Darlene ChaniMaya Postma

I stated playing Stardew Valley again in 2023. I played the crap out of this game when it came out, but only scratched the surface of this timeless farming sim.

Missing out on the game was my own fault. Stardew Valley can be played a number of different ways. Back in the day, I went eyeballs deep in spreadsheets and optimal routes. As a result, I no longer felt like I was playing a game. Instead, Stardew Valley felt like running around doing someone else’s task list.

That was enough to get me to stop playing altogether. On this new venture, I have deliberately avoided player resources, with predictably mixed results.

I ended up getting hosed by what I think were Parsnips on the first day of spring. Ouch.

Thanks Dad. Miss ya.

I own the game on Steam, Android, and iOS. I started playing again on Mac, but switched to Android, making this a mobile games blog whether you like it or not. At this time I haven’t looked to see if ConcernedApe has cloud save between mobile platforms, but my guess is no.

Let’s talk touch controls. Overall, pretty good! There are a few buggy interactions here and there, including when trying to avoid enemies in the dungeon. However, the experience playing with touch controls felt so natural that I ended up going out to get a pack of styluses. (Yes, I am that kind of mobile gamer).

How did I end up with two ladders? Do they both go to the same place?

Pelican Town residents can find me sprinting through the town square with a Spice Berry over my head chasing down anyone I can catch. No word yet on who I plan to romance in the game. Let’s see if I can avoid bombing my crops before I consider bringing someone into the family farm.

Darlene