Stardew Valley is a farming simulator where you also work to develop friendships with the other townsfolk. Play involves exploring the world, making decisions about your farm and incrementally turning it into a thriving business. It stands out for how this farming challenge is the backdrop for all manner of stories and adventures as you make your way in the world.
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You choose which type of farm you want to start working on and what your character looks like. On the surface, with pixilated graphics, it looks like a simple farm simulator. However, players are soon drawn to the wider world, people and relationships that make the valley tick. Along with the daily grind of cultivating, ploughing, planting and harvesting you also get to explore the town, meet people who need your help and go on quests into the dangerous mines.
As you progress you discover all manner of different interweaving local stories. When you know the townsfolk well enough you get more detail about their backstories and what brought them to the valley. You can even influence their decisions and affect how things turn out for them.
The result is a game that is less about farming wealth and more about generosity and community value. There is a surprising amount of depth both to the farming work and the lives of the characters you meet.
