Stardew Valley | The Kilde4 parents (2024)

Game description:
When your grandfather died, he told you that there would come a time when the world would weigh you down and you would feel the need to make a change. He hands you an envelope and tells you to open it when that happens. Time comes later if you have a desk job at JoJa Corporation; the envelope contains a letter from your grandfather and a deed to a small farm in nearby Stardew Valley. So you pack up and move to the countryside to start a simpler life on a farm.

Stardew Valley is a farming simulator, but it is much more than that. In the spirit of similar games like Harvest Moon, there are also a number of characters in the nearby town you can talk to, all of whom have unique names, personalities and preferences. As you explore the valley, you'll discover secrets, help the local community thrive, and maybe even fall in love with one of the game's many characters and start a family.

There's a lot to do in Stardew Valley, so let's make sure it's suitable for your kids.

What parents need to know

Violence:
There is very little violent content in Stardew Valley, but there is an abandoned mine with strange creatures in it that players can enter to collect various important resources (metals, gems, etc.). This mine has a variety of monsters, from tiny slimes to tarry humanoids to annoying buzzing bees, and the player defends themselves with various swords and other melee weapons. The violence is very mild, there is no gore, and if your character runs out of health you simply fall asleep and wake up the next day at home, having been rescued by someone else.

Taal:
Mild words like "hell" are occasionally used.

Sexual Content:
Your character can form relationships with the other villagers and many of them can lead to marriage. When you're married, every now and then when you go to bed you're asked if you want a baby, and if you say yes, the screen just goes black.

A character's romance includes her going to the town bathhouse one night, and later in the game she may want to ask if you remember that night.

Spirituality:
Stardew Valley has a number of magical elements, all of which are quite indescribable and amazing. Small sprite-like creatures ask you to collect different things to make the city better. There is a wizard living outside the city who creates potions and helps you understand the city's magical past. Some artifacts are said to have some sort of magical power.

Different:
The town has a bar and citizens often gather there in the evenings. One character is known as the town drunk. The player can buy and drink beer. The player can also eventually grow hops and use them to make beer to sell or consume. A character smokes cigarettes.

Positive elements:
Stardew Valley is primarily a game about slowing down and appreciating the experience of life. It's not necessarily a game you have to rush through; the entire game is designed to encourage the player to take their time and enjoy the beauty of the world and the meaning of their relationships.

Furthermore, the relationships the player forms with the various characters all have positive meanings about understanding people and helping them. There is much worth discussing in your interactions with the townspeople.

A child's perspective:Stardew Valley seems like such a slow game that kids won't enjoy it much, but my nieces (who also love the Harvest Moon games) really enjoy it. And the increased interest in games like Minecraft among children has prepared them well for such games. As long as your child can read, chances are he will enjoy it more than you might expect.

Reviewer's Thoughts:
When I first started playing Stardew Valley, I had trouble understanding the flow of the game. I felt like there was too much to do and not enough time, like I couldn't keep up with what the game wanted me to accomplish. But in the end...that's how it was meant to be. Stardew Valley is a game about slowing down. It is a game in which you give yourself the space to discover, wonder and improve, without fear of routine or deadlines. It's a game about time management, about learning efficiency, and about letting yourself enjoy the process instead of sweating over the results.

That's why Stardew Valley has received a lot of love and attention. So much so that the game's creator is still making content for it, including a co-op mode available on Switch and PC (and soon on PS4 and Xbox One). And its reputation is well deserved. The game is cheap, but gives you a lot of content, meaning you can spend a lot of time building your new life on your farm and growing close to the people around you.

If you want something big and relaxing, Stardew Valley is the game for you. And if you want to try something for your kid that's a little different from the usual online shooters and hack-and-slash action games, this is a good bet too.