Fields of Mistria, a Sailor Moon-inspired farming sim, gets its first major update and lets me finally lay romantic groundwork for my future spouse.

Fields of Mistria is one of my favorite games of the year, despite being a relatively modest early access release. It's going to be a fantastic contender in the Stardew space, and even more so now developer NPC Studio released its first major update.

The most important thing is that I get to schmooze with Mistria's best bachelors and bachelorettes. Up until now, the only way to level up friendship was by achieving four out of ten heart and there was no romance. This update increases the maximum to six hearts and adds a much needed heart event for NPCs that can be dated. This update brings us closer to the characters we've grown to love. There's still no marriage, but that's coming soon.

There are new additions elsewhere when I'm not trying woo the half of the city. The mines now have new enemies, and cosmetic items from monsters. Unfortunately, the cap of 40 floors has not been increased. NPC Studio has also included that on their roadmap, but it seems the developer was more focused on other things for this patch. Mistria will have a new festival and new requests for the museum. The town renown cap and skill level caps will both be increasing. Town renown will increase by 20 levels and all skills by 15 levels. This will result in extra rewards and perks.

I'm also grateful to my past self for leaving my farm blank, as the patch introduced new furniture and decor, along with home upgrades. I haven't been able to play the game yet to see what's new, but I hope for a greater variety of themes. On the official website, you can read the full patch notes and NPC Studio's rough map. I'm especially excited about the potential of Steam achievements and mounted in the future.

I'm excited to jump back in with this patch, especially as my need for a cozy game grows as the temperatures drop and the days get shorter. It's a great Steam Deck game to curl up on the couch or in bed. It takes up very little space and works perfectly on the system. The game was the main reason I dusted off my handheld earlier this summer.