If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Grave Seasons tweaks the cozy farm simulator formula perfected by Stardew Valley to appeal to horror fans

A sharper focus on the story and a branching narrative means we'll be able to go back to Grave Seasons over and over again.

PAX East 2026 Grave Seasons Darkness Header — Image credit: Blumhouse Games / Popverse

News by Trent Cannon, Senior Contributing writer

Published on Sun Mar 29 2026

Popverse's top stories

Krysten Ritter wants to do a Jessica Jones/Punisher MCU team-up: "We're goth mom and dad, come on"
Grave Seasons developers want to treat the dating sim genre with respect
What would bring the Ninth Doctor back to Doctor Who on TV? Christopher Eccleston finally gives an answer

Creepy might not be the word people associate with cozy farming simulators, but that might be about to change. Grave Seasons, from developer Perfect Garbage and publisher Blumhouse Games, takes the formula established by Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley and twists it into a supernatural murder mystery that is fun and unsettling in equal measure.

We got the chance to play the demo of Grave Seasons at PAX East 2026. The initial moments of the demo will feel remarkably familiar for players who have played Stardew Valley. You plant crops, water them, till the soil, and harvest them. You can forage in the forest and explore around town. Meet the locals. Make friends. Find love. Watch as they get ripped apart by a supernatural serial killer that is haunting the small town of Ashenridge.

That sense of danger and dread isn’t the only thing that Grave Seasons has changed about the farming sim formula. It has also drastically shortened the typical length of a game’s story. Instead of each playthrough being potentially endless, Grave Seasons limits players to a single year of gameplay. There is a sharper focus on the narrative, with murders happening regularly throughout the year.

What that sets up is the potential for multiple playthroughs. Each time you play, you have a potentially different killer who takes a different path with different victims. You can choose to romance the killer, either intentionally or by chance, which opens up more paths and stories. Grave Seasons is less of a sandbox and more of a visual novel, with branching plotlines that encourage players to come back multiple times.

From the brief look at Grave Seasons that we got at PAX East, it certainly feels like this is going to be a wonderfully creepy change of pace for farming simulator fans who have felt a little too safe recently.

The gaming industry has come a long way since Pong blew all our minds in the 70s. We've got everything you need to know about the next big thing in games. Of course, Grand Theft Auto VI is going to be the big game of 2026, but there are plenty of other games coming out between now and then. Here is our starter guide for every gamer:

And be sure to check Popverse regularly for the latest gaming news.

About PAX East

PAX East is a celebration of gaming and gaming culture featuring thought-provoking panels, a massive expo hall filled with the best publishers and studios, new game demos, musical performances, tournaments, and a community experience unlike any other. No matter your preferred genre or platform, if you love games, welcome home.