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"Stardew Valley" is a cozy farming simulation game. Moving from the a soulless corporate job to their grandpas old farm, the player is given a new life in a sleepy village, integrating with the residents and building a prosperous farm.
Summary[]
You've inherited your grandfather's old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home? It won't be easy. Ever since Joja Corporation came to town, the old ways of life have all but disappeared. The community center, once the town's most vibrant hub of activity, now lies in shambles. But the valley seems full of opportunity. With a little dedication, you might just be the one to restore Stardew Valley to greatness![1]
Development[]
ConcernedApe started this game as an homage to "Harvest Moon" and to have something in his programming portfolio. He began working on "Stardew Valley" in 2012 and released it in 2016. He was praised for creating the game independently, as its sole designer, programmer, animator, artist, composer, and writer. To complete the game, he worked 10 hours a day, seven days a week, for four and a half years. For part of that time, he and his Amber Hageman lived with his parents to save money before moving out with his girlfriend to Capitol Hill, Seattle. During this time, his girlfriend worked two jobs to support the both of them while Barone worked a part-time job as an evening usher at the Paramount Theatre.
First released on February 22, 2016, "Stardew Valley" has since become one of the more popular indie games of the late 2010s and early 2020s, with over 30 million copies sold according to Statista.
ConcernApe is currently working on two more game. One of these is Haunted Chocolatier. This game as preview shots show, it's more a dungeon crawler and crafting game.
- Absurdly Spacious Sewer: One exists below Pelican Town.
- Abusive Parents: According to Alex, his father would verbally berate him and his mother and was an alcoholic. He's one of the only people in Pelican Town who never sets foot in Stardrop Saloon unless during certain cutscenes where every villager is there.
- All Love Is Unrequited: If you speak to Marlon at the Flower Dance, he'll make a comment about how nice Marnie looks, but since she's in a relationship with Lewis (albeit one they aren't open about), he doesn't act on it.
- Aloof Big Brother: Sebastian and Maru aren't very close, with Maru lamenting Sebastian doesn't talk to her much and Sebastian commenting if he moves in with the farmer that he's sure Maru is happy he's gone.
- Anachronism Stew: Television and computers exist alongside manual farming and mining techniques. And Dinosaurs
- Big Brother Instinct: Sam to Vincent, reassuring his little brother when the latter worries about whether their dad will come home from fighting overseas.
- Both Sides Have A Point: Abigail and Caroline frequently argue about how Abigail thinks Pierre and Caroline treat her like a child and are constantly trying to force her into being more girly, but Caroline points out that they're letting Abigail stay with them rent-free and she's always sneaking out and being somewhat disrespectful to her parents.
- During a cutscene with Sam and Mayor Lewis, Lewis will scold Sam for skating on Emily and Haley's property. Sam counters that if there was anywhere else for him to skate, he'd happily go there instead, but the town doesn't have anywhere. You can take either side or stay out of it, with Lewis eventually apologising for yelling but telling Sam to be more careful, to which Sam agrees.
- Broken Bridge: Some paths are blocked until the player progresses.
- Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: George and Evelyn make up this pairing, George being curmudgeonly and bitter while Evelyn is kind and sweet.
- Character Customization: The player can customize their character at the start of the game.
- Drowning My Sorrows: Shane is shown on one of his cutscenes.
- An Entrepreneur Is You: The player is tasked with operating the farm their Grandpa gave to them.
- Fantastic Racism: There was some kind of war between the Dwarves and the Shadow People, and Krobus and the Dwarf hate each other for this reason.
- Father Neptune: Willy is a fisherman who lives by the sea, encouraging residents to take up fishing.
- Fishing for Sole: It’s possible to fish up an unbelievable amount of trash.
- Fishing Minigame: One exists as part of the fishing mechanic.
- Friend To All Children: Since Pelican Town doesn't have a school, Penny takes it upon herself to take Vincent and Jas to the library every day and helping them learn how to read.
- Frontier Doctor: Harvey serves as one to the rural Pelican Town.
- Game Mod: There are mods that can change the looks of trees and buildings. There are even mods that can make undateable characters dateable or add more characters. The are even language mods that change the language in the game.
- Goddamn Bats: In the caves, bats are a frequent, annoying enemy. Though you can also get useful bats in the cave on your farm that bring you rare fruit, which is very useful for completing the bundles in the Community Centre.
- Granola Girl: Emily, who's cutscenes often involve her meditating or doing yoga or asking you to fetch her crystals for quests.
- Leah as well to a point, having also chosen to leave the city and move to the countryside like the Farmer to pursue art. She also hates any gift that is processed food like ice cream or pizza, and she's the only villager who likes receiving driftwood as a gift.
- Hello, Insert Name Here: The player can select their name.
- Innocently Insensitive: One cutscene has George trying to get a letter at the back of his mailbox, but is unable to due to being in a wheelchair. Penny will spot this as she passes by and tries to help, but moves George's wheelchair out of the way without asking. You have the option to call her out on this if you choose.
- In Year 2 onwards, you can walk into Sam's house to find Jodi making popcorn. The loud noise sets of Kent's PTSD and he yells at her about it, though he apologises for shouting and Jodi apologises for forgetting Kent's sensitivity to sounds.
- Irony: Haley's profile states that she's was popular in high school but Emily has by far more friends than her in Pelican Town (and has a pen pal, Sandy), Haley mostly hangs around with Alex.
- You can befriend villagers very quickly if you bring their favorite gifts on their birthdays. Shane's birthday is in Spring and one of them is beer, so you can essentially befriend Shane early by enabling his drinking problem.
- It's All About Me: Mayor Lewis. He has a golden statue of himself made with taxpayer's money and he insists that Marnie keeps their relationship a secret because it might compromise his position as Mayor.
- A Homeowner Is You: The player character is given their Grandfathers old cottage at the start of the game.
- An Interior Designer Is You: The player can decorate their home.
- In-Universe Game Clock: This mostly determines what shops and NPC locations are open on a day to day level, and the crops available on a seasonal one.
- Lady Drunk: Pam, Penny's mother, spends pretty much every night in the Stardrop Saloon and will be too insensible to speak to you after a certain time.
- Legendary Catfish: Several legendary fish exist.
- Local Hangout: Gus operates a bar in Pelican town.
- Lovable Alpha Bitch: Haley is standoffish to the player when you first meet her, but do her Heart Events and she'll warm up to you and reveal herself to be this.
- Lovable Jock: Alex is one.
- Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe: Pierre will confess to the Player if you speak to him enough that he worries that Abigail might not be his biological daughter.
- Mega Corp: Joja's workplace is seen in the intro, as employees work in cubicles under human and camera surveillance. A shot pans across several cubicles, showing a drug addled worker as well as a skeleton.
- Oblivious To Love: Emily has no idea Clint has a crush on her, even though he comes to Stardrop Saloon every night just to watch her while she's at work and he'll request for you to bring Emily an amethyst from him, but she'll misunderstand and think you bought it from Clint for her.
- The Prankster: Sam loves to play pranks, Sebastian says he leads the town in community service because of this and if you speak to him at the Moonlight Jellies festival, he'll debate pushing Sebastian in as a joke before deciding against it.
- Promotion To Parent: Non-sibling example, but since Jas lost her parents when she was a baby, she's being looked after by Marnie and Shane, who is her godfather.
- Ridiculously Cute Critter: The Junimos, being cute little blob creatures with eyes and squeaky voices.
- RPG Elements: Various stats can be improved.
- Seadog Beard: Willy has a scruffy beard.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: When Kent, Sam and Vince's dad and Jodi's husband, returns from fighting overseas, it's clear his time spend in the army has done a number on him.
- Shout Out: The Trash Bear is a pretty obvious shout-out to My Neighbor Totoro.
- Show Within a Show: The television can be watched to see a weather forecast or fortune teller.
- Spiritual Successor: To the classic 2D Story of Seasons Games, albeit with numerous deviations from that formula and polishing that makes it its own experience.
- The Stoner: Robin will comment on finding a "weird smelling cigarette" when she was cleaning Sebastian's room.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Haley loves Pink Cake and even writes to Queen of Sauce for the recipe on how to make it.
- Sebastian loves Sashimi and Pumpkin Soup.
- Two Guys And a Girl: Sam, Sebastian and Abigail sometimes form this trio, having their own band together.
- Video Game Caring Potential: You can support the locals in a number of ways, helping residents overcome their problems and bringing the community together
- Video Game Cruelty Potential: Supporting JoJa Mart to the detriment of the community.
- Virtual Paper Doll: Clothes can be dragged and dropped off the character model in the inventory screen.
- Woman Scorned: The Wizard states he and the Witch used to be married but after they split she flies around cursing people.
- Year X: The start of the game takes place "XX Years later" following Grandpa giving the player character their letter.
- You No Take Candle: The Bear talks like this in the secret note, which is to be expected since he's a bear.