| Stardew Valley | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | DLC & Pre-Order | Review |
Leave your old life behind and live out your new one in the country town of Stardew Valley! Read on to learn how it plays, what it’s about, and everything else we know so far.
Stardew Valley Gameplay
Farming
Stardew Valley is a very open-ended game with a multitude of features that players can engage with however and whenever they like.
They can proceed with the expected route of farming, where they’ll have to clear sufficient space of land to make way for their crops. Farmers can till the soil, acquire seeds from the shop or by other means, plant them, and water them daily until they’re ready to harvest. Afterwards, they can either be stored for food or crafting, or be sold for a profit. This is the main gameplay loop of farming throughout a season. At the end of a season, the previous seeds and crops can no longer be planted, and players must seek out the new seasonal crops. A year has four seasons, each with unique conditions and crops to grow.
Animal Care
Alongside the flora, gamers can also take care of the fauna. They can house several unique farm animals and take care of them from youth to adulthood. Raising them and keeping them happy shall produce animal products such as eggs, milk, truffles, and wool, which can be used as food, crafting ingredients, or sold.
Mining and Combat
Farming is only the surface of Stardew, as players can venture deep into the mines to collect ores while battling enemies that reside in caves. Amassing ores and precious metals will allow them to upgrade equipment and improve tools, increasing combat efficiency or even in farming.
Fishing
Aside from the earth, players can move to any site of water to fish. They can proceed to the ocean, rivers, or even the small lakes and ponds scattered across Stardew Valley, as any body of water is a viable fishing spot, teeming with aquatic creatures waiting to be reeled in.
Foraging
Farmers can also explore the valley and collect wild plants, berries, and other natural resources, such as wood and stone, that are needed to construct buildings and craft new items. Forageable goods differ from season to season, and can be the best sources for a quick snack if the farmer runs low on energy!
Fostering Relationships
This gameplay mechanic revolves around befriending villagers and building bonds through gift-giving and daily conversation. For the bachelors and bachelorettes, pursuing a romantic relationship with them is possible once the affection level is high enough, and it may eventually lead to marriage and having children.
Each character in Pelican Town has their own distinct personality, gift preferences, backstories, and daily schedule. Some of them may send the farmer a range of gifts as their bond with the player grows. Going into town and meeting the villagers will provide them with their own services, such as advice or quests.
The sense of community also comes alive during annual local events, such as festivals and fishing competitions, providing depth into the dynamics among the characters.
Customization
One of the most beloved gameplay features by fans is the customization for the farmer, their house, farm, and even the rest of the valley—as long as objects don't get in the way of NPCs' walking paths. There is a vast array of decorative items in furniture catalogues, as well as other purchasable decor. Players are free to construct and arrange the buildings on their farm however they want, resulting in creative layouts that the Stardew community shares among themselves. There is also a tailoring mechanic where players can sew new outfits for themselves from different materials, and easily access these attire combinations from a mannequin.
Multiplayer
Stardew Valley allows up to eight players to share the same farm and work together to revitalize the farm. Each player has their own cabin and can pursue individual goals, but everyone shares the same resources, overall progress, and profit. Two players can also marry each other.
The "Four Corners" farm is the most recommended farm layout for the multiplayer mode as it divides the land into four quadrants, each offering features from other farm maps: a thriving forageable area, an ample farming space, a fishing pond, and a small quarry.
Stardew Valley Story Plot
Stardew Valley Story
You are a burnt-out office employee in a dead-end job, wasting your life away, craving a miracle that will bring some excitement to your life. One day, you receive a letter from your granda from the countryside. He confirms that he’s passing on soon and decides to leave his unkept farm for you to inherit. You immediately take him up on the opportunity as you leave everything behind to move to Stardew Valley.
As you arrive, you’re met with a rundown and messy farm that has obviously seen better days. Lewis, the mayor of Stardew Valley, welcomes you to the town and sets you off on your own adventure into the unknown.
Your new life will be your own story to write, with many different characters to meet, relationships to build, and perhaps love to be found. Tend to your crops, decorate your farm, feed your animals, mine rare ores, craft and upgrade tools, and cook to your heart’s desire.
Stardew Valley Setting
The game unfolds in Stardew Valley, a quiet, peaceful region on the southern coast of the Ferngill Republic. It is nestled in a valley where the player inherits their grandfather's old farm. Most of the townsfolk reside in Pelican Town. Occasionally, the characters would visit Zuzu City and the Fern Islands in the south.
Stardew Valley's geographic features include farmland, forests, a desert, a beach, a mountain, and caves.
Stardew Valley Characters
Farmer
Players take on the role of Stardew Valley's farmer (male or female) who inherited their grandpa's old farmland. They do not have a default name, allowing the player to customize their name and appearance as they see fit.
Grandpa
He is the farmer's grandfather, who passed away and left the farm to them at the start of the game. He encourages the player to find fulfillment in the slow, rural life, abandoning the lifeless hustle in the city in favor of meaningful connections with people and nature.
Lewis
He has been Pelican Town’s mayor for over twenty years. He oversees local events and often acts as a guide for new farmers.
Robin
She is the town carpenter and has her own shop in her home in The Mountain. She lives with her husband, Demetrius, and her children, Maru and Sebastian. The farmer can visit her to construct and upgrade buildings, such as the farmhouse.
Bachelors and Bachelorettes
They are villagers of Pelican Town with whom the farmer can romance and eventually marry. The bachelors are Alex, Eliott, Harvey, Sam, Sebastian, and Shane. Meanwhile, the bachelorettes consist of Abigail, Emily, Haley, Leah, Maru, and Penny. Clint and Sandy have been announced as the new marriage candidates in the upcoming 1.7 update.
Other Characters
The other characters in Stardew Valley form a diverse small-town community that brings Pelican Town to life. The player can also encounter non-human races, including Dwarves, Shadow People, and Junimos.
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