Stardew Valley doesn’t have to farm for your appreciation

Cozy gaming is a relatively new term in the gaming community used to describe low stakes, relaxing games. One of the most popular and defining titles of the pseudo-genre is Stardew Valley.

Released officially in 2016, and still receiving updates, Stardew Valley dominates the cozy gaming community from console to pc to mobile.

As per usual, dear reader, there will be a handful of spoilers, so consider yourself warned.

Graphics: 5/5

Stardew Valley features a classic two dimensional, 16 bit aesthetic but with a vibrancy unobtainable for older games. Each sprite is carefully made and unique.

Such an artstyle is timeless and unaffected by changing graphic standards. As such, Stardew Valley’s longevity is increased beyond other games fruitlessly fighting for the most realistic graphics possible. As such, it can also appeal to players with lesser hardware capabilities due to fewer requirements.

Storytelling: 4/5

Story isn’t the main point of Stardew Valley, and yet it manages to tell a charming little tale. The farmer is a self-insert with little known about them aside from their working for Joja Corporation before quitting in favor of running their late grandfather’s farm.

There are two main story choices presented throughout the game. The main choice is that you can fix up the community center or give into Joja Corporation. Fixing the community center all the way locks you out of the Joja Corporation run and vice versa. Your second choice is more like a series of smaller choices and one slightly bigger one. You can befriend every character and romance 12 of them, six bachelors and six bachelorettes. Marriage is the biggest relationship choice, but you can divorce and remarry, so it isn’t permanent.

Characters: 4/5

There are 34 characters you can build a relationship with across 10 hearts. The 12 romanceable characters have a special cutscene that unlocks every two hearts. They also have four extra hearts with two associated heart events. After reaching full hearts and completing all heart events, dialogue with a character doesn’t take long to become repetitive. Luckily, this takes a good bit of time.

All of the characters are well thought out with dynamic schedules, intricate relationships and personalized likes and dislikes. Their designs are unique, yet you can point out features that related characters share despite a simplistic artstyle.

My biggest character-based complaint would have to be the lack of character player’s children have. They have no dialogue, no schedule, no likes or dislikes, the same appearance no matter what and have no impact on gameplay whatsoever.

Game Mechanics: 5/5

Farming, the core mechanic of the game, is intuitive with season restrictions and day counters keeping things fresh. Fertilizers and other additives help players maximize profit and time when it comes to farming. Fishing is random while maintaining a season and weather-based schedule to keep players on their toes. Luck isn’t a massive factor, but it is a component. Most of the game relies on time and a bit of skill.

Stardew Valley is also multiplayer. Up to eight people can all play on the same farm. Online and couch co-op are available as well. Multiplayer is available on all platforms, though console is limited to four players. However, cross play is not supported.

Controls: 5/5

Stardew Valley controls are simple and intuitive. There’s no need for camera movement, as each screen is fixed to show a certain area. The fishing minigame can be difficult, but that’s both intentional and can be worked around using in-game items.

Accessibility: 5/5

Stardew Valley is available on PC, PlayStation 4 & 5, Switch 1 and 2, Xbox One and Series X/S for $14.99. It is also available on mobile for $4.99 on the Apple App Store and $7.99 on the Google Play Store.

28/30 Grade: A

Stardew Valley is one of the best cozy games out there. Hours of content to play through, endearing characters and the satisfaction of optimizing your own agricultural empire all keep players coming back for more.