Although I could sit here and write about the technical features that makes Stardew Valley such a great game, I am not going to do that. I believe the best reviews come from personal experience with gameplay, and not just a copy-paste, robotic like description. Instead, here is a real review with personal insight into what really makes Stardew the epitome of screen therapy.
You might have had a really stressful day today, or week even. Maybe you got a bad grade, maybe you’re burnt out, maybe you really just want a good night’s sleep for once. Whatever the case may be, you sit down at your PS4 or PC. What will you play? Some days, playing an FPS really doesn’t feel right. The amount of effort required just seems a bit too much. You instead choose Stardew Valley. A relatively simple game with no specific goal. Immersed in the vibrant, nostalgic 8-bit graphics you are transported into what deceptively seems like a farming-simulator. However, on a closer inspection of the gameplay you realise that isn’t all there is to it.
Although you can slowly build up your farm bit by bit by raising animals, harvesting crops, and catching fish, if that isn’t your thing why not fight off cute jelly-like slimes in the layers of mines? Or how about building relationships with the local NPCS? You have tools to upgrade, new locations to explore and trophies to work towards. You could become a chef and cook every single recipe the game has to offer. Or perhaps you want to add more artefacts and gemstones to your museum collection. The choice is yours how you go about each day. A positive element of the game you notice is that does not force you to explore any of these features in a linear fashion. Instead you have the freedom to choose how you want to experience the variety of gameplay options in Stardew Valley, all while experiencing the change in seasons which beautifully alters the colour palate and music of the game to create a cosy atmosphere.
Oh.
Look at that.
You have forgotten about your awful day after playing for thirty minutes. Maybe you feel calmer, maybe it is the first time all day you have felt happy. You quickly realise here is where the magic really is in this game- in its ability to let you escape, just for a little while.
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Research in Media Psychology has led to the widening debate around how video games can allow you to recuperate from stress and strain in life. I would like to highlight this part of my review is a contrast to the recent media barrage of articles suggesting video games can make you more violent and aggressive. Juxtaposing this current view, it has been found that more calming, routine-based video games were on average more like to assist in emotional healing. This is what could be classified as ‘screen therapy.’
This is due to how games such as Stardew Valley and others within the same genre facilitate escape and detachment. This is done by creating a pleasant environment and atmosphere which promotes social connection, even with just NPCS characters. It acts as a form of mood management and reduces anxiety, as you are always able to come back to this world whenever it is required. Furthermore, it is well known that establishing a microroutine in your day is a good way to battle anxiety and depression. It can be defined as a fixed routine that takes place on a much smaller level with a tangible outcome. In Stardew Valley for example, the routine of looking after your animals and watering crops will establish a pattern of behaviours with positive outcomes, which then creates that sense of reassurance and calm. As Stardew Valley promotes this microroutine establishment in its gameplay, this game is ideal for tackling a variety of mental health issues.
Stardew Valley is an Oasis for some. What ConcernedApe has achieved is nothing less than a little bit of magic.
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