Sneak Peek: Stardew Valley

Traffic, smog, those annoying scooters littering the sidewalk—life in the big city isn’t easy. Maybe a getaway is in order. And there’s no better way to lower your heart rate than a trip to Stardew Valley.

Now available for pre-order on the App Store, this superb indie game gives you the keys to a spacious farm in need of a little love. Breathe in the fresh air as you pull weeds, plant seeds, harvest crops, feed livestock, and sell goods to transform your rustic homestead into a beautiful, self-sustaining home.

Stardew Valley is about much more than farming, however. You also nurture relationships with other townsfolk, reel in fish from local ponds, and explore mysterious caverns. Watch the seasons change as you make a peaceful virtual life in this charming rural universe.

Developer Eric Barone, who spent years building Stardew Valley piece by piece, knew a few things had to change in its move to mobile.

“The most important thing to get right was the controls,” he says. “Stardew Valley was originally designed to work with mouse and keyboard. Translating that to touch controls was a major change, and it needed to feel completely intuitive and seamless.”

It's certainly more convenient. Your farmer will now avoid obstacles and automatically switch to the appropriate tool for the job at hand.

“Little shortcuts like that makes the game ‘smarter’ and allows it to feel great on iOS,” Barone says.

Life on Stardew Valley’s farm might not be entirely stress-free—those ripe apricots aren’t going to pick themselves—but the game’s mellow pacing and emphasis on exploration give it a zen-like appeal. Even if you’re too busy to build an agricultural empire, you’ll feel a real sense of accomplishment each time you play.

If you’re already a Stardew fan—or just curious what the buzz is all about—you won’t have to wait long to play it on your iPhone or iPad.

Stardew Valley

ConcernedApe's hit farm RPG

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