If you ever wondered what the Redwall series by Brian Jacques would look like IRL, then Hawthorn is as close as you’re going to get to living it! Appearing on the Green Games Showcase during Summer Game Fest 2025, this sandbox life sim was created by former devs from Bethesda, BioWare, and Naughty Dog (elite of the elite, IMHO), where players can farm, craft, explore, and experience changing seasons in an ever-growing world.
Woodland Life With a Twist
Here’s the backstory! A trading post is built in the Windermere Valley, but instead of serving the needs of the woodland creatures that built it, it’s become filled with varmints and clouded by rumors about why the village was abandoned in the first place (even animals need the gossip grapevine).
The player character hopes to find a new life in Windermere, where they can recruit villagers and grow a community. But with that community, you must also defend against the elements and a forest filled with villains ready to trick you out of your hard-earned rewards.
It’s not going to be easy—standing firm with the life sim tag that it’s been given—but the player and their newfound friends should be up to the challenge!
Build, Befriend, and Defend
Hawthorn can be played solo, or you can co-op with friends alongside village NPCs. As you build the community and restore Windermere Valley, you’ll come across curious folks and creatures, most looking for a fresh start—but each with their own backstory to share, if you can convince them to become your friend.
Kickstarted and Cozy
Hawthorn was recently on Kickstarter, and the team was able to raise all the funds they needed to work on this project in its entirety.
This game should be a charming addition to your cozy life sim collection, and we highly recommend wishlisting it as soon as possible—because who doesn’t like a game where furry woodland creatures create their own township, defend it from villains, and live out the sweet simplicity of everyday life?
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