What kind of game is Stardew Valley? Wikipedia describes it in neutral terms as “a simulation role-playing video game” whereas Steam calls it “an open-ended country-life RPG,” which is more detailed but does not define the mood of the player engaging with it. I personally think it’s quite relaxing and dangerously addictive, but I have seen blog posts that describe the game as anxiety-inducing. One Steam user, trolling or not, calls it “a [sic] existential horror game” where the player can never leave the valley, since the bus only takes you to the desert.
How am I supposed to feel, and is my feeling valid if it differs from other people? What does it say about me as a player?
I don’t identify as a gamer because I don’t like to take gaming seriously, and I hate labels. I don’t have a gaming computer and never owned the Switch. The only games I have access to are what is available in the App Store. As a result or correlation, I find myself not caring about in-game achievements as much. As a casual player (yet not casual because I spent way too much time on it), I get the most enjoyment out of Stardew Valley was making milestones on my own terms: a big harvest, buying my first pig, figuring out Haley’s favorite gift without consulting the internet, and finding rare gems in the mines. It is almost third year spring and I haven’t completed the community center; in fact, I haven’t done much in the winter besides wandering around town, fishing, occasional mining, and trying my best to marry beach boy Elliot after Haley cold-heartedly rejected my bouquet. More often than not, I wander around too much, take the wrong route, or simply do not economize my time. This does not stress me out, but watching YouTube videos on “how to avoid first year mistakes” or “things you must do” does. Here is my logic: games are supposed to be fun and relaxing, so why would I stress myself out by doing better? Why can’t I be content with how things are going? The same goes for other games like Genshin Impact: I have friends who grind and try to have the best stats, but I care more about the game on my own terms.
A quick revelation: the decisions you make in games and your attitude, to some degree, reflect or even predict your decisions in life. If not real life, then a parallel life where you wish things are different. I enjoy the slowness of everything I do in Stardew Valley. I don’t want shortcuts, and I’m okay with not using my energy bar on some days where I simply forgot to farm or tend to my animals. I gave terrible gifts to half the townspeople and thought they were going to hate me, and I neglected Maru for two seasons before realizing the number of hearts can decrease if you don’t talk to her. I don’t want success, only a fun experience with a healthy amount of struggles and frustrations. This is the life I chose, and of course, everyone gets to choose a different life.
