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This article gives you all the information you need to see if you should play Stardew Valley.
When you think of the term “Cozy Gaming” the one game that tends to come to mind most often is the cottagecore farm simulator known as Stardew Valley. Released in the year 2016 by Concerned Ape the game has become the textbook example of what many cozy gamers have in mind as the “perfect” cozy experience.
The game’s graphics and the wholesome storyline create a world in which many have chosen to escape to for days at a time to avoid their responsibilities (not that I would know). While this game is widely popular and considered a classic of the cozy gaming genre it can be difficult to ascertain whether this game is right for you personally. This article is here to help you gain the (spoiler free) insights to help you decide whether you should play this game. With that onward to the article!!

Story
The game begins with the death of your in-game grandfather who gives you a letter and tells you not to open it until you decide that you hate your life as a corporate slave (no relatability there). The letter reveals later that your grandfather has left you a farm to inherit upon his death.
After moving to your new farm that is nestled at the edge of a town called Stardew Valley it is now your task to turn this rundown plot of land into a bustling success. Grow crops, herd cattle, and upgrade your farm in order to become a success. Earn the villagers’ trust (and possibly their love) as you learn more about your neighbors through interacting with them daily. Create meaningful relationships and maybe even start a family as you learn more about the locals and the new town around you.
The story is a very fun and interesting as Stardew Valley is no ordinary town. Many secrets, backstories, and various creatures live within the valley’s borders and as you go through the story the game reveals more to you as you explore. Even the non-datable characters are interesting as you learn more about the many people who call Stardew Valley home.
Your own character also has a part to play as you progress through the story. Exploring the mines, attending events, and watching the seasons pass bring about new situations for your character that will create a story for you that you will thoroughly enjoy.
While the main storyline is great, and in many ways customizable, there is a good chunk of the game’s storyline that requires you to interact with the NPCs. Like, a lot. You need to be able to go around town and talk to various characters every day to get them to open up to you. This can be a lot of work for some players so it’s important to keep the social aspect of the game in mind when deciding if you’re going to play the game. However, spending time with the locals is often a charming experience and many of their milestone events (or heart events) are worth the effort.
Remember that corporate job you used to work at before starting a farm? Well now the same soulless corporation (known as Joja Corp.) plans to use the town’s community center for a new Joja warehouse. Decide whether you will help breathe new life into the town’s economy by rebuilding the community center or aide Joja in their quest to build their warehouse. Either way it’s up to you as you create the cozy story of your dreams within the town of Stardew Valley.
Gameplay
In terms of gameplay if you’ve never played a farming sim before here’s the breakdown of generally how it goes:
- You grow crops and take care of plants.
- Slowly accumulate animals to produce more products such as eggs, milk, wool, etc.
- You advance further by upgrading your tools, abilities, and farm buildings.
- Usually some other activity such as fishing or mining to supplement your income.
All of this is within the daily responsibilities and gameplay of Stardew Valley. There is also combat, and the social aspects mentioned before that the game encourages you to utilize to your heart’s content. Stardew Valley is jam packed with many activities and aspects that can keep the game from growing stale despite much of the work being repetitive.
You also unlock new areas and face new quests as you venture through the story that can add to your gameplay. While this can be fun for many players it can also become overwhelming at times if you are unable to keep up with everything. While not all of the tasks are mandatory, they do stack up to be important to get the most out of the game.

Who Will Love this Games?
Those who love cozy farming sims, retro graphics, and interesting characters will enjoy the feel of this game. The farming mechanics are top tier and the many ways you can min max your farm are practically endless. You can put as much or as little work into this game as you want so there is no pressure to have to complete anything aside from basic survival. You can technically not even farm a whole lot once you get later into the game and just raise livestock, fish, or whatever else sparks your fancy.
Others who will also love this game are those who live a good story. The relationship aspect in this game a very well done and you learn much more about the characters as you progress in your relationships with them. While you can romance NPCs you don’t have to and you can learn a lot about each and everyone of them just by gifting them something they will like twice a week. The story itself if fun too and is one that will make you want to keep coming back to play more.
Stardew Valley also has a very large modding community as well so if you want to customize your experience even more you can start to utilize this in your gaming as well.
Lastly, those who enjoy a more retro feel to this game will really like the design. The mechanics are simple and make the game feel as if you are playing a game that came out on the 90s. If all of the above sounds like your jam then you will definitely enjoy this game.
Who Will Not Love this Game?
In saying that, there are some who may not be too keen on this game, namely those who don’t like farming sims or those who need a specific task to complete in their games. Stardew Valley is really a game that is left up to the player to decide on how to run their farm and if you need a more linear type of play to your games then this is not the title for you. Though there is the quest of bringing back the farm there is no real set way to do that which is good for those who like to keep their play styles fluid.
Of course, the next group of people who might want to steer clear of this game would be those who don’t like farming sims. While there is a lot of leeway with how you gain money in this game you will most likely have to complete some aspects of the game through farming. While there are a lot of ways to get around this later in the game you will have to do at least some farming in order to get to that point. If that doesn’t sound like a good time for you then I suggest staying away from this title.
Pros
- Heartwarming story.
- Charming NPCs.
- A wealth of play options.
- Fun exploration.
Cons
- A wealth of play options.
- A lot of socialization.
- Some tasks could become monotonous.

Conclusion
Given all the wide variety of NPCs, wholesome story, and the many options for gameplay it’s safe to say that you will not get bored playing Stardew Valley. If farming, mining, combat, socializing, and cattle driving are activities that you enjoy in your video game experience this is the game for you.
However, keep in mind that the constant socializing, the repetitive tasks, and the volume of activities to do might be overwhelming for some players. Farming and socializing take up a good portion of the game and it’s important to remember that when going into this gaming experience. However, if farming, chatting with charming villagers, and a large list of things to do sounds like fun to you, you should check out Stardew Valley.
Ready to move to the valley? Check out the links below to see where you can snag this game for your own gaming sessions:
Steam (PC): Buy.
Gog.com (PC): Buy.
Humble Bundle (PC): Buy.
Nintendo eshop (Switch): Buy.
The socialization is definitely a con if you ask me lol
It’s not very introvert friendly