The past couple weeks have been hectic, to say the least. I think it’s safe to say that no one has any idea what will happen next. Throughout this time of uncertainty, one thing has kept me sane: Stardew Valley.

Stardew Valley is an open-ended, farm-style rpg. You control one character who moves to a small town after becoming sick of city life, inherits an overgrown farm from your grandfather, and are tasked with bringing it back to life. You live in a small town filled with several interesting characters, with whom you can build relationships with. There are countless ways to play this game, which is one of my favorite things about Stardew Valley.

The versatility of this game is astounding. Throughout the game you make several choices from the plants you grow to the relationships you form. There are five skill sets you can develop: farming, mining, fishing, foraging, and combat. There are mines to be explored, lakes to fish, forests to search, just about any frontier you could find out in the country. Stardew Valley also has a co-op option, so you can share a farm with up to three friends.

What motivated me to review this game is actually another game entirely- Animal Crossing: New Horizons. I have seen several of my peers talk about wanting to get the game but being unable to due to the high cost and required platforms. Stardew Valley is very similar to Animal Crossing but is a fraction of the cost at just fifteen dollars on steam or eight dollars on mobile devices. Stardew Valley is available for the switch, but also runs on almost any other gaming device, including ps4 and Xbox One. 

This game has provided me a way to unwind after dealing with everything going on. I can’t recommend it enough.