Stardew Valley

Hello guys! Today I would like to talk about Stardew Valley, a game that Jaconian got me for our anniversary--something he probably regrets because it's all I do now! Anyway, this is just a short piece to show my appreciation for the game rather than a review. So Stardew Valley. The story goes that the developer created this game 1) to teach himself coding, and 2) because he loved Harvest Moon but wanted more out of it. Harvest Moon was one of my favorite games as a kid, and Stardew Valley does a great job of using that nostalgia while still creating something new.

The concept is that you inherit a farm from your grandpa, and you leave your boring cubicle job at a soulless corporation in order to live a chiller, more fulfilling life in Pelican Town. You start with a property that's covered in debris, not knowing anybody, and it's your mission to create a thriving farm, get to know the community, and discover all the cool weird shit that Pelican Town has going on. Did you know you can befriend a wizard? Hatch a dinosaur? Grow fruit from ancient seeds?

Now look, I love my job. And I have no illusions about how hard it is to run even a hobby farm IRL. BUT! the escapist in me loves this. Anything is possible and everything is positive. Even the mean characters --ahem, Shane-- are good at heart. Consequences are few and far in between (unless you run out of health in the mines, DO NOT do that), but you do still have to work for your rewards. I think I'm at the point now where I've completed all of the main story line and am just cruising through, harvesting pomegranates and turning goat milk into chevre cheese.

 I guess some people get really serious about it and make spreadsheets planning out maximum farm efficiency, but I don't like to play that way. Because after a long day of slogging through traffic like the city slicker I am, I just want to relax, pet some chickens, and hang out at my farm in Stardew Valley.