I'm sick to death of the April Fool's dating sim trend. Thankfully, Discord is doing something different

As the news editor of a gaming publication, April 1 may, perhaps, be my least favorite day of the year. Sorting through the flood of utter bs to try and find actual news is no easy task, especially when the USA comes online and the cycle begins anew. But, in my far too many years doing this job, I've noticed that, generally, April Fool's isn't quite what it used to be. I remember the Valorant dating sim that kickstarted a movement - hell, I interviewed the team that's making a real one. Then, I remember the Smite dating sim. Then, the vaguely vomit-inducing Palworld one (apparently that's a real thing now?). It's a trend that's grown pretty boring over the years, and one that's appeared yet again in 2026, with Powerwash Sim picking up the tired mantle. I'm not a dating sim enthusiast by any means, but is this really peak humor on the internet? Is there really no imagination these days? The answer, thanks to Discord, is no.

Welcome to Last Meadow Online, not to be confused with Black Desert Online, Albion Online, or any of the myriad MMOs with 'Online' in their name. No, this is the "multiplayer quadruple-A sequel" to Big Wump Games' 2025 title, The Last Meadow.

Described as a "DIMMIRPG," or Discord-Based Massively Multiplayer Incremental Role Playing Game (no, I didn't type all of that out), the premise is pretty simple. Wumpus, the game's primary protagonist, who just so happens to be the Discord mascot, is returning home from his sprawling fantasy adventure, having finally "achieved physical contact" with The Last Meadow. But, upon return to their home, they find it at the mercy of a vicious, flora-inspired dragon, aptly named 'Grass Toucher.' Building upon the idle mechanics of the first game but expanding them out to the entire world, you choose a class and head into battle a la Dungeons and Dragons, with a global party at your side.

Now allow me to stress a couple of things: Last Meadow Online is not, in any way, a quadruple-A game. It's entirely hand-drawn in an almost childlike style, and is effectively a clicker game like Cookie Clicker. You can choose from three different classes (Paladin, Ranger, or Priest), and then you select an item to craft based on one of the two remaining classes. This comes in handy a little later on, but it's worth noting that you can't just chop and change classes and craftable items: you'll have to wait 24 hours to try out the others.

You're then faced with Grass Toucher himself, a terrifying, if not somewhat cute, vegetation-inspired dragon who's currently ruling the roost over your hometown. You don't need friends to play, as Last Meadow Online aggregates Discord users: literally think of it as an MMO; there are thousands of other players in your lobby.

As a Ranger, I'm presented with three different options: attack with my bow to deal damage, craft items for my Paladin and Priest companions, or go on a daring quest to scavenge for resources which, in turn, are used in the aforementioned crafting. You do so by holding down the 'adventure' button - much easier than other MMOs: no min-maxxing or gear-juggling required. As you and other Discord users continue to deal damage, Grass Eater's health goes down, presumably until it's finally slain. And that's literally it.

I asked my friends to get involved - of course I did, the dragon must be felled! "If you didn't want a review of it, I wouldn't have clicked it," Max says. "I honestly feel worse off from doing so, because now I'm cursed with the knowledge of its existence." I reckon the Palworld dating sim is more up his alley anyway. No judgment here. None at all.

Wrong opinions aside, I'll admit that I wasn't super excited to see a random pop-up that I assumed was an ad - I initially dismissed Last Meadow Online, and silently cursed Discord for attempting to spam me. That aside, however, Discord's idle game genuinely resonated with me.

Why? Well, there's no hidden secret here, no big reveal. It's a silly little clicker for you to play with other Discord users around the world. There's no forced satire, no 'ha ha silly dating sim.' It's not manufactured silliness; it's silliness for silliness' sake. Perhaps I need to lighten up; perhaps I need a new sense of humor. Either way, it's a refreshing step away from the norm, and I can only applaud that. Now, what class to pick next…

Last Meadow Online is playable via Discord (click on the little leaf on the top right of your screen) until April 7, and you'll get a limited-edition badge for participating.