Stardew Valley (PC, 2016)

A rich, heartwarming farm sim that has captivated millions of gamers.

Nostalgia Factor: High. My love for the classic Harvest Moon series is definitely an influence here.
Difficulty: Easy to Medium. There’s freedom to go at your own pace, but also some challenges for those who seek them out.

It’s hard to know where to start with Stardew Valley. This game has captivated me to a degree I haven’t experienced in years. The magic I experienced playing through Harvest Moon 64 in my younger days has not only been recaptured here, but also expanded and improved upon, well beyond expectations.

Eric Barone, aka ConcernedApe, spent four and a half years working solo to complete Stardew Valley — all of the design, graphics, art, music, programming, story, everything. What started as a simple project to pad his resume turned into a labor of love that has consumed his life. All these years later, after more than 20 million copies have been sold, Eric continues to invest in Stardew with regular content updates. His dedication to his craft is abundantly clear.

Warning: in the same way that the making of Stardew Valley consumed Eric’s life, playing this game may consume yours. Of course, it’s not for everyone, but for those that do get drawn in, it’s an addicting, consuming, and deeply rewarding experience.

Stardew is an excellent farm sim. Barone’s goal was to glean from the best of the Harvest Moon / Story of Seasons series and bring it all into one game. I believe he’s accomplished that goal. Farming is streamlined and fun, yet still time-consuming enough at the start to motivate you towards upgrading your tools and crafting powerful sprinklers, etc. Simply clearing your field might normally feel like a chore, but the charming pixel graphics, the music, and the incredible sound effects turn that task into an addictive gameplay loop. It’s deeply satisfying to slowly see the fruits of your labor increase as you, day by day, transform an overgrown abandoned lot into a beautiful and efficient farm.

There’s sooooo much to do in Stardew Valley. You can fish, forage, mine, battle monsters, collect resources, craft items, raise and care for animals, and of course, farm crops. There are over 50 different kinds of fish that you can catch, depending on the location, weather, and season. Plus, the fishing mini-game is actually fun (at least I think so). How many levels deep can you spelunk in the mines? Did you find enough ore before running out of energy? Make sure you bring an upgraded sword or collect those minerals quickly, because the mines are full of a variety of different monsters.

You can farm the most lucrative crops just to save up money and construct new buildings on your farm, or you can plant a variety of different crops in order to complete specific bundles which bring a challenge to the game while also progressing the main story.

Speaking of story, the nearby Pelican Town is chock full of dozens of well-written characters with tons of dialogue, interactions, romance options, gift preferences, and more. Don’t miss the many town festivals, competitions, or open markets (or if you do miss one, you can always go next year), and be sure to befriend the villagers in order to unlock over 250 character events in the game.

I think one of the main strengths of Stardew Valley is the replayability. I love talking with other Stardew fans about their choices. Who did you romance and marry? What’s your main spring crop? Did you complete the bundles? What’s the wizard’s favorite gift again?

Years ago, I played this game non-stop until I “completed” everything that I set out to do. Recently, I felt that tug and decided to play again, starting a brand new farm, making different choices, romancing a different character, exploring the new content updates that had come out since the last time. I’ve now spent over 160+ IRL hours in the world of Stardew, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.

I’m not quite ready yet, but I imagine in a year or two I’ll be ready for yet another Stardew Valley adventure — unless, of course, Eric’s next game is ready, The Haunted Chocolatier. Please, I implore you, whether you are into farm sims or not, give Stardew Valley a try. You may find yourself as captivated as I’ve been.