With the current state of the world, these are difficult times for many. As the news continuously changes, and our country requires us to isolate and distance ourselves, it’s become hard to feel like we have any control over our day-to-day lives. Being thrown out of our normal routine can be annoying at best and terrifying at worst for people, and it’s important to try and create a new pattern, to find peace in the chaos.
One way that people are soaking up free time and creating a sense of normalcy is through video games. From Animal Crossing to Counter Strike: Global Offensive, people are looking to lose themselves in the online world, content to chat with friends over Discord and cast out a virtual fishing line. But what if you don’t want to spend the money on a Nintendo Switch to play Animal Crossing, but you also don’t like the violence that is Counter Strike? I present you with an, albeit not free, but more cost-effective alternative: Stardew Valley. You can play it on consoles, like Playstation and the Switch, or just use Steam and a laptop, as it doesn’t require hefty “gamer level” processing.
Initially released in 2016 and developed by Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, it is by no means a game off the beaten track. It has had a slow but steady and well-deserved upward trajectory since its initial release.
Featuring an upbeat soundtrack and an 8-bit animation style, you play as a burnt-out office worker trying to escape the drone of everyday life and can play either solo or with up to four people. As such, you take up a plot of land in Stardew Valley, left to you by your late grandfather. The objective after that? Live your best damn life on your own little farm. Feel the satisfying swoosh of your scythe as you landscape, hear adorable sound effects as you water your garden, and meet your fellow townsfolk as you go about your life. It is a game that lets you focus on whatever angle you want and enables you to feel like the master of your own destiny. For those who don’t like free play, the day to day goals will keep you very occupied, but there is an overarching plot that’s revealed like it’s letting you in on a secret. The secret is that it is so much more than a farming game.
It’s a way of taking a much-needed break from the harsh news cycle. Of course, it’s important to stay up to date on current events, mainly so that you can make decisions based on relevant information for the safety of yourself and your community. Yet, it is also important to pay attention to your mental health as much as possible. Whether that means colouring books, video games, going for socially distanced walks or listening to your favourite artists. The benefit of Stardew Valley is that, if you choose, you can experience all of its joy alone, or with a friend. You can romp around town with your pals like old times, go beachcombing with your significant other, and feel a sense of closeness despite how many leagues apart you are.
It turns out you can keep up to date on your readings while also going to your Stardew farm and buying a hat from the hat mouse, you can stay informed and help others, while also wooing the brooding poet on the beach with flowing red hair.
It’s important not to pressure yourself to use your newfound free time, “like you should be.” Don’t worry if you’re not making leaps and bounds in studying, or writing the next Harry Potter, or suddenly becoming obsessed with fitness. Whether you think it is or not, the stress of the world around you might be weighing you down, and not being able to leave the house as much or see some of the people you love is bound to take its toll.
This is what I love about Stardew. You can still get in a date night once a week and feel connected to your friends or s/o. You can spend a relaxing night fishing and let all the stress of the day melt away. You can feel as if subtle magic is unfolding beneath your fingertips, and that you have all the time in the world to discover it.
Featured graphic by Julia Robinson.
