You realize that your job at an office is soul sucking and a dead end. In an effort to make a positive change, you pick up and move to Stardew Valley where your grandfather had a farm. The place has been left to nature though, and so begins your journey to restore the farm to its former glory. This is Stardew Valley, a game along the same lines as Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon.
Stardew Valley’s systems are quite intricate, but they are given to you at a slow and controlled pace. Because of this, you’re never overwhelmed as you learn how everything interacts. Everything in Stardew Valley has a purpose. It’s all tied together with the goal of growing your farm. Even sections that don’t make sense at first, like the mines, tie back together to give you materials with which to craft new machines and items for your farm.
The most satisfying part of maintaining your farm is learning how everything works, and using that to build upon the land. You’ll start small, but as you play the farm opens up. You plant more seeds, make more money, and now you’ve got a chicken coop. Suddenly you have eggs as a new resource. After that comes a barn with cows. Milk gives way to cheese, or cream. The game continues like this, constantly introducing new things to go you in order to keep you satisfied and wanting more at the same time.
Beyond the gameplay though, is the game’s charm. There’s something very lighthearted about the aesthetic and tone of Stardew Valley. Part of this is due to the art style. The entire game is drawn in pixel art. The whole game gives off a feeling of nostalgia. It feels like something that could easily have fit into the catalog of the SNES.
A great deal of the charm also comes from the people of Stardew Valley. Each and every one of them has a specific routine that they follow throughout the course of a week. This allows you to get to know more as characters instead of just filler material. There’s also a romance angle that you can take with many of the inhabitants that isn’t restricted by gender. Such a touch is welcome in this modern day and age.
Stardew Valley is one of those games that will sneak up on you. It feels quaint at first, like you know exactly what it’s going to ask of you. But as time goes on, you’ll realize that there’s far more than meets the eye. Stardew Valley is a game that fans of genre and those who have never played a game such as this should check out. You’ll easily find it to be one of the most endearing gaming experiences in recent memory.
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