Stardew Valley

 PC
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1599 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,414 out of 1599
  2. Mixed: 101 out of 1599
  3. Negative: 84 out of 1599

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  1. RogalDorn01
    Apr 1, 2016
    10
    For real, this is the very best "Harvest Moon Style" game I've ever played. The balancing act of planning the size of a farm you can reasonably water each day while trying to build up the resources to get better sprinklers is amazingly fun. The characters are absolutely charming and realistically written. The entire game is an exercise in chipping away at the jade and ice that formsFor real, this is the very best "Harvest Moon Style" game I've ever played. The balancing act of planning the size of a farm you can reasonably water each day while trying to build up the resources to get better sprinklers is amazingly fun. The characters are absolutely charming and realistically written. The entire game is an exercise in chipping away at the jade and ice that forms around your heart as you age. I cannot believe this game was made by one person.… Expand
  2. sampsonj
    Mar 29, 2016
    10
    What a fantastic game. A true Harvest Moon (Story of Season) experience has finally come to the PC. The artwork is fantastic and music is great. I love how it is not about item hoading to make stuff, though there is crafting, it is not to the point of where the harvest Moon (Story of Seasons) games have gone and stuff feels fresh again. it is an overall joy with tons to do, lots of cropsWhat a fantastic game. A true Harvest Moon (Story of Season) experience has finally come to the PC. The artwork is fantastic and music is great. I love how it is not about item hoading to make stuff, though there is crafting, it is not to the point of where the harvest Moon (Story of Seasons) games have gone and stuff feels fresh again. it is an overall joy with tons to do, lots of crops and animals to raise, and an adventure.… Expand
  3. Forza182
    Mar 28, 2016
    10
    Perfect game, only wish the controller support was actually designed properly, often you find yourself swinging at the air and watering the wrong crops, but hey, once your farm is automated it doesn't hold you back from everything else. Spent the entire first year being an antisocial farming god and now completing the Community Center. Looking forward to some DLC ! Fingers crossed!
  4. Underpants158
    Mar 27, 2016
    9
    Last year I played Story of Seasons (Harvest Moon without the title) for 8 hours and felt like I was no longer able to derive enjoyment out of these games. BUT BAM! Stardew Valley came out and though trepidatious I was I took the plunge and boy do I have no regrets. It's difficult to point out just what Stardew Valley does that is so much better but I would gander that it has something toLast year I played Story of Seasons (Harvest Moon without the title) for 8 hours and felt like I was no longer able to derive enjoyment out of these games. BUT BAM! Stardew Valley came out and though trepidatious I was I took the plunge and boy do I have no regrets. It's difficult to point out just what Stardew Valley does that is so much better but I would gander that it has something to do with the interminable list of upgrades, collections, and quests that keep you playing. I am nearly 30 hours in and I want to get married, get the bus to start working so I can mine in the desert, get a bigger barn, get a bigger coop, upgrade my house so I can have a child, donate my rare finds to the museum so they give me sweet gifts, collect all the rare scarecrows and....so much other stuff. Why do I want to do this? Idk. I don't want to to do any of this stuff in real life. It's bizarre but I love this game.… Expand
  5. arruu
    Mar 25, 2016
    9
    This game is super-addicting. It's a Harvest Moon rip-off with some mechanics from Terraria, and support for user mods... Awesome idea, if you ask me. The game is fun as hell... However, imo it lacks endgame content and advance farming mechanics. Guess they couldnt balance well the easy-to-newcomers/depth of mechanics ratio... Hope the mods, or the sequel (please!!) will fix that.This game is super-addicting. It's a Harvest Moon rip-off with some mechanics from Terraria, and support for user mods... Awesome idea, if you ask me. The game is fun as hell... However, imo it lacks endgame content and advance farming mechanics. Guess they couldnt balance well the easy-to-newcomers/depth of mechanics ratio... Hope the mods, or the sequel (please!!) will fix that. Definitely give it a try!!… Expand
  6. BigDegs29
    Mar 25, 2016
    9
    I am addicted to this game! It makes me say "just one more day" like Harvest Moon never did. Frankly, it's Harvest Moon as it should be.

    I won't write a giant review, simply because I agree 100% with IGN's. I'd suggest going there and reading it. It's a game with a lot of diversity, from growing crops and raising livestock, to fishing, to exploring the mines, to developing    I am addicted to this game! It makes me say "just one more day" like Harvest Moon never did. Frankly, it's Harvest Moon as it should be.

    I won't write a giant review, simply because I agree 100% with IGN's. I'd suggest going there and reading it.

    It's a game with a lot of diversity, from growing crops and raising livestock, to fishing, to exploring the mines, to developing relationships with the townsfolk, to customization of your farm, to completing quests, etc. It mixes Harvest Moon and Minecraft, and it's a marriage made in heaven!

    Usually I do appreciate good graphics. But for this type of game you don't need it and I don't even notice now.

    There is one negative I can see in the game: the social aspect. It lacks depth. I think VG developers have improved in this area a lot in the last decade, so I may be spoiled in that regard. I just felt it was lacking in Stardew Valley. Villagers don't have a whole lot to say, and unique events are limited. I would have loved to see this part fleshed out a lot more.

    Regardless, it's an amazing game. And for the price, you can't go wrong!    … Expand
  7. rhymeasyluM
    Mar 24, 2016
    10
    metacritic says Stardew has 24 negative and it only has 2 comment from 2000's born kids (sadly, they lost the golden era of gaming).

    This game should be 9.9 but what can we do with ignorance

    Winterspark: so sad to be you I do't even have words for him.
    Kummaz ¿only nostalgia? Not really there are manypixel games on steam and none has been this succesful.
  8. U8Skittlez
    Mar 22, 2016
    9
    Stardew Valley- It's like they just went through every issue with the Harvest Moon games and fixed them. Absolutely fabulous! Honestly, the only things keeping this from a perfect ten is the tedious daily grind and lack of real personality in the other characters. While I suppose the grind is something to be expected in a farming game, the lack of real character development kinda hitsStardew Valley- It's like they just went through every issue with the Harvest Moon games and fixed them. Absolutely fabulous! Honestly, the only things keeping this from a perfect ten is the tedious daily grind and lack of real personality in the other characters. While I suppose the grind is something to be expected in a farming game, the lack of real character development kinda hits hard. I really had no desire to befriend the villagers, though getting mail from them was kinda nice. In the end though, the game is still fabulous and I can't stop playing! Definitely a recommended play.… Expand
  9. PanderP
    Mar 22, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ich willl das spiel auch spielen geht aber nicht weil ich ein mac habe und könnt das spiel auch für mac raus bringen ich würde mich sehr fröhen

    Liebe grüße Panderbär    … Expand
  10. pospulsar99
    Mar 19, 2016
    10
    Picked this up after seeing several friends playing it, and the only 'complaint' I could come up with would be "Now I want to buy a farm in a bad way." Game is seriously just a ton of fun... well worth what it's selling for.
  11. Vhorezman
    Mar 17, 2016
    9
    Alright if you're like me and you read the negative parts first, go further down, but if you want to hear what I love about this game first then read on.

    First of all I really love Harvest Moon type games ever since I played Animal Crossing on the Gamecube, when I saw Stardew Valley on Steam, I initially thought it would be a small Indie game that'd keep me interested for maybe 20    Alright if you're like me and you read the negative parts first, go further down, but if you want to hear what I love about this game first then read on.

    First of all I really love Harvest Moon type games ever since I played Animal Crossing on the Gamecube, when I saw Stardew Valley on Steam, I initially thought it would be a small Indie game that'd keep me interested for maybe 20 minutes or so. 35 hours later I finally realized that this game is not perfect, it's not even the game of the year, but what it is, is good. As of right now I'm in the winter of the first year.
    It's fun, it's simple, it's cute, it's casual, it's nostalgic.

    Things I like about this game:
    1. It's basically Harvest Moon
    2. It's easy to get into and doesn't have much of a learning curve.
    3. There's always something to do.
    4. There's story to it which I'll explain soon (No spoilers!)
    5. It teaches you to hate big industries that step on small businesses.

    Things I don't like about this game:
    1. I have half an hour, I'll play Stardew for a bit (Two hours later)> Winter is Coming, I'd better stockpile this hay.
    2. One.. more.. day..
    3. It takes X days for Y vegetable and you want it tomorrow?
    4. My Dog is useless.
    5. I spent the entire day looking for you.. and you don't like my gift?
    6. To hell with fishing (The Next Day)> I'll give it a go again.
    7. What do you mean the shops close at 4PM?
    8. Slimes.

    The Story: Okay the general story is, you're a city-slicker, your Grandpappy said to you "Kid, one day you're going to get sick of City life and when you do you're going to open this envelope I give you that you take with you to work" So that happens and you get the deed to your Grandpa's farm, you spend the next year (And more years) fixing up the place, starting your own farm whilst participating in festivals the town holds and helping the villagers.

    The gameplay: The gameplay is casual, it's simple, it's fun. Controller compatible, there's complex parts of it and it can take some planning, like you'll wake up and watch the weather channel, find out it's raining the next day and you'll maybe take the time that rain saved you from watering your crops and maybe use it going in the mines or fishing or even giving gifts to villagers that you can't bloody find where they're hiding at so you spend the entire day looking for Abigail because she's not helping her Father at the shop.
    Fishing is difficult, not negatively, it's a challenge and I enjoy it, but I dread everytime I get an errand that says "Catch X fish and deliver to Y Person".
    It's repetitive in the sense you'll live like a farmer, you get up every day water the crops (except in winter) and when you have them you'll nurture animals (So far I only have chickens) the average day (except in winter) has me doing this until about 10 AM and then I'll either: Forage for wild plants, tend to my land (Chop trees, break rocks, cut weeds), go fishing, go mining or on very rare days I'll just go to sleep and do it all again.
    The one thing this game has that drives me mental is a poor sense of direction sometimes. Like I'll be trying to till a spot of earth, but because I'm partially stood on it, it'll do the next one over (I have the slow placement grid option on which helps) and the amount of times I've accidentally killed a crop or broke a fence because of this is too damn high. It's a small complaint but if it were removed the game would be perfect to me.

    My final verdict: If you have a lot of time to burn, whether it's twenty minutes before bed or six hours before you go out clubbing, just remember to set an alarm and inform the people you love to come looking for you, or you may wake up infront of the Pearly Gates trying to think of what to tell the Gatekeeper when he asks what you're doing there because you starved yourself playing for too long.

    Seriously, the game is 11 Sterlings (£) it's so cheap and if you like -anything- I mentioned above it's worth it, honestly the cons of this game are insignificant and the pros are plentiful.

    Oh and it's moddable, yeah.

    Happy Farming!    … Expand
  12. NHyasd
    Mar 17, 2016
    10
    Surprisingly good game! I was not sure i would like it when i first saw it because it looked like another farming game. It has surprising depth and there are many ways to make money. The game does a great job of giving you nudges on what to do but leaves the strategies up to you.

    Loved it!
  13. FogCityRoller
    Mar 17, 2016
    10
    Charming and addictive in the purest possible way. The no scope MLG kiddies might not care much for the graphics and assume the game sucks because of that, but that just means they are missing out. This game is the best $15 you could possibly spend since Rocket League's debut.
  14. buzzlighter
    Mar 16, 2016
    8
    Its not a game, it is WORK WORK WORK! But... its somehow addictive, goddamnit! Unlike my irl work, unsurprisingly enough. This game is evil! But so nice! But evil!
  15. dubesor
    Mar 16, 2016
    10
    This is my favourite game in the last 10 years. So far the Dev released 6 patches (in 3 weeks) and the game itself is marvellous and reminiscent of old times when games were created to be fun, not to make the most amount of money. A very nostalgic experience with all the touches of life-improvement modern features. Amazing.
  16. philip3242
    Mar 13, 2016
    9
    I played animal corssing growing up, and this adds so much more to it but keeps a bit of nostalgia. It's inovative because there is so much to discover and so much to do with the addictivness level of the "one more turn" idea from Civ 5. The music is great and the graphics while basic, get the job done. It's easy to mod, and as soon as they add multiplayer it should be even more fun. TheI played animal corssing growing up, and this adds so much more to it but keeps a bit of nostalgia. It's inovative because there is so much to discover and so much to do with the addictivness level of the "one more turn" idea from Civ 5. The music is great and the graphics while basic, get the job done. It's easy to mod, and as soon as they add multiplayer it should be even more fun. The reason I'm taking points off is at some times it can feel a tiny bit grindy, but other than that I highly recommend it.… Expand
  17. Megagal1978
    Mar 13, 2016
    10
    All I can say is WOW! The level of detail put into this game is mind blowing. It already has me and my husband addicted and I'm incredibly impressed at how much fun this game is! I Am a huge Harvest Moon fan and the two are definitely similar. However, you can tell that there was so much more heart and soul put into this game than that of Harvest Moon. For those of you that don't likeAll I can say is WOW! The level of detail put into this game is mind blowing. It already has me and my husband addicted and I'm incredibly impressed at how much fun this game is! I Am a huge Harvest Moon fan and the two are definitely similar. However, you can tell that there was so much more heart and soul put into this game than that of Harvest Moon. For those of you that don't like the fishing...I felt that way at first but I gradually got the hang of it and found it to be quite fun. Awesome job ConcernedApe. This is quite an accomplishment!… Expand
  18. PeregrineOmega
    Mar 11, 2016
    10
    This game has something no AAA title has been able to deliver in years... Charm.

    It's just dripping, oozing and overflowing with it. This is a game with so much character and truly dedicated attention to detail, I wish I could give it a hug, and tell it how special it is. It's an ode to that marvelous old farming game which sings with a delightful glee that reminds you so much of why    This game has something no AAA title has been able to deliver in years... Charm.

    It's just dripping, oozing and overflowing with it. This is a game with so much character and truly dedicated attention to detail, I wish I could give it a hug, and tell it how special it is.

    It's an ode to that marvelous old farming game which sings with a delightful glee that reminds you so much of why you pine for the founding era of game design.

    A one-man developer has produced what feels like it could have been done with an army of artists and designers. Bravo, ConcernedApe.    … Expand
  19. rafakasb
    Mar 10, 2016
    10
    Amazing game, way better than Harvest Moon. It has great content and gameplay. The grind isnt too bad, the game has lots of items and events to keep your character busy throughout the seasons. 10/10. Natsume should hire this guy!
  20. Kluge
    Mar 8, 2016
    9
    Having never played Harvest Moon or Animal Crossing, this primarily reminded me of Chocobo's Dungeon 2, with a greatly expanded out-of-dungeon playset - which is fantastic. This game's sucked me in for three days straight, which hasn't happened to me in years. Things are subtle and deep - not overplayed and always obvious (stay away from the Wikia except maybe to look up where fish are,Having never played Harvest Moon or Animal Crossing, this primarily reminded me of Chocobo's Dungeon 2, with a greatly expanded out-of-dungeon playset - which is fantastic. This game's sucked me in for three days straight, which hasn't happened to me in years. Things are subtle and deep - not overplayed and always obvious (stay away from the Wikia except maybe to look up where fish are, btw!). It does require a pretty insane amount of time (luckily[?!], I just burned off most of my right hand so am out of work for a couple weeks) - so this might not be for someone who doesn't have time for anything but bite-sized chunks (you can't save at will, unfortunately, unless you go to sleep early).

    I'm having trouble praising it because I instinctively want to balance it but don't have many bad things to say about it. The run speed is dreadfully slow, but there are plenty of ways around it (I went with "Stardew Injector" and set runspeed to 2). There're also two games here -- there's stuff that doesn't work (grinding; watching the TV every morning for recipes, chopping TONS of wood, gifting [this should probably be redone from scratch...], farming), and stuff that carries the game to a 8-10 rating (surprise unlocks and lots of RNG tables, cool stuff to craft to make your already-cool unlocks become even better items, way more content than I think anyone would anticipate even after playing a full 10+ hours).

    I struggle to make cheese in real life - and love the stuff, so when I first got to milk a cow and saw cheese in the community center bundle, I knew all my milk was going in the fridge until I unlocked something to transform to cheese, and I really can't explain why it was so thrilling to finally make my first batch, but it was, so great on ConcernedApe for getting me giddy as a schoolgirl about making virtual cheese. -And now I save my cheese because I know one day, I'll unlock some awesome recipe and I'll be using cheese power to blast through the crystal mines down to level 50+ without breaking a sweat. It's such an enjoyable time investment that even as someone who looks down on losers who invest boatloads of time for a string of data in a program, I get sucked right in to the same thing, and I don't even feel dirty about it.

    -So congratulations on discovering this game. Go out and buy it, now!    … Expand
  21. dprkforum
    Mar 8, 2016
    10
    TL:DR - Buy the game. Now. Seriously. No... just do it.

    The best $15 you will ever spend. I loved Harvest Moon as a young teen, and when I saw this on GOG, I nearly fell out of my chair. Then I fired up the game... it was a lot more than Harvest Moon. It was amazing. Lots of depth, plenty of things to do, lots of secrets, and plenty of surprises hit me dead in the face.
  22. kuehnau
    Mar 7, 2016
    6
    I bought and spent most of my time playing Stardew Valley this weekend. I wish STEAM had a better system then simply to recommend it or not, because a lot of times, that isn't the best or easiest answer.

    Stardew Valley is a 'Harvest Moon' inspired farming/realtionship simulator with a dash of dungeon crawling and crafting thrown in. The graphics are appealing and the music is well done.    I bought and spent most of my time playing Stardew Valley this weekend. I wish STEAM had a better system then simply to recommend it or not, because a lot of times, that isn't the best or easiest answer.

    Stardew Valley is a 'Harvest Moon' inspired farming/realtionship simulator with a dash of dungeon crawling and crafting thrown in. The graphics are appealing and the music is well done.

    Unfortunately if you are already familiar with this kind of game play and mechanics, Stardew Valley really isn't all that creative, unique or innovative.

    The biggest problem with this game is, there has been many, many games, like this before it, that has done a significantly better job at what Stardew Valley is trying to achive. It's a farming simulator, but anyone aware of Harvest Moon can tell you it does a better job. It's a dungeon crawler, but only in the lightest of senses.

    And even then, Rune Factory not only did it better, but offered a huge selection of spells, skills, abilities, weapons, varying dungeons and even bosses. It's a crafting game, but the fact is, it offers much less then more traditional crafting games such as MineCraft or Terraria.

    It suffers from classic issues such as vague quests, plots and more. It can be a massive grind at times and can end up being incredibly tedious, to the point some people may become frustrated. And while multiplayer was initially announced, it's been pushed back for a later date (if we ever see it). Is it just me or is that completely disappointing? The one thing it could have done to really set itself apart from it's predecessors and it doesn't do it. And now that the game has been fully released, how can we expect to see that feature? 'Don't Starve' had to do a completely separate release to account for multiplayer aspects.

    What it boils down is, Stardew Valley isn't a bad game. I enjoyed the time I spent so far with the game, but, it doesn't really do anything new or innovative for a genre that has been around since the 90's. Stardew Valley is really very mediocre. Hopefully, in time, with a few updates pushed out, they'll prove me wrong.    … Expand
  23. Winterspark
    Mar 6, 2016
    2
    I don't get it. It has graphics from the 1980s (which isn't cute, it's just **** It involves a large amount of formulaic grinding to water plants, mine bits of rock and collect other random crap (much like what I imagine farmville is like).
  24. Damocles346
    Mar 5, 2016
    9
    Stardew valley is (soon to be) multiplayer Harvest Moon on the PC with mods and stuff. If that doesn't draw you in...

    Stardew Valley is a farm/country life simulation. But don't think Farming Sim 20XX. Stardew Valley focuses more on the people than the crops, creating a laid back atmosphere for you to enjoy as you explore the surrounding area, adventure in the depths of the mine, or try    Stardew valley is (soon to be) multiplayer Harvest Moon on the PC with mods and stuff. If that doesn't draw you in...

    Stardew Valley is a farm/country life simulation. But don't think Farming Sim 20XX. Stardew Valley focuses more on the people than the crops, creating a laid back atmosphere for you to enjoy as you explore the surrounding area, adventure in the depths of the mine, or try to choose from among the different dating opportunities in town.    … Expand
  25. Kendow
    Mar 2, 2016
    10
    Civ5-level addiction. Simple gameplay with a refreshing amount of content. I was amazed at the amount of things I could do. If you want a casual game just to kick back and relax, this game is for you.
  26. Tubey
    Mar 1, 2016
    9
    The best game of 2016 thus far for me. Rarely does an indie game pack so much polish and content into a finished product and nail the mechanics so hard that it's almost impossible to put down.

    As others have said, if you're an existing Harvest Moon/Animal Crossing fan, you've found your new home with this game on the PC - but if you're a fan of well made RPG/management sims in general,    The best game of 2016 thus far for me. Rarely does an indie game pack so much polish and content into a finished product and nail the mechanics so hard that it's almost impossible to put down.

    As others have said, if you're an existing Harvest Moon/Animal Crossing fan, you've found your new home with this game on the PC - but if you're a fan of well made RPG/management sims in general, you're going to absolutely adore this as well.    … Expand
  27. Alcarin
    Feb 29, 2016
    10
    Awesome pixel harvester and after work-"escaper". Build your farm, explore caves, level your skills and craft your equipment. Luv it from the beginning and will spend many hours creating my own pixel fake life!
  28. Braduk
    Feb 28, 2016
    10
    In recent years, the Harvest Moon series has died down some over the course of several new games, where the next one does not really add anything new to the last. Until now, the only alternative to the series has mostly been Rune Factory, which is also a very good series. This game, however takes the good from both series and breathes new life into the formula.

    It has many elements that    In recent years, the Harvest Moon series has died down some over the course of several new games, where the next one does not really add anything new to the last. Until now, the only alternative to the series has mostly been Rune Factory, which is also a very good series. This game, however takes the good from both series and breathes new life into the formula.

    It has many elements that any player of either series would be more than familiar with: farming crops, raising livestock, fishing, and mining. And everything is timed with the daily clock and monthly calendar dates, with special events happening every so often. These categories work the same way as their inspirations for the most part, however there are some key differences. A big over-arching change is that your farmland is almost completely customizable. Other than your house, there is nothing that is pre-placed, and your land area is gigantic. This allows for a fully customized farm that is unique to you. Fishing has a minigame instead of automatically catching whatever you hook; at first, the minigame is extremely difficult, but it does not take long to get used to. Farming also comes with conveniences that never existed before, such as upgradable sprinklers that water tiles of your crops for you (the amount depends on the level of sprinkler) as well as several kinds of fertilizers that have different effects on your crop. Raising animals is mostly the same, however the range of animals that you can care for is vast, including chickens, ducks, goats, pigs, and cows. All of these areas of the game work well, and as one would expect, with there being plenty of variety in all three. Any of these elements can be completely ignored if desired and the player can still make a profit. There is no rush to get to anything at a certain time (for the most part) and the game can be played at your own pace.

    Mining can be best described as a combination of Rune Factory's combat and Harvest Moon's cave systems. Each floor has a ladder that needs to be found to move on to the next floor, with there being better ore, minerals, gems, etc to mine the deeper you go. Inside the mine are various monsters that can be killed, sometimes even required to kill. The combat is simple, where LMB swings your melee weapon, holding LMB charges up a slingshot, and RMB does various special actions depending on the weapon. However, the simplicity works for the game, as you are always on the clock, and if it were too complex there'd be too much time spent fighting. There is something special at the very bottom of the mine, giving even more reason to explore it.

    Of course, a Harvest Moon inspired game would not be complete without interactions with the townsfolk. The system is the same as it is in Harvest Moon, where you can talk with villagers and give them gifts to get them to like you more. Unlike Harvest Moon, you can only give two gifts per week, meaning the progression of affection is a lot slower unless you complete quests or special interactions with each villager. So long as you give the right gifts and complete the special tasks, it still will not take too long before your chosen bachelor or bachelorette can be married.

    Despite everything the game does right, there are some issues with it. The running speed is atrociously slow, especially with diagonal movement. You do eventually unlock a horse, but the horse only speeds up diagonal movement; the vertical and horizontal run speeds remain the same. In addition, the bachelors and bachelorettes vary from each other with personality, however they are fairly two dimensional with their personalities. The developer also apparently had a stroke at one point because if you look at the progression of their appearances, there is a point where they gradually become worse and more same-faced, losing some uniqueness to them. There is also a very unfitting anti-corporation message in the game that could have been left out. The overall graphics style is up to personal preference, but I personally like it and think it does a good job creating the comfy atmosphere these games are known for.

    Lastly, the game is capable of being fully modified due to how simple the engine is made. Every pixel can be changed, and mod tools are in the process of being created to add extra content. There is already a mod that changes the appearances of the bachelorettes to an earlier time, as a result of many individuals wanting them altered. So who knows what the developer and modders will add to the game in the future.

    In conclusion, this game has just as much if not more content than any of the more modern Harvest Moon games yet is half the price. There are some aspects that I did not even mention such as the sewer dungeon and what is basically the Harvest Sprite tasks because I am 18 hours in and still haven't finished either of those things, nor have I seen everything the game has to offer yet. I highly recommend it.    … Expand
  29. gabbo1313
    Feb 28, 2016
    10
    Charming, Nostalgic and good soundtrack too.

    Fans of Harvest moon/animal crossing should feel right at home with this title, Newcomers will also love to experience a decent HM similar on PC
  30. loltroll123
    Feb 28, 2016
    10
    A Masterpiece. Thanks ConcernedApe for your years of hard work! Its been a long time but your community loves the game. Congratulations!

    Just one minor point: Fix the Fishing please! :-)
  31. Henryloko22222
    Feb 28, 2016
    10
    I dont usually write reviews and even less review games on steam, but this is totally an exception. As i progress further into the game i'll update, but i got pretty much information to give on you guys for now.
    Im a big Harvest moon fan, actually not that much, in fact the only ones i played was Friends of Mineral Town and Back to Nature, and ow boy, Back to Nature... i've spent easily    I dont usually write reviews and even less review games on steam, but this is totally an exception. As i progress further into the game i'll update, but i got pretty much information to give on you guys for now.
    Im a big Harvest moon fan, actually not that much, in fact the only ones i played was Friends of Mineral Town and Back to Nature, and ow boy, Back to Nature... i've spent easily 500+ hours on that game, it is just so good to start something with barely nothing and turn it into a big thing (That's why i love games like Tropico 5,XCOM, Total War ETC).
    I know its boring but i'll need to make a lot of comparisons with Harvest moon Back to Nature (because it was the only one i REALLY played and enjoyed)
    First off by the story, you are the grandson of a farmer which lives in a small town called Stardew valley, its not explained if you lived with him or not (probably not), one day, he leaves you a letter, and asks you to open it when you grow tired of the City life.
    Twenty years have passed and you are working for a company called Joja which is somewhat a parody or critic of the today's companies, "enslaving" his workers. One day at work, you grow tired of being exploited and decides to open the letter, only to find out you grandfather has left his farm all to you, to start a new life.
    Well its pretty much back to nature, but there you live in the city and visit your grandfather in vacations, people already knew you basically but from what i remember he stopped visiting and got somewhat forggoten. his grandpa dies and he gets the farm. So my point is, this is not a ripoff, i was so glad to see such familiar storyline, but from now on things really change so don't be mad.
    So you are introduced to your new, devasted, overgrown land, 500 moneys and 15 seeds as a gift from the mayor, so with hard work you need to transform a terrible once forgotten farm, 500 bucks and 15 seeds into a money-maker machine, restore the town's economy and bring the people together again. (i'll explain)
    So, Joja gets in the city, everything is different, people likes TV more than hanging out, the once high populated city hall is destroyed and the economy is really bad, so it's up to you to maybe kick joja out (i don't know yet if this is a possibility)
    So let's go to some things you can do and have:
    -You have some basic tools, which is used to: chop trees down,mine ores and rocks,watering crops,prepare the soil, fishing and foraging.
    -There's plenty of ways to make money in the game, including your primary crop plantation in your farm (beside animals like chickens giving you eggs), Mining, Fishing and even fighting and looting monsters!!!!
    -Socialize with other people and even marry and (maybe) have children
    -Participate in festivals held by the locals
    -Have a pet like a cat or a dog
    So now i'll list somethings different than BtN.
    -There are monters, yes! you can actually fight them and loot them, they are pretty though tho, but you can upgrade yours weapons and equipment in the guild hall.
    -Bigger Map
    -Bigger and more beatiful farm land
    -You can craft and build items like chests, scarecrows, sprinklers, furnacers etc
    (Im missing things for sure so don't hesitate to comment and correct me)
    Overall its pretty much the same mechanics about farming and etc and i completely love it!
    Although there is somethings i didn't liked
    -Females are not cute like the Harvest moon ones (I really preferer those japanese stylish art for women)
    -The guys are really cool and the girls not so much, there is one that has a band and rides a skate sometimes!
    -The energy system really needs an overhaul, its frustating in the start but becomes too much underpowered on the early to mid game!!
    -The TV could use some more work
    The soundtrack is simply amazing, it really gives you this "farm" feel!
    This is a great game, and it was made by one guy only (which has worked on StarBound) buy it now if you love Harvest moon like me or if you like micro management games like Tropico 5,Sim City etc, its really worth its price, i've been playing this for 5 hours straight, no recent games has done this to me, so this is a GREAT sign!
    Really, JUST BUY IT!!!!    … Expand
  32. MikeZillaGames
    Feb 27, 2016
    9
    'Stardew Valley' doesn't just breathe new life into a dying concept; 'Stardew Valley' gets on it's bare knees, leans over in tears, passionately breathes into it over and over even though the Doctor already said "it's dead, stop trying", pumps the chest liberally, and doesn't give up until something good happens.

    And that something good is this game. The 'Harvest Moon' franchise has    'Stardew Valley' doesn't just breathe new life into a dying concept; 'Stardew Valley' gets on it's bare knees, leans over in tears, passionately breathes into it over and over even though the Doctor already said "it's dead, stop trying", pumps the chest liberally, and doesn't give up until something good happens.

    And that something good is this game. The 'Harvest Moon' franchise has been a mixed bag over the last decade, and the same can be said for the spinoff series 'Rune Factory'. Fans took the good with the bad and went with it because they were holding onto something special. Today, the Harvest Moon series barely exists on it's own. 'Story of Seasons' and other life sim titles have come along to replace it with mixed success.

    Well, if you loved those series then 'Stardew Valley' is what you want to play. An indie dev has revived the concept...with an obvious passion for 'Harvest Moon' and an insane attention to detail.

    I know, right? I didn't see it coming, either.    … Expand
  33. gisarts
    Feb 27, 2016
    9
    a misc of Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing, bringing quests and the old style of "Back To Nature" again on the table.
    A good price for a old school rpg faming game, a lot of things to do.
    You can sometimes feel the game should give you more liberty by not limitating your daily energy and hour to sleep. Still a great game. Multiplayer feature will be added later.
  34. AngryRoach
    Feb 27, 2016
    9
    If you love Harvest Moon and/or Rune Factory this game is for you. Hours of content, great ost and I'm yet to encounter a single bug. What's more amazing is that the game was created by a single person and it isn't an early access game either, it's 100% done product and the developer has stated that there will probably be more content in the future.

    Also the price is just $15 or 13.99 euros.
  35. curvy2
    Feb 26, 2016
    10
    Harvest Moon is back! And its simple and fun again. From the soundtrack to its gameplay its simply a true work of art done by one man. Thank You STARDEW VALLEY.o0O
  36. jdog90000
    Feb 26, 2016
    10
    This is an amazing Harvest-Moonesque/Animal Crossingesque inspired game. I've been following the development for a while and I was still really impressed with the quality of this game. Combine that with the fact that one guy made this and there's no reason not to get it if you've been looking for this type of game for the PC.
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Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best PC Game of 2016
14
#14 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
10
#10 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. RPG Fan
    Jul 19, 2017
    92
    Stardew Valley is without a doubt the best game in the Harvest Moon genre in many years. It has a subtle message about what it means to live a good life and to flourish through a combination of hard work and human connection. The Harvest Moon games all basically boil down to managing a mix of time, tasks, and metrics, and recent entries in the series have relied heavily on exploiting a new gameplay gimmick with each iteration: in one it's crafting structures for the town, in another it's trading with foreign economies. The problem with this approach is that once these gimmicks are exhausted — all the houses built or all the goods traded — the games feel hollow. Stardew Valley succeeds by delivering a robust experience that does not merely rely on watching a meter go up. It has something to say and says it well, while never abandoning the core gameplay that attracted players in the first place.
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  2. GameGrin
    Sep 23, 2016
    90
    Don't start this game if you value relationships, your job, your social life, and having free time. Stardew Valley will take all of that away from you, but it's okay because it's a great game.
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  3. Gamer.nl
    Jul 25, 2016
    85
    Stardew Valley is a fine, smart farm simulation game. It is slow and it involves a lot of daily tasks, but in Stardew Valley there is something ingenious about those tasks.
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