WHAT WE’RE PLAYING
Welcome to Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley
ConcernedApe's hit farm RPG
Moments into Stardew Valley, you’re whisked away from a sad gray office cubicle and dropped into a charming dreamlike world of farming and friendship. Jarring? Sure. Refreshing? Like pouring an iced tea on a stack of quarterly reports.
Ostensibly, Stardew Valley is a farming simulation: Plant and harvest crops, catch fish, sell your wares, and buy raw materials to develop a little farm of your very own. But that’s only half the fun. What lies beyond the farm—the relationships you nurture, the plot lines you follow, and the mysteries you unravel—transforms Stardew Valley into one of the best indie games of its time.
It’s incredibly flexible too. Want to maximize your farm’s yield for huge profits? Go for it. Chat up the nearby townsfolk? Perhaps fall in love and start a family? You can do that as well. The more you explore, the more Stardew’s surprisingly rich world gives back.
Remarkably, all of this was created by just one man. Eric Barone made his magnum opus over the course of four and a half years, teaching himself game development as he went.
“I wanted to play a game that gave me the same sense of wonder that the old-school Harvest Moon games did, but with more content and modern gameplay features,” Barone says. “That game just didn’t exist, so I decided to create it myself.”
Stardew Valley’s depth and diversity has made it the subject of countless player-made videos revealing hidden features. Several years after its initial release, it still holds a few undiscovered secrets.
“There may be one or two very obscure Easter eggs I’ve never seen anyone mention,” teases Barone.
And for what appears to be a cutesy, retro farming game, there’s real bite to the story line. Stardew Valley has a message beyond growth and harmony.
The omnipresent Joja Corporation frequently promotes its retail outlet, soft drink line, and various other (vaguely sinister) ventures throughout the game. It’s “the embodiment of unbridled crony-capitalism,” says Barone, but the premise is more nuanced.
“Somewhat ironically, you as the protagonist own a for-profit farm, become enormously wealthy as a result, and pay no taxes whatsoever,” says Barone.
“Choosing to follow your dreams, form real relationships, and help out your neighbors makes for a better life than being greedy,” he adds.
Stardew Valley is a great many things: retro farming sim, role-playing game, pin-sharp social commentary. It's a welcome escape into a world less civilized but far more civil. Turn on your out-of-office message, grab a virtual shovel, and dig in.