My favorite thing about Stardew Valley is not just that there’s a lot to see and do, but that it’s (almost) all intertwined. It’s not apparent at first — when I started my farm, I planned each tile for maximum efficiency and reset when I accidentally bought the wrong seeds. But the secret of the Valley is that it’s much more than making each day productive on the farm alone. As I ventured off my plot of 16-bit land and started to explore, I began to really enjoy the days for everything they are — and how its parts fit together to build a captivating rural life.
Each day in Stardew Valley takes around 10 to 20 real minutes, and several of them are occupied by the slow business of starting a farm from scratch. Having to plant the right seeds, water your crops, and wait for the harvest before making any real money means there’s not a lot to do right away. Fitting, since my character had just left a stifling job at the Joja Corporation — Stardew Valley’s ever-present reminder that capitalism can grow soulless — for a simpler life on grandpa’s old farm. But Stardew Valley isn’t simple. It’s relaxed, sure, and lets you grow at your own pace, but it’s a rich world once you get past the slow first season.
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Each day in Stardew Valley takes around 10 to 20 real minutes, and several of them are occupied by the slow business of starting a farm from scratch. Having to plant the right seeds, water your crops, and wait for the harvest before making any real money means there’s not a lot to do right away. Fitting, since my character had just left a stifling job at the Joja Corporation — Stardew Valley’s ever-present reminder that capitalism can grow soulless — for a simpler life on grandpa’s old farm. But Stardew Valley isn’t simple. It’s relaxed, sure, and lets you grow at your own pace, but it’s a rich world once you get past the slow first season.
Continue reading…
Continue reading...