Stardew valley is among the best games I have ever played. Playing this game even for a moment whisks you away to the reality of pelican town, a place where you don’t have to deal with the stress of the real world and you can chill by the beach and fish with an old irish man, explore mines wrought with monsters and treasure, or just sit down at the stardrop saloon and listen to the ragtime while you have a drink.
I’ll start this review by saying that everything I mention is but the tip of the iceberg. I haven’t even scratched the surface that is the white whale of content in this game. The first thing I’ll address is the progression of the game; it gives you a lot of freedoms but still rewards your progress and gives you the perfect amount of quests and achievements to keep you enticed but not enough to suffocate the player. Totally optional occasional daily quests and bulletin board objectives continue to generate new content for the player without forcing them to go out of their way. The variety of play styles is truly astounding, with each skill having its own in depth quest line and objectives. Each skill line is expertly incorporated into the other and gently encouraged without being a requirement.
Next, I want to talk about the relationships. Having reached 10 hearts with Willy (I brag about that as much as I can, it took a long time) I know a thing or two about the relationship side of the game. Is it realistic? No. Is it a well made mechanic that wasn’t necessary but they added it anyway? Yes. Each character has their own motivations, likes, dislikes, dreams, goals, etc. The writing is unique to each character with a few repeated lines but it never really feels like a chore to talk to the characters because they feel like real people; when I go fishing with Willy, I feel like I’m relaxing with an old buddy of mine and when I’m at the riverside trying to talk to Haley but she’s too busy taking pictures, I really feel like I’m being ignored (also when it literally says “Haley is ignoring you” when you try to talk to her sometimes). The characters are all their own separate people and forming a relationship with them is a truly cathartic experience.
The third aspect of this game that I’ll discuss is one that improves every other aspect of the game, and that is Rarecrows. Just kidding, it’s the soundtrack. I’m usually the type of person to listen to music while I play games (pm me if you want any cool playlists) but I don’t really feel the need to when I’m playing Stardew Valley because the music is some of the best in any game, perfectly emulating the relaxation and satisfaction you experience while playing. Sometimes I’ll even play Stardew music while I’m playing a different game or doing homework or studying. The soundtrack is simple and relaxing, and It’s one of the few that I listen to when I’m not playing the game (it’s on par with “Jump up Superstar”, I don’t say that about many soundtracks.
In conclusion, buy this game. It’s worth it. I can’t imagine a day when I’ll be bored with it.