Stardew Valley is the Perfect Therapy Game

Life is not easy. It’s not pleasant. It kicks you in your softest, weakest part repeatedly, laughing all the while. Why? There is no why. It just is.

Depressing thought, isn’t it? My apologies; I assure you, I’m not here to bum you all out. My point is: sometimes, things are really hard, and it can feel impossible to deal with. So, sometimes, you need something to help lift your spirits.

Everyone’s got something. Some people exercise. Others read or play games. There are those who create things, meet new people, volunteer for charity work, you name it. Having your own process for conquering a negative frame of mind.

Today, I want to talk about one of my favorite methods for relaxing. As well as one of my favorite video games ever made: ‘Stardew Valley.’

And not just because 1.6 just came out. I was actually planning this article well before I knew that patch was coming out. In fact, I haven’t even played it as of writing.

Yet.

The game opens with your character’s grandfather giving them a letter. Though the kindly old man stresses not to open it just yet. He warns that one day, you will come to a point in your life when hope and joy are but a distant memory; only then should his parting gift be opened.

His prophecy ends up coming true. Though that really shouldn’t be surprising. Working a customer service job in a corporate cubicle is one of the quickest ways to lose hope in life and joy. As such, your character opens the letter at last to see what their grandfather left for them: the deed to an old farm in the rural town of Stardew Valley.

So naturally, they leave everything behind and move straight there. Upon arrival, however, the farm is clearly not ready to go. You’ve got no seeds, the land is a mess, you barely have any money to your name, and you don’t know the lay of the land yet. It will take some work before you can start growing crops and making cash.

The first thing the game asks you to do is go and meet your neighbors. A trickier task than you might think. See, the villagers of Stardew Valley don’t stand around doing nothing all day, waiting for you to interact with them. Each one has their own unique schedule, one that frequently changes with the seasons, the weather, or special events in the town. When you first arrive, it can be a bit daunting, but once you start getting to know everyone, you’ll have a much easier time socializing.

I especially love how each character’s schedule gives you a strong idea of who they are as people. Penny the bookworm spends her time reading beneath a tree, if she’s not at the library teaching the kids. Sebastian mostly comes out late at night and spends his days working in his room. Shopkeepers aren’t always behind the counter; they frequently close business for the day to perform other tasks around the town. On Friday nights, you can find almost everyone relaxing in the Stardrop Saloon, playing pool, having drinks, unwinding after the week.

Then there are the town gatherings. Holidays, festivals, feasts, the community of Stardew Valley frequently come together to celebrate something or other. These events are always a treat, from the Flower Dance to Spirit’s Eve, offering unique minigames and a chance to catch up with all the characters all at once.

Getting to know the inhabitants of Stardew Valley is far and way the best part of the game. Every single character has a story to tell, and all of them are nothing short of incredible. This simple little farming game has got a story on par with even the best RPGs!

Shane’s story is the one that resonated with me the most. At the beginning of the game, Shane can best be described with the words ‘curt’ and ‘asshole.’ But if you get to know him, his edges gradually dull and he begins to open up to you. He’s not a dickhead, he’s just a depressed young man struggling with alcoholism.

This culminates one night when you find Shane near the cliffs south of town. Surrounded by dozens of empty beer cans, he looks down from the heights and considers stepping off. After talking him down and rushing him to the hospital, he begins the long journey to healing. He opens up to his family, starts to take his job caring for his aunt’s hens more seriously, and begins to see a therapist. It’s an incredible, heart-wrenching story made even more powerful by how wholesome the writing usually is.

Of course, being a social sim, you can romance certain villagers. You can even get married and have kids! Or you could be a scumbag and go for the harem route. But be warned: if you get caught, every one of your romantic prospects are gonna give you the cold shoulder for a week. Besides, while you can date all of them at once, you can only marry one.

Beyond just being sweet and wholesome, having a partner has tangible gameplay benefits as well. They’ll cook you meals, help care for your animals or crops, and generally make your life more pleasant. Or, if you’re playing a co-op game, you could marry the other player; a perfect bonding activity for you and your real life spouse!

All the characters, from your player avatar to your various neighbors, feel genuinely alive in a way few games with pixel art can. Every animation is simple, yet they’re full to the brim with charm and personality. It takes clear inspiration from the all-time greats in pixel character animation, namely ‘Final Fantasy VI’ and ‘Chrono Trigger.’ Some of the character events even have unique cutscenes; one of Sebastian’s is straight up a D&D choose your own adventure! There are surprises around every corner, both in writing and in visuals!

Also, the soundtrack is perfect. Few OSTs are as chill or relaxing as this one. It’s impossible to be stressed while playing this game.

Unless you go into the caves. But before we discuss combat, we should probably talk about the primary mechanic of this farming game: your farm. Though it would be more accurate to call it a sandbox.

Building up your farm is simple. Use your tools to break rocks and chop wood, clearing the way for you to till the earth and plant your seeds. Gathering resources, build farm equipment, gather more resources, build progressively better farm equipment, make money, repeat. Your standard crafting progression.

It’s an incredibly satisfying and rewarding loop. At the beginning of the game, growing tons of crops was time consuming and exhausting. But then you start building sprinklers, and bam! You can grow entire plots of crops without losing one second of time or a drop of stamina. Which gives you plenty of time to decorate your farm with pathways, fences, Rarecrows, or whatever other cosmetic item you find in the valley.

Personally, I like to start on the river farm. Doesn’t give me much land to build on, but it gives me plenty of fishing space; that mini-game has made me bank over the years. Then I straight up started a lobster farm with the crab pot item!

Though I definitely caught more garbage than shellfish…

Even farming itself is enjoyable. Each crop requires a certain amount of time to grow, as well as some needing specific conditions in the soil. Some continue to produce crops once they’re grown, making them a profitable investment. Others produce a random number once grown, making them a fun gamble. On top of that, each item is ranked; bronze is good, silver is great, and both gold and purple are gonna make you some serious cash. Proper planning and tilling is key to maximizing your farm’s output.

Now, ‘Stardew Valley’ isn’t all chilling out with your farm and your fun neighbors. See, your tools are going to need upgrading, and to do that, you’ll need to give Clint the blacksmith ore. Which means you’ll need to head into the mines.

Where the monsters are waiting.

The combat is essentially a simplified version of classic Zelda games. You swing your weapon of choice at enemies as they walk at you until they die. Between that, you need to break rocks to collect ore and find the way down to the next floor. Though you can expediate the process if you’ve got bombs – provided you don’t blow yourself to kingdom come.

Honestly, this is the one aspect of the game I’ve never really cared for. Combat is slow and tedious. I thought the speed buff you get from certain foods might help, but no. That just made it easier to avoid a battle. It’s not awful by any means, but it’s definitely my least favorite part of the game.

Socializing, farming, fishing, mining, crafting. These are the five core pillars of ‘Stardew Valley.’ But you don’t ever have to participate in any of them. If you just want to focus on the one that interests you the most, you can. I think you’re missing out if you don’t dabble in everything, but if that’s what you’re about, then you do you.

But what’s it all for? Well, in the center of town, there is the ruined old community center. Here, you can offer the Junimos, little forest spirits you can only see after being drugged by a wizard, various items to help restore the center. If you do, not only will you restore the ruined old building, but you’ll unlock various new areas and shortcuts around the town.

Or you could be a heartless capitalist and sell it to Joja Co.

‘Stardew Valley’ is the perfect comfort game. It’s more than just a fun farming game. It’s wholesome, comforting, and uplifting. Rather than shying away from the depressing reality we seek to escape, it faces them, squeezes you on the shoulder, and says, “You’ve got this, farmer.” And honestly, sometimes, I really need the encouragement.

Life is not easy. And that’s okay. If there weren’t bad times, there wouldn’t be good times either.

Thanks for reading, everyone. Remember to take care of yourselves.