Stardew Valley
Release Date: February 26, 2016
RPG, fantasy, sandbox, farm, 2D, top-down, indie games, co-op, Game Pass, romances, cozy game, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet
OpenCritic
Steam
The debut production from the independent studio Concerned Ape. It is a sandbox RPG that focuses on the life of a farmer. Stardew Valley takes place in a fantasy realm filled with magic, where the player becomes a young farmer whose ambition is to transform his small field into a giant farm generating great profits.
Last Update: October 13, 2017
Stardew Valley Game Guide
Short but very comprehensive guide for Stardew Valley will help you survive your first days on the new farm! These several pages present key problems that you may experience while starting the game. Check out our tips & tricks for Stardew Valley!
Videos and Screens
[1:19] Stardew Valley Multiplayer
[3:01] Stardew Valley collector's edition trailer
Eurogamer: by Simon Parkin
A modern indie classic on PC finds in Nintendo's Switch the perfect platform.
Metro GameCentral: 8 / 10
The best farming sim ever finds its ideal home on the Switch, with gameplay and hardware that complement each other perfectly.
Game Revolution: 4.5 / 5 by Jonathan Leack
It isn't common that you encounter a game as charming and delightfully addictive as Stardew Valley. It finds a harmonious balance of progression, activities, and rewards resulting in each day being distinct and memorable. It's a triumph in indie game development, demonstrating that a single developer with tremendous heart can make something more meaningful and captivating than even the most prolific AAA studios.
The main pros of the game
- Relaxing Gameplay: Many users highlight the calming and therapeutic nature of the game, making it a perfect escape from reality.
- Addictive Gameplay Loop: The core mechanics of farming, fishing, mining, and socializing create an engaging loop that keeps players coming back.
- Freedom of Play Style: Players can choose how to approach the game, whether focusing on farming, relationships, or exploration, allowing for personalized experiences.
- Rich Character Interactions: The unique and well-developed NPCs provide meaningful interactions and storylines, adding depth to the gameplay.
- Beautiful Aesthetic: The pixel art style and soothing soundtrack contribute to the game's charming ambiance.
- High Replay Value: The game offers a plethora of activities and updates, ensuring that players can enjoy it for many hours without getting bored.
- Strong Community and Mod Support: The active modding community enhances the game, providing additional content and features.
The main cons of the game
- Learning Curve: Some players mentioned a steep learning curve at the beginning, requiring research or reliance on wikis to understand game mechanics.
- Repetitiveness Over Time: A few users noted that the game can become monotonous after extended play, despite the freedom to switch activities.
- Lack of Cross-Platform Play: Users expressed disappointment over the absence of cross-platform multiplayer, limiting cooperative play with friends on different devices.
- Occasional Bugs: While generally stable, some players reported minor bugs that could disrupt gameplay.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Account System for Saves: Players desire a feature that allows them to access their saved games across different devices.
- More Depth in NPC Interactions: Some reviews suggested a need for deeper character development and more engaging interactions with villagers.
- Customization Options: Users expressed interest in more options for customizing farm layouts and additional gameplay mechanics, such as aging children or expanding activities in certain areas.
- More Events and Activities: Suggestions for adding more in-game events and activities, especially in underutilized areas like the woods or desert, were noted.
Summary
- Overall, Stardew Valley is celebrated for its relaxing gameplay, charming aesthetics, and depth of content, making it a beloved title among players seeking a cozy gaming experience.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 1224 votes. 85 players anticipated the game.
Stardew Valley Description
Stardew Valley for PC, PS4 and etc. is a sandbox RPG about a farmer’s life. It is the debut game of independent studio Concerned Ape.
The story takes place in a fantasy world full of magic. The player becomes a young farmer who becomes an owner of a modest farmland. His ambition is to transform it into a giant farm that generates great profit. The main activity of the player is planting, gathering crops and expanding the farm with new structures and crop types. At the start, the protagonist is a complete greenhorn, but as the game progress he gains experience points that can be spent on developing such skills like farming, mining, fishing and feeding animals. The protagonist is also regularly obtaining new cooking recipes and item construction blueprints.
Stardew Valley for PC, PS4 and etc. doesn’t focus solely on farming. Instead, the developers added RPG features. The protagonist participates in the social life of a nearby village inhabited by more than thirty characters. Each of them has own personality and daily, monthly and annual activity plans. Gaining their friendship unlocks access to new quests and earning occasions. It is also possible to get married and have children. Another attraction is archaeological trips during which one can dig out items left by an ancient civilization. Choices made during the campaign will affect the future of the whole valley and will determine whether it will remain a peaceful oasis or fall into hands of the greedy Joja corporation.
The game world is randomly generated every time the player creates a new character. It affects not only the surface of the map, but a giant, many-floored labyrinth of caves and underground corridors as well. Although these locations are inhabited by monsters, going there is worth taking the risk as many treasured can be found. Cooperation mode for up to four players is an additional feature of the game.
Last updated on March 4, 2016
August 1, 2024
Best Games for Switch - 18 Great Titles for Nintendo's Console
Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing – Nintendo's newest console has lived to see many phenomenal games. In this article, we will present the best titles available for Switch in 2024.
March 22, 2024
The Best Online Games for Talking With Friends
Looking for the most fun online games to play with friends while also having time to converse with them? Here's a list of great multi-player games that become even better if you're playing them with friends. We have something for pros and beginners!
August 10, 2022
15 Most Iconic Video Game Locations
There are some locations in games that simply sink into your memory forever. Some do instantly, others only after time. Most likely, each of you can name at least one such place. You may find it among our fifteen favorite video games spots.
January 17, 2022
13 Cozy Video Games for Hard Times
These are the hard times. If you're playing games, it's worth to use them to improve your mood with a nice, positive message, rather than shouting over the microphone at random players. Here are some heart-warming video games!
April 23, 2020
Honest Mobile Games for Android and iOS - Pay One Time and Play All You Want
The mobile market is dominated by free to play productions, some of which can really be dishonest. And what if F2P doesn't suit your taste? Well, there's quite a few great productions, which you pay for once and can play them like a human being.
Stardew Valley Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows February 26, 2016
Switch October 5, 2017
PlayStation 4 December 13, 2016
Xbox One December 14, 2016
Android OS March 14, 2019
Apple iOS October 24, 2018
PlayStation Vita May 22, 2018
Developer: Concerned Ape
Publisher: Chucklefish
Stardew Valley System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz, 2 GB RAM, graphic card 256 MB GeForce 8400 GTS or better, 500 MB HDD, Windows 7/8/10
PlayStation Vita
Uses: PlayStation Network
PlayStation 4
Uses: PlayStation Network
Stardew Valley dev admitted that he don't want to stop developing the game any time soon. „You know, maybe even 50 years from now, I might add something”
Eric Barone admitted that he is unlikely to ever end up developing Stardew Valley. Unless the game's content becomes so overwhelming that it begins to spoil the fun for players.
video games
Jacob Blazewicz
January 27, 2025
Stardew Valley Dev Apologized to Players for Broken Mods. Work Accident Will Result in Changes to Game Development
A recent update to Stardew Valley temporarily messed up mods. It's already been fixed, but the game's developer apologized for the problems anyway and promised they won't happen again.
video games
Adrian Werner
November 14, 2024
You've Got Some New Ideas to Sleep on in Stardew Valley Explained
Are you not sure what the message „You've Got Some New Ideas to Sleep on” in Stardew Valley means? You can find an explanation here.
How to
Dawid Lubczynski
November 5, 2024
Stardew Valley Creator Finally Got All Achievements in His Own Game After 8 Years. „Dev Patted Me on the Back”
Eric „ConcernedApe” Barone showed that some developers can play their own games and even get an achievement that causes problems for fans.
video games
Jacob Blazewicz
October 29, 2024
Stardew Valley Expanded, Largest Mod for Hit Farming RPG, Recieved Lots of New Content in Version 1.15
Version 1.15 of the great mod Stardew Valley Expanded has been released. The update brought a lot of new elements, such as monsters, quests, furniture, and farm animals.
Files and Mods
Adrian Werner
October 8, 2024
Stardew Valley 1.6 Is Finally Coming to Consoles. Developer Announces Release Date
The major 1.6 update to Stardew Valley and new features from later patches will hit consoles and mobile devices, though fans will have to wait more than a month.
video games
Jacob Blazewicz
September 23, 2024
„Screencap This and Shame Me if I Ever Violate This Oath.” Stardew Valley Dev Vows Never to Make Players Pay for DLC or Updates
Eric „ConcernedApe” Barone, developer of Stardew Valley and the emerging Haunted Chocolatier, has vowed never to make players pay for DLC or updates.
video games
Jacob Blazewicz
July 23, 2024
„We Are Not Your Private Maids.” Creators of Baldur's Village Mod for Stardew Valley Responded to Attacks and Discussed Their Progress
A mod for Stardew Valley featuring Baldur's Gate 3 characters generated a lot of interest, but some fans seem to have exaggerated their excitement.
video games
Jacob Blazewicz
July 9, 2024
Stardew Valley Mods Don't Bother Eric Barone, but He Has One Remark for Players
Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone wants fans to know what is the “official” part of Stardew Valley and what is just an addition from mods. Also in terms of the storyline.
video games
Jacob Blazewicz
May 29, 2024
Stardew Valley Won't Be Updated Forever, but Its Dev Still Has Plenty of Ideas for Expanding It
Eric „ConcernedApe” Barone doesn't want to work on Stardew Valley forever. However, he doesn't recognize that he's done with the development of his popular game.
video games
Jacob Blazewicz
May 23, 2024