Stardew Valley - Review 2024 | Why is this game so good?

A spoiler-free* review/critique/analysis/retrospective of Stardew Valley version 1.6. This cozy comfort game is worth playing in 2024 and beyond; it's a modern masterpiece and one of my new favorite games of all time. An open-ended country-life RPG that was originally released in 2016, this game has many compelling aspects working in its favor, like lots of engaging gameplay mechanics with tons of depth and variety to experience and a really satisfying progression system, but the real reason I suspect it has such strong appeal with so many people is likely just its charming, immersive premise, and its relaxing vibes and atmosphere. And the fact that it's developed by a one-man team (Eric Barone, aka ConcernedApe), who's continually put out tons of free content updates over its eight year life span, just goes to show that this game is a true labor of love that should be cherished by anyone who plays it.

There are minor spoilers for a few bits of end-game content, unlocked gameplay mechanics, and certain individual situations, but no spoilers for anything that I consider to be major/important cutscenes or story arcs.

00:00 - Intro / Premise
02:45 - Presentation / Characters
04:21 - Visual Style / Aesthetics
06:00 - Music / Atmosphere
08:07 - Emotional + Symbolic Themes
09:35 - Cozy vs Challenging Gameplay
12:17 - Open-Ended Options
14:27 - Progression Systems
18:25 - Growth / Upgrades
20:52 - Mechanical Depth / Complexity
23:49 - Tutorials / Information Systems
26:16 - Discoveries + Secrets
27:26 - Criticisms
27:55 - End Game / Stopping Points
30:12 - Ginger Island
32:08 - Community Center vs JojaMart
34:31 - Fishing Mini-Game
35:16 - Social Simulation / Friendship
37:30 - Dating / Marriage Candidates
40:05 - Festivals
44:50 - Conclusion / Outro

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All the music used in this video is from the Stardew Valley soundtrack by Eric Barone, except these brief excerpts:

"In the Hall of the Mountain King" by Kevin MacLeod (CC4.0)
"Lukewarm Banjo" by Kevin MacLeod (CC1.0)
"Drunken Sailor Sea Shanty" by PGN Music (CC1.0)

#StardewValley #SDV Junimo Junimos Pelican Town farming simulator nature