Game Review: Stardew Valley

The+Stardew+Valley+game+logo

The “Stardew Valley” game logo

Stardew Valley is a role playing video game released February 26, 2016 by indie game developer ConcernedApe. The game allows players to start a farm, fight monsters, go fishing, and become friends with members of the idyllic Pelican Town. The game has overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam, the largest provider for digital copies of PC video games, and is available on PC, Xbox 1, and Playstation 4 for 15 dollars.

Stardew Valley can be played any way the player sees fit, whether they want to adopt animals, plant crops, mine for ore and gems, become a master fisher, or forage for rare artifacts. You can play the game at a relaxing pace, enjoying the change of seasons and slowly becoming friends with local villagers, or you can try and cram as much activity as you can into one day, racing around the expansive town to get everything you can done at once. Your game is divided into four 28 day seasons, starting with Spring. Each season has different environmental art, crops, weather, music, and events. Every week, there are various birthdays, random events, and quests to enjoy in addition to the usual farm management.
Stardew Valley never really ‘finishes’, with the only goal being to rebuild your grandfather’s town and become a happy citizen of Pelican Town. You can marry one of 12 bachelors or bachelorettes, adopt a dog or cat, have children, and settle down into the domestic life if you want. Stardew Valley offers the player a place where they have an incredible creative power and control over their farm and their life.