I'm so unbelievably split on this game. It is made for a specific type of person, the type of person who wants a very chill game play experience, enjoys trial and error, and doesn't mind there being no end to their play through. All of those things sound very boring to me, but I suppose that's my preference. Nevertheless, I will rate the game even though it's not made for me.

I can see how co-op with your significant other in this game is popular because it is in my opinion a game that appeals more to women. It's like a way to get them to play video games with you even if it's your not your first choice (speaking from a male perspective).

I can't help but feel after looking at this new 1.6 update for the game that the creator is sort of lost on what people are looking for as new features. This game has so many crazy cool mods that it is straight up 2x better with mods. Having a game with tons of mods is not a great sign imo. I will never hold back a low rating because "the mods save it". People shouldn't be expected to mod something to make the best version of the game.

It seems to me that players know what they want more than the creator, or have more ambition than the creator because it's one person who made this entire game. That's a lot of responsibility it's mind boggling to me.

Browse the mods for this game and you'll see what I mean.
https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/?BH=0

One I would never be able to play this game without is movement speed increase, the slow movement speed is really annoying. https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/2736
Yeah I get that you get a horse with a stable but that takes quite a while when you don't know what you're doing. And yes I know that you can drink coffee or eat food for a speed boost too.

Another issue I have is there are lots of wiki lookup moments because the game doesn't do a good job of explaining it's mechanics naturally through game play. For example how you have no idea what gifts npcs like or don't like. For that I use this mod https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/6564

The entire game is framed around either not caring what is most efficient or relying on the player to figure it out on your own. A methodology I hate to endorse.

The other thing I don't like which is again part of the appeal that doesn't appeal, is the game is so jam packed with shit, and a lot of the shit I don't really care about. The thing that does appeal to me in this game is variety in aesthetics, mechanics, and storytelling. Like oh I talk to this specific seller in the game to get this exotic plant, and now it is treated differently because it's a different plant. Or I chose this relationship and that led to a interesting event. Or I can make my house japanese themed. Or now since I neglected this relationship, something bad happened. Or I can have a ton of crazy animals and they all need to be cared for differently.

This game kind of just gives you options and you're left to draw your own conclusions, and my interpretation is then there is no conclusion/lesson/reason.

This game doesn't commit all the way, it holds back because the scope of what I am talking about is complicated. Or because it's made by one person. Or because it wants to be simple. Either way I wish it was different.

I did not understand your game at first ConcernedApe.... but I get it now.... I played this originally a few years ago with my partner at the time, it was fun, but I didn't play it again after we stopped playing together, until recently when one of my best friends bought me the PC version. Now I get the hype for it after all this time, this is my go-to when I'm bored right now or when I'm getting off a long day of work, I can get lost mining or fishing for hours. The gameplay is very much the same as all farming games, but for me, getting to know the community and become a part of it made it so enjoyable (especially Elliot and Haley, I think we should kiss-) The music is also very good as well as the bits and pieces of story as you play, honestly just give it a chance, you might like it more than you think.

Hands down the best farming sim you will ever play, genre-defining for a reason. Everything about Stardew Valley is expertly crafted: the visuals, the music, the gameplay, the characters - it all comes together so effortlessly to create a game that is extremely addicting and fun. On top of it all, its very affordable, and the game is regular updated with new content FOR FREE all the time. It just keeps getting better and better. It's a game that you can play forever, and is even better with friends. Truly a masterpiece.

Theres a lot i could say that has been said before, so ill say something VERY TRUTHFUL that may not have been said before.

I Got so addicted to this game that I dehydrated myself and went to a walk in clinic.

I am not kidding.

I dislike how the main quest doesn't involve the NPCs.

Let's take repairing the bridge to the quarry as an example. In other farming/community sims, this quest would involve talking to someone who wants it repaired, the player finding some carpenter in town to help, the player gathering items for construction, and then after a couple days the bridge would be fixed and the villagers would thank you with a little celebration.

In Stardew Valley, the player donates some wood and berries to the Community Center, and then some magic creatures fix the bridge overnight. Most NPCs don't recognize that the bridge is fixed at all, let alone that the player helped out. This game is too focused on giving the player lots of tasks rather than justifying those tasks in the world.

I have other problems with the base game, but the modding community here is so extensive that every other issue has a mod to fix it. The main quest is the only thing that can't be modded to be fixed, so it's my only remaining complaint.