, then you can manufacture some adorable robotic helpers to work the land for you. These mechanical cat-eared helpers will gather minerals and wood so you can upgrade your home.

And, naturally, this wouldn't be a farming sim without fishing. The bonus is you can use traps and nets to net yourself (pun intended) bigger hauls.

Starsand Island launches February, and you can preorder and wishlist it on Steam. There's also a free demo you can try out.

If you've decided to stick to the city life and haven't already thrown your phone into the sea, check out everything announced at the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted Powered by Xbox Game Pass.

PC Gaming Show Deputy Editor

Issy van der Velde has been writing about video games professionally for five years, contributing to Rolling Stone, NME, GamesRadar+, IGN, and many more. He's been freelance and held editorial roles across news, guides, and features, and is now the deputy editor of the PC Gaming Show.

A lifelong gamer, Issy won the MCV 30 under 30 award for his work covering queer, Arab, and women's representation in the gaming industry.

His favourite games are narrative, story-driven adventures, arcade racers, roguelites, and soulslikes.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.