Recent reviews by Azzy

I can't recommend this game, I simply can't. I tried very hard to enjoy it and love it, but the further I got into the game, the harder it became to play.

- The art style clash
The art for the datable dads, the background, and the player's dad are all VASTLY different, and it's noticable most when actually playing the game. The dads you can date are hyper realistic and detailed, where the backgrounds are bland, flat, too bright and unrealistic. The player dad is something you'd expect to see as a forum avatar. My dad's hair wasn't even colored in all the way, which left a very ugly white outline between the line and the color.

- "Voice acting?"
The game is described as being voiced, which to me means I won't have to sit through walls of text with nothing but music to listen to. Unfortunately, this game isn't voiced, it's grunted, with every character having about a dozen or so grunts, groans, moans, and sighs that consist of their "voices." Most of the time you'll get a dad saying "Dude" when the text reads anything but that. It clashes with the story, and it really shouldn't have been there in the first place. Either fully voice act the game as I'm sure we expected, or don't claim it to be voice acted and have there be no grunting. The middle ground we got was lack luster at best.

- Boring
The story is hardly compelling at all. There are moments of charm, like the interactions you have with your daughter, but otherwise you're stuck with bland text that never ends. Even character dialogue switches from "nervous dad trying to fit in" to "alien who is trying to fit in." Through the two hours I put into the game, it took about five or six different sessions because I just couldn't justify sitting down to listen to grown men (and my daughter) grunt while being harassed by the never ending text.

- Bethesda choices
When you're prompted with a choice (however rare it is), they all feel like they'll lead to the same end most of the time. It's like the classic example from Fallout 4. No (Yes), Sarcastic (Yes), Hesitant (Yes), Yes (Yes). Very rarely did I think my choices matter, and I was often rewarded with arbitrary clouds of hearts or blackness (I suppose that's my favor with that person when dating them, but why does my daughter do the same thing?). Even though it's a story-based game, I would have liked some sort of explanation of what was going on, rather than fumbling to try and find a meaning.

- Pointless "dates"
I went for "dates" with Robert to only find that he ignored me for the entire day, then I was rewarded with points, skills, and a score? I didn't do anything with him, and I somehow got a C rank? If this is supposed to be a joke, they should try a little harder, because with all the flourish and offical looks of it, it seemed like it was supposed to be how I actually progressed in the game.
EDIT: In the comments I have been made aware that this is the natural function of the game, but I believe it still echoes my earlier point of "some sort of explanation of what was going on, rather than fumbling to try and find a meaning."

- Cost
This game was fifteen dollars, and I can't for the life of me see why. Especially when the promised features are more like flops, I couldn't justify paying ten dollars for the game, much less the asking price of fifteen. At seven I would perhaps consider it, but it's just unrealistic as it stands.

I have put in my request for a refund and I honestly couldn't recommend this game to anyone, especially with the current market of competitors.

Oh lord, where to begin. Stardew Valley is a charming, laid-back, free-for-all game that I'm sure most would enjoy. The art, though stylized, is absolutely stunning and the accompanying music is well-rounded and beautiful. There are moments where the music stops, but this allows the player to just listen to the world they live in; hear the wind run through the trees, the water in the river, or simply the nothingness. The characters are all alive, and act like real people, who grow and develop as you get to know them. The problems in the tiny community are relatable, like a big cooperation trying to take over and push out the small businesses.

There’s farming, fishing, mining, foraging, and fighting. Yes, this game has a combat system, though it is simple and very straight-forward.

The goals set forth by the game are very gentle, and players are gently guided to achieving those goals via quests.
Nothing is impossible, and there’s a million different ways to play the game. Each of the 5 skills branches off into two options at rank five, and then two more (“class”-specific, from rank 5) options at rank 10.

Players can live the single life, or get married, with the option of having kids. Pets are adopted, and farm animals may be purchased if that’s your sort of thing.

Bimonthly festivals show the rich culture of Stardew Valley, and give the town more personality. Rare or exclusive items can be found at the festivals, either for straight purchase, or to win.

Secrets and mysteries abound throughout the game, though none are impossible to figure out or get to.

Stardew Valley is the first game I’ve felt compelled to write a review for. It’s such a great game, in my opinion. But if you’re wondering if it’s for you, here’s my tips:

Read the description.

Watch the trailer.

Do you think you’ll like it?

Odds are you probably will, so go get it.