16-bit  farming has never been so fun!

Stardew Valley came out at a time when the market was already overloaded with farming sim games. It’s also oftentimes compared to pioneering games in the genre such as Harvest Moon (the classic farming game from the SNES era). However, ConcernedApe Barone (the game’s sole developer) added some “small” twists to the formula that resulted in a big hit.

Some of these added tropes and mechanics that make Stardew Valley stand out from its peers may seem unorthodox to a great majority of purists. In fact, some of these additions would have been deemed preposterous if they were included in other similar titles but, for various reasons (which we’ll be disclosing throughout this review), Stardew Valley gets a pass.

The grandfather's letter is the beginning of it all, and it is also a point of the game that hits the player's heart. Under the soothing and profound music, the grandfather left the best gift he could give to the protagonist—a leisurely and arbitrary life.

The first element of the sense of substitution is resonance. As a member of all living beings, we are inevitably changed by society. Have your childhood dreams compromised? Are you struggling to become an elite in the eyes of others?

The protagonist is the same as us, or rather, we are the same as the protagonist.

And the protagonist has Stardew Valley, we have <Stardew Valley>

Keeping It Simple

Stardew Valley’s simplicity is not only reflected in its art style (which is enticing in its own right) but also in its very premise. You won’t find a grand “save the world” narrative here. You’re just a deceased farmer’s grandson (or granddaughter) who’s determined to take care of the family farm and do what it takes to save it from total ruin.

From the get-go, this title is not that different from Harvest Moon or similar titles. As with Harvest Moon, you get to mingle with people from the nearby town (Pelican Town), with a chance of “getting hitched” with any of the townsfolk marked as “single” (and I mean any quite literally!) You likewise have to deal with the same weather and day/night cycles, both of which will also affect how you approach your farming duties.

Farming here involves a lot of micromanagement and keeping track of your energy, which is your allowance for using tools or moving things around. You’d have to make sure to water your crops constantly and pet your cattle in order to ensure better yield, but you also have to seek ways to restore your energy by sleeping or eating properly.

Down the road, you’ll get ahold of various tools that will aid in simplifying your farming sessions so that you can focus more on adventuring or tending to other family needs.