Never would've guessed this cute farm managing game would have something to say about greedy corporations beating the general populous into submission but I was surprised to see it introduces itself with exactly that. The most gratifying arc in the game for me came in seeing my local peers regain their satisfaction with the world they're living in again after my character had made the decision to abandon Joja Mart and start a new beginning in the farming life. Seeing that farm blossom and grow was rewarding in itself but knowing that the actions it took to get there helped the other villagers around me in the process only further incentivised my desire to continue the never-ending grind and gave all of my actions enough weight for me to truly enjoy the journey.

The NPCs of Stardew Valley are rarely interested in sharing much with you beyond basic small talk, there's a happy tone to the game but one with an understated defeat. You see characters lose their livings to higher ups and even though they've barely uttered a word to you, you feel sympathy,. This game allows you to realise that situations like this are exactly the cause for the distance they prefer to keep, building those relationships through the progress of my farm personally became one of my biggest drives while playing.

The days fly by incredibly fast and the game constantly presents to you new systems and activities to explore, it's daunting & draining but at all times exciting. I felt legitimately compelled to see this world blossom and even though the tedious mechanics of mining and fishing did begin to wain on me in the later game, it was a journey I extracted a lot from and would feel happy to continue.