Stardew Valley: Multiplayer Update Review

Released in February of 2016, Stardew Valley is an indie farming sim created by one man, Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone and was initially published by Chucklefish. Since then, the game has expanded from its Microsoft Windows release to nearly every other platform as well as an update to allow for multiplayer capabilities in August of 2018. This achievement of gameplay, all pieces created and compiled by ConcernedApe, has been remarkably well received and has even won a few awards since it’s release.

Welcome to Stardew Valley, a game made to be a spiritual successor to the beloved Harvest Moon series. The player begins, after creating their own character, at their grandfather’s old farm. It’s their inheritance after his death, and it’s their job to help bring the farm to its former glory. The small farm lies just outside of Pelican Town, and all manner of personalities live there.

Many of which you can marry, no matter your gender. (I always have a soft spot for Harvey, the town doctor, although he seems to be the least favorite marriage choice. I love him though, and he still helps me on my farm because I ply him full of coffee.) You can make your money by farming, fishing, and dungeoneering in the mines at the far end of town.

The desert, the quarry, and the bathhouse open up later after either helping the community by donating items to the community center — or hamper it by helping the evil Joja Corporation take root in the Valley. Either way, the game is a fantastic, easy-going farming sim that nearly anyone can step into.

 

Across all platforms, my favorite to play this game on is PC. While the playstyle has been adjusted for console, it’s most fluid with a keyboard and mouse. Using the numbers for inventory items, the player can left click to swing a sword or pickaxe or cast with their fishing rod.

But there is really no real slowing of the player’s movements. If you wanted, you could perch on the couch with a small USB mouse covered in blankets and not be inhibited in any way in the gameplay. In the Valley, things are simple and easy going. The worst case scenario is that you miss finding a resource you need to turn into the Community Center and have to wait for another season to get it. I’ve sunk hundreds of hours into harvesting virtual vegetables and exploring the dungeons.

In April of 2018, the beta version of Stardew Valley’s multiplayer update was released on PC for playtesting. While I didn’t get a chance to check out the beta in action, I was able to get the download on the release date in August of that same year. Along with the multiplayer functionality, there was the addition of different types of farms, to target the specific desires of each person’s play style, as well as even more events to experience throughout the year.

 

The multiplayer update was widely hoped for, and when it was released, it met expectations. Hosts could have up to 4 “farm hands” onto their farm, creating smaller houses for each of them. While the boxes provided allowed for integrations across inventories, much of the game remained the same. Sometimes it was a bit jarring to find yourself setting out of a cutscene to realize a good fifth of your day had gone by, while your companions worked in the background, but overall, it was a great experience.

 

Farm hands could even marry each other or someone from Pelican Town as well. The game became even more captivating, running through the mines on a rainy day with a companion, or four, and moving through the Valley. If you enjoyed the game and were enthralled the first time around, take another look with a friend, introduce them to the citizens of Pelican Town and revisit the farm you worked so hard to create your first visit.

 

Stardew Valley was amazingly well received by the gaming community, selling millions of copies since its released and has even been ported to mobile OS since it’s release on console. It’s easy to see why when you just sit down and let yourself enjoy the draw of it. It’s non-complicated, and you can find yourself entranced by it. If you love games like Animal Crossing, Terraria, and Harvest Moon, this is definitely a game that you will want to check out. Get some friends together and get to the farm. Grandpa needs you to rebuild his legacy.