Fields of Mistria's third major update arrives on Monday, including one huge NPC upgrade

Fans of cozy farming sim Fields of Mistria will want to keep an eye out for a major update on Monday, especially if you've been courting a special someone in the game. The third big early access update, which drops at 12:00 PM EST on July 21, includes a game-changing expansion to Fields of Mistria's romance system and even allows you to choose a best friend in addition to a special friend.

The Fields of Mistria devs might not be naming their updates, but if they were, this one would be the Romance Update. It increases the max NPC heart level (your approval meter for the various townsfolk) from six to eight, adds new heart and dialogue events for the new max level, and even introduces a dating mechanic.

It's worth noting, the eight-heart event has separate "Romance" and "Best Friend" routes, which is great news for those of us who just want to spend more time with the non-romanceable NPCs like Olric or Dozy. However, the "dating mechanic" feature remains mysterious–presumably it will introduce cutscenes or some sort of quest for going on dates with romanceable NPCs, similar to the scenes you unlock for heart events.

While romance is the highlight of the upcoming update, it's not the only thing to look forward to. If you like hoarding all the items in the game like me, you'll be excited to hear there are going to be new museum sets and rewards as well as new cosmetic drops from monsters. You may notice some new faces in the mines, too, since there are new monsters coming.

If you've hit a wall on those pricey house expansions, this update will help with that. It includes an additional home upgrade along with new furniture and decor, larger storage chests, and even a greenhouse. The storage chest UI is getting a refresh, as well (hopefully it will include a "deposit similar" button).

To top it all off, we're also getting two new unlockable Saturday Market vendors, an increased max town renown level, increased max skill levels, new skill perks, and a mysterious new festival.

If you haven't given Fields of Mistria a try yet, now is the perfect time. It has quickly become my favorite cozy game, unseating Stardew Valley thanks to its nostalgic art style, great music, fantastic NPC cast, and engaging lore that delves into magic and archaeology. The NPCs are arguably the best part of the game, though, which is exactly why the July update is the perfect reason to return to Fields of Mistria or dive in for the first time.