Planting crops and stacking bale may not be the most exciting activities but it’s not unusual to chance upon a story of a young man or woman, fed up with a soulless corporate job, packing the bag and moving to a farm nurtured by a friendly community. It has been the foundation of many a video game titles but the same cannot be said about the story of a girl arriving in a picture-perfect town to take care of a grandma whose life is falling apart because of age but she soon finds there is more to the story than acres of land.

Over the weekend, the game Wylde Flowers arrived via the Australian game studio Studio Drydock to be a part of the Apple Arcade Originals camp. A few days have been spent playing this game but if that doesn’t sound like a lot then consider putting two-three hours a day towards the title. It has the charm of Harvest Moon, Summer in Mara and even The Sims but the idea is unique, magical and mesmerizing while holding out a few lessons for young players.

Life in Fairhaven Town

To offer context, a young girl named Tara arrives in sleepy Fairhaven Town with the simple objective of taking care of her grandmother (and perhaps to get away from her broken-off engagement). She has to get down to business at once, which involves growing crops, fixing things around the house, getting to know the townsfolk and take care of magical elements in the magic forest. The sheer scale (and objectives) makes this unlike Farmville or any of the farm-related games you may have been playing. It’s not about waking up, making coffee before setting about agrarian duties in Stardew Valley.

Unless Tara meets every folk in the small town, she won’t be able to sustain herself or take care of grandma. Unless Tara looks after herself, she won’t be able to go through the growing number of responsibilities she is given, like fixing the coalmine. Unless the young girl hits the bed on time, she will find herself in the doctor’s clinic with less time to spend on the town.

Not about goody-two-shoes existence

Tara maybe young and may have more responsibilities she could imagine before her boat anchored on the island but she doesn’t have to be a boring farm girl while the 30-odd people in town are not one dimensional.

During the course of the game, Tara is gifted some wine, she can drink or sell the same and even give it away as gift. It all depends on the moment. The mayor of Fairhaven walks like principal W. Seymour Skinner in The Simpsons but gifting him a bottle of wine won’t fetch brownie points. Tara can even drink the wine but that will slow her down. It’s all about the occasion and moment.

Or consider the farm. Tara is in-charge of the farm but there is a lot more happening around the town that she needs to look after. Besides watering and harvesting duties, the young girl is free to explore Fairhaven. If a patch of cauliflowers wilt because of her failure to water (almost) everyday, there are no punishments. In fact, the only punishment that’s indirectly there in this town is not looking after one’s self. Eat well, sleep on time enjoy a drink or two and hangout with young people.

Wylde Flowers is about inclusivity, so you will find characters from different backgrounds.

Magical realism

Ensuring the game is played over a long period, the developers have thrown in a magic forest which Tara discovers and how her grandma is an important part of that storyline. There are hilarious tasks she is given, like catching squid in order to get black ink which is then used to write incantations. Tara needs to get out at night to collect moon flowers to make restorative drinks and from time to time visit the magical cove where masked characters exist and so does a cauldron.

The Harry Potter side of the game is exciting and far-removed from farm duties. It’s like playing two genres within the same title.

A safe environment

Being a part of Apple Arcade Originals, Wylde Flowers doesn’t involve in-app purchases, meaning you can play the game as long as you want, as many times as you want without paying anything beyond your subscription to the gaming service which comes with more than 225 titles, several of which are originals. Further, there are no notifications involved or pop-up advertisements, making Fairhaven a safe place even when children play the game.

Cultural significance

A world of inclusivity is at the heart of the game, which also teaches a thing or two about the joys of running a household while working with a community of varied people. A loving grandma may own the house, but you are in charge. Besides, the nice old lady teaches Tara to be independent. The forest is a symbol of adventure that lies beyond routine bedtimes. The town is a symbol of helping one another while the world continues to go through one of the most challenging moments ever.

In Fairhaven neither does your tool break or your spirit. The only thing breaking everyday is dawn, so that you wake up to a world of new challenges. Deep backstories and personal mysteries await as the user needs to hop on a boat to the multicultural seaside town. There is a grandma to be taken care of, a magical forest to be explored, a handful of characters to be wooed (or you can strike up a fulfilling friendship) and a lesson to be learnt in self-love. Wylde Flowers can be the witchy twist of the year.

At a glance

A moment from Wylde Flowers

Story: Wylde Flowers mixes farming cottage goodness and witchy magic with a deep character-based story. You’ll play as Tara, who has just moved from the city to help her grandma on the family farm. But the story goes far beyond the farm. Tara is actually a witch, so you’ll also join the local coven, fly your broomstick, brew potions, control the seasons, or even transform into a cat.

Community bonding: With plenty of people to meet in a multicultural seaside town, Tara can get to know her new community through casual chats, optional quests and significant story moments.

Romance: Seven folks of Fairhaven are eligible to be wooed and romanced. From the local butcher Kim (they/them) to Amira (she/her), a flirty doctor. If finding romantic love is not your thing, Tara’s life still has deep and fulfilling friendship and platonic relationship options.

Time needed: Explore 35-60-plus hours of immersive gameplay.

Platform: Apple Arcade