Amber Isle finally fills the Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley void

Ever since my first playthroughs of Animal Crossing New Horizons and Stardew Valley, I’ve longed for a game to succeed them and fill the void—so I’m delighted to inform you that Amber Isle has done exactly that.

The team at Ambertail Games has created a truly magical experience, with an environment I can’t get enough of and characters that I adore mixed brilliantly with a variety of quests that pull me back in again and again.

Amber Isle’s start will be familiar to gamers. You arrive on an island that has fallen into a decrepit state, with few people left in the town and other areas blocked off. It’s your job to restore the island to its former glory while paying off the large debt you have accumulated in your own move.

As Amber Isle’s shopkeeper, I’ve spent my days crafting new items, haggling with customers, and exploring the island around me, leading to tough decisions every morning—do I go and gather resources, or should I open up my shop first?

Each day at the shop is filled with various situations, with customers to haggle with and scorn if they knock over and break an item. Some will request custom orders, others will bring in items to sell you, and all are wonderful.

Each character has their own likes and dislikes, which you can capitalize on to get higher prices when selling or to provide larger friendship increases when handing over gifts, in the true Stardew Valley style. But it’s the characters themselves who are the real lure.

As a self-admitted dinosaur addict, I’ve been delighted by the variety of prehistoric creatures. Sure, there are your famous types like Ankylosaurus, Pteranodons, and T. Rex, but there are also some more obscure dinosaurs you may not have heard of before.

Everything about these characters reminds me of Animal Crossing New Horizons in the best way possible, where I’d spend days upon days creating the perfect environment for my new friends and searching for the one particular villager I was desperate to join my crew.

Amber Isle has an impressive roster of 48 Paleofolk to encounter, and from what I’ve experienced so far, I don’t think there’s a limit to the amount you can have living on Amber Isle. If I’m correct, that means you won’t have to sweat over who you want to bring aboard and who you should send packing.

These characters are the bread and butter of Amber Isle, though the quests and goal to restore the island have kept me plugging away. In many ways, it’s similar to Dave the Diver in that you need to manage your stock and gather materials before opening your doors later in the day.

Given how much time I’ve spent playing Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and Dave the Diver over the years, it’s bad news for my social life but great news for the gamer inside me who has been crying out louder than a baby Maiasaur for a new game to fill this void.

In an era of modern gaming full of live-service titles that demand your constant attention, games like Amber Isle are a welcome relief and a more relaxing experience. I highly recommend you try it out.