Recent reviews by POKE GUY

Haven't played it before the big updates, so I can't compare it to how it was, but it's not bad

Not an easy game to get into, especially if you're new to the genre. This game will take time and much trial and error to understand, but when you finally get it, there's a ton of enjoyment to be found. Just the sheer amount of customisation, build possibilities, and loot hunting will keep you occupied for many, many hours

Stardew Valley is a game made by a single developer by the name of ConcernedApe, who still continues to add features and improvements to the game at the time of writing this review. You play as a farmer who moves from their miserable corporate job in the city to peaceful rural life in Pelican Town after inheriting their dead grandfather's farm.

The game itself has a bit of a slow, grindy start, with your limited energy bar depleting quickly as you spend your first months trying to establish your farm and begin making money. Your skill levels for each skill line increases as you use them, and energy cost for each skill will decrease, which allows you to do more activities each day. At levels 5 and 10 you can choose one of two perk to refine the type of farmer you want to be.

Resource gathering (stone, metals, and wood) is pretty basic but works well for what the game is. Resources gathered can be used to improve your house, upgrade tools, construct various buildings, and make production buildings such as cheese presses, all of which goes towards improving your farm.

The game also features combat which mostly takes place in a mine and another dungeon area, where you can mine or kill monsters for resources. Because combat isn't the main focus of the game, it isn't something you'll be spending hours trying to learn or get better at doing.

There are also equipable cosmetic items that you can collect, most of which are unlocked by completing achievements. Functional items exist in the game to help you in combat, or as small quality of life features such as increased item-pickup range.

Another main highlight of Stardew Valley is the host of various characters you are able to meet and interact with. Personally, I think each character is very well-written with believable personalities, motivations, hopes, and even flawed traits (one character is an alcoholic, for example). You can also give gifts to each character, all of whom have liked and disliked gifts in accordance to their personalities, which is a nice detail. Giving appropriate gifts and talking to characters regularly raises your relationship standing with them, in which more of their personal stories could develop and become revealed to you.

At certain points in your relationships, you will occasionally receive gifts from your virtual friends, and even marry one that strikes your fancy (if they're not already married, of course).

Stardew Valley is a very open-ended game, with the only goals being quests given to you by characters or goals that you set for yourself. An actual long-term goal that exists in the game is the restoration of the town's derelict community centre, which you restore by handing in items that are required by bundles, which themselves compose a section of the community centre itself. There is also an option to use money to restore the community centre, but doing so has its own implications and outcomes as well.

All in all, Stardew Valley is a great game for those who are looking for a non-competitive, non-linear game that you can incrementally build up success rather than to worry about rushing to the end-game. As many others have said, it is also a great game for relaxing or relieving stress. However, the slow pace, repetitiveness, and open-ended nature of the game may leave a sour taste in the mouths of those who are looking a faster-paced or more linear game experience.

+ Detailed, in-depth build customization while not being too crazy like Path of Exiles'
+ Ability to reset skill, attribute, and devotion points when needed
+ Many items and item sets to experiment with and to grind for
+ Active community to trade with or to grind with
+ Large world to explore with little secrets hidden away in some places
+ In-depth lore with plenty of notes to find and read, if you have the time
+ Just the right amount of challenge, in my opinion
+ Transmog system to show off your loot
+ Active devs; passionate about their game

- Point reset gets more expensive the more frequently you use it, bad in my opinion
- Soundtrack and voice acting a little stale in some areas
- Still some balancing with items and bosses needed, in my opinion
- Not every build combination is viable for endgame, currently
- Not much else to do after beating the game and maxing out your character, unless you create a new one or choose to play the Crucible DLC
- Lore appears weak in some areas, as compared to others

Overall, very well-made game. Main game and DLCs definitely worth it for the price, especially on sale.

You broke my heart when you broke the game, trying to break into our wallets.