there's a lot of game like that, but unfortunately i didn't quite remember it all. this just a list on top of my head:
love season or farmer's dream(renpy fan version, the original is rpgm and sandbox heavy)
by the same developer musex, almost the same story with slight variations, one of the LI is your childhood friend.
Esteria
unfortunately it's on hold for now, because the dev focusing on their other games. one of the LI is your childhood friend. not really much content for now, and a very little element of sanbox, but fantastic story building about old kingdoms era you should at least check it out.
Price of power
to be honest, i haven't played this yet but it's defenitely on my shortlist. it has a lot of chapters already, so i assume there's a fair amount of content. but im sure it's a story about a journey with your childhood friend.
Rise of the crime lord
there's a lot of LI in this one, two of them is a childhood friend. but you have a wife, and has an element of ntr on it. but you are fully control of it in the story, cause you control mainly the husband and sometimes the wife, both of them have different LI's and relationship paths. i dont know if ur interested or not, ntr and multiple protag tends to be unpopular. but i assure you the story is so freaking good, it's about a guy's journey rising to become a crime lord. at least check on it.
well, that's all i could remember for now. hope that helps.
