I never thought Stardew Valley and Diablo could coexist in one game, but then I saw Emberville

On paper, Emberville's inspiration-mashing sounds like it won't really work. Stardew Valley and Diablo? It's a wild premise. But if you're anything like me, seeing it in action will make you much more enthused and optimistic that this combination can work. Injecting class-based progression, deeper combat, and beasts that make Stardew's Lava Bats and Slimes look pretty pathetic, Emberville looks to challenge you in the RPG department, while also retaining the fan-favorite cozy elements that've made Eric 'ConcernedApe' Barone's creation one of the best life games ever. With its new trailer, not only do we get a fresh look at Emberville, but we get a closer idea as to when it'll be in your hands: Summer 2026.

Emberville actually first blipped onto my radar a few weeks back thanks to streamer Ben 'CohhCarnage' Cassell, who's also acting as a creative partner on the project. Anything with Stardew-like visuals grabs me (wizarding life sim Witchbrook is one of my most anticipated games this year, for example) so my interest was immediately piqued. I digged the darker tone it was taking, the voice acting to bring the dialog to life, and the glimpses into a class system that seems surprisingly deep for such a quaint-looking game.

Now I'm even more invested, having seen what it's doing with said class system. Each class in Emberville is earned through some kind of in-game discovery or task - this isn't a case of simply picking a playstyle at the start of a new game and running with it. You independently level your classes, and can hop between them on the fly, but your character's level will always be determined by the level of your currently equipped class.

However, some skills from each class are "inheritable" and can be applied to other classes. Nice. More Diablo-ness can be seen in its randomized loot, with items dropping from most enemies you kill.

Amid all the questing and beast-slaying, however, remain the core components of Stardew - interesting NPCs, building your own homestead, farming, crafting, fishing. It's all there. It's an unusual mix, but seeing both sides of Emberville next to each other in its new trailer isn't as jarring as I'd expect.

Developer Cygnus Cross has also confirmed two notable cast members on its voice acting lineup. The first is Alex Jordan of Cyberpunk 2077 fame, and the second is only freakin' Geralt of Riva, Dougle Cockle.

It's also been confirmed that Emberville will launch into Steam Early Access in summer 2026. Wishlist the game here if you're as intrigued about it as I am.

This is one I can't wait to get my hands on - juggling growing turnips with slaughtering giant spider monsters will be an odd way to spend some summer evenings, but I'm down for it.