Stardew Valley

[scottcampbell]

Stardew Valley just came out on Switch.

I don't have experience/interest in this genre, but when I see so many positive reviews, it makes me want to give it a shot.

Has anyone here played on other consoles, and had a good/bad experience?

 

[JohnGrey]

Stardew Valley just came out on Switch.

I don't have experience/interest in this genre, but when I see so many positive reviews, it makes me want to give it a shot.

Has anyone here played on other consoles, and had a good/bad experience?

Have you ever played any of the Harvest Moon games? Stardew Valley is cut from precisely the same cloth. If you haven't, it's basically a farm simulator with some RPG and dating sim elements. If you tend toward closed-end games with discrete narratives then you're going to get bored very quickly. If you're the sort that can play an RPG for weeks and months on end, you'll likely have a blast.

 

[scottcampbell]

Have you ever played any of the Harvest Moon games? Stardew Valley is cut from precisely the same cloth. If you haven't, it's basically a farm simulator with some RPG and dating sim elements. If you tend toward closed-end games with discrete narratives then you're going to get bored very quickly. If you're the sort that can play an RPG for weeks and months on end, you'll likely have a blast.

Thanks for the info! I'm not great with RPGs, and generally prefer closed-end games. However, the one open series I have gotten into is Animal Crossing. This might be a good game to play in the absence of a new Animal Crossing on Switch, right?

 

[Hastings101]

I have it on my Switch and I'm not really enjoying it. It's kind of similar to Harvest Moon, definitely not like Animal Crossing. You get a farm and there's some story about bringing down a Walmart-esque business blah blah. Also saving the game takes about a 30sec to a minute, which is unfortunate because it saves automatically every game day.

That said, it has some charms and plenty to do. I've only played a couple of hours, it could get better. It's probably worth 15 bucks if you can get into it.

 

[2nyRiggz]

^Yeah at first the game wasn’t clicking with me because the controls are awful and that fishing controls is absolute trash. I tried the game again today and it’s getting better as I try to make sense of the controls...I’m still on the fence about it.

I finally got some turnips to grow and was able to build storage...the game is becoming something.


Bless

 

[teidon]

As you like Animal Crossing I think there is a good chance for you to like Stardew Valley as well - or at the very least get your money's worth. I have it on Steam, so I can't comment on controls and such but it's probably more or less the same game on every platform.

The story basically is that you inherit a farm from your grandpa and you decide to quit your boring 8 to 4 office job to move to that farm of yours. At the beginning you only have some basic tools to tile and water the land and you are given some seeds to plant. But as the game progresses you learn to build items, upgrade your tools, build more buildings to your farm and so on. It is up to you to choose what you want to do in the game. You can grow some crops, take care of animals, fish and/or catch craps, talk with the townsfolk and become friends with them or just walk around the nearby areas and see what you find. If you for example happen to find some special items you can donate them to a museum for some rewards. There is also a mine you can go to mine for ores and other building materials, but it also happens to be filled with different kinds hostile creatures, so you will need to defend yourself with a sword. This is just some of the things you can do in Stardew Valley. The game is also still being developed, so over time more features will be added. For example multiplayer has been announced and should be coming early next year.

 

[0098386]

My post Re: Stardew Valley in the Switch thread-

Stardew Valley. Ok so I’m playing it and it’s nice. I’m onto day 8 I think and still exploring. However I don’t see what all the fuss is about. It’s just okay so far. My theory is that as theres no Animal Crossing or Harvest Moon games for PC that when a similar title is released, no matter how good or bad it is, people are going to flock to it. And that’s whats happened here. It’s mediocre compared to the 3DS Animal Crossing, the interface is dreadful, the art is plain and looks like Final Fantasy sprites recoloured (happens with a few other PC indie games too, ie Terarria and its derivatives), no explanation of controls until you reload a save file. But catchy music and nice lighting effects over the pixel art. It’s meh SO FAR at least. I want to like it... I spent a tenner on it after all!

 

[jeremyisweary]

I bought this game at a friend's urging. It's cool so far, but I have no idea of what I'm doing lol.

 

[the8thark]

Have you ever played any of the Harvest Moon games? Stardew Valley is cut from precisely the same cloth.

I agree 100%. Stardew Valley looks like andplays like an expanded version of Harvest Moon on the SNES.

My post Re: Stardew Valley in the Switch thread-

My reply to your comment Re: Stardew Valley in the Switch thread

Have you played Harvest Moon on the SNES? That game was so much fun back in the day and Stardew Valley is just as good with more depth in certain parts. The plain art is the aesthetic that the developer was going for and it's not meant to be an Animal Crossing clone. It's more a clone of Harvest Moon SNES.

You also need to realise that one person developed Stardew Valley. Apart from some publishing work which a second person helped out on, all on the development work, was done by him. Very few one person developedgames are this good. Is the game perfect? No. But for $16 (in Australia) on the Switch it's a great price for all the content you get.

The game is just not your cup of tea. We understand and that's cool, however the game is very good for the price and one of the better Harvest Moon like games to come out on a while.

 

[0098386]

Various people have now told me it’s all about the long game, that once you get into it it’s hard to get out. I believe them and I think that’s why a lot of us here aren’t seeing it. We all just got it for the first time and it doesn’t start out great - it starts out all very same-y.

Side note though: one thing I’ve discovered from these games is that they paint modern 9-5 work culture as a bad thing (and it mostly is... down with currency! etc). Running a farm is independent work, you’re a sole trader and you’re responsible 100% for yourself. If you have a bad month that will impact you and that could mean bankruptcy. To many that’s a huge stress looming over their heads and will negatively impact their life. One could easily make a game inverting this, where someone goes from sole trader work to a salaried job and talk about the freedoms that brings too (like being able to switch off from work at 5pm and do whatever you want until bed). And aside from that you’ll still be doing the same stuff day in day out as a farmer, you’ve got that repetitive element going on from day to day.

The big benefit here is that you have something tangible to show for it at the end of the working day and not just a bunch of digital files.

(I write this as a sole trader working on a royalty-based income who’s looking for something new.)

 

[scottcampbell]

Question; is this a game where days pass in real-time, and you need to make sure you're checking in on the game often? Or does time only pass while you're playing?

 

[teidon]

Question; is this a game where days pass in real-time, and you need to make sure you're checking in on the game often? Or does time only pass while you're playing?

Time passes only when you play the game. One in-game day lasts about 15 real world minutes. There are four seasons and each is 30 in-game days.

 

[the8thark]

Time passes only when you play the game. One in-game day lasts about 15 real world minutes. There are four seasons and each is 30 in-game days.

Yeah these farming games do become time management sims when you get deeper into them. How effectively can you use 15 real world minutes to get as much as you can done in game.

 

[scottcampbell]

For what it's worth, I'm a few hours into the game and starting to enjoy it.

The game's downfall seems to be a lack of onboarding for new players, as well as some jank and unpolish that comes from it being a huge title developed by a one-man-team.

It's strengths are the diversity of activities, interesting characters, and limitless options/potential.

Looking forward to getting a better grip on the mechanics and systems.