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Stardew Valley ReviewWhat's the youngest age someone could enjoy playing this?
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Our examiner, Jo Robertson, first checked Stardew Valley 3 years ago. It was re-examined by Andy Robertson and updated today.
Play Overview
On the surface, this can seem like a simple farm simulator but players are soon drawn to the wider world, people and relationships that make their village tick. It's a game that can surprise you with the nuance and depth of the characters.
There is hope running through the stories of the townsfolk. When you know them well enough to trigger the cut scenes explaining their backstories, this grows more substantial. You can even influence their decisions. It becomes less a game about farming wealth and more about generosity and community value.
Benefits
This game is good if you want to:
- Play games good for autistic diversity
- Speak freely to other players
- Automate your game world
- Play games not needing fine motor control
- Play games created by one person
- Compete On Separate Devices
Play Style
You can play online co-op via the menu. You need to open the farm to other players via the Settings tab in the Inventory:
- PC - Connect via Steam friends co-op join screen.
- PlayStation 4 - Connect via PlayStation Plus in the co-op join screen.
- Switch - Connect via Nintendo Online account to people on your friends list via the Join tab.
- Xbox One - Connect to other players via Xbox Live Gold. Multiplayer without a subscription isn't supported.
You can play this game in the following styles:
This has been enjoyed by families in the following styles:
Duration
Age Ratings
Content Rating
The more recent version of the game includes "a casino location and trade in-game money for tokens which can then be used to bet on various casino games such as blackjack and slots with detailed instructions on how to play." This resulted in a PEGI 12 rating.
The VSC also noted that the player has the option to make alcoholic drinks, including beer, wine and mead. When the player consumes the alcohol, they receive increases in their health and energy statistics. However, a negative consequence is also shown, with an icon indicating that the character is 'tipsy', which temporarily reduces their speed. The player can go throughout the whole game without making or drinking any alcoholic beverage.
Users Interact: The game enables players to interact and communicate with each other, so may expose players to language usually associated with older rated games.
Rated for younger players in the US. Rated ESRB EVERYONE 10+ for Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco. Some quests require players to explore caves and battle "cartoony" enemies (e.g., jelly creatures, crabs, flying monsters). From a top-down perspective, players use swords to briefly strike creatures and deplete their health meters. A handful of creatures emit small splashes of blood when defeated. One area contains a casino in which players can wager coins on slot machines and blackjack-style card games. During the course of the game, characters are occasionally depicted smoking pipes or cigarettes; players can also drink mugs of beer, sometimes resulting in a temporary “tipsy” status effect. The word “damn” appears in the dialogue.
Skill Level
9+ year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game. Still, it's important for parents and guardians to consider the maturity required to process the game content. The understated visuals and slower progression in the game make it suitable for children with the patience and skill to persevere. The two-player mode can be a good way to get younger children into the game when played with a parent, guardian or older sibling. Still, some parents tell us that children as young as 5 years old enjoy this. "My daughter was playing Stardew Valley before she could read what the people were saying, but it didn't matter to her."
Our Game Pathways reveal how 6-year-olds play this game:
- 6-year-old: Co-reading
Costs
Stardew Valley
There are no additional in-game purchases, loot boxes, adverts or subscription costs.
Game Details
Release Date: 26/02/2016, updated in 2018
Out Now: Amazon Fire, Android, Mac, PC, PS Vita, PS4, Switch, Xbox One and iOS
Content Rating: PEGI 12
Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds
Players: 1 (4 online)
Genres: Adventure, Role-Play (Action, Collecting, Communication, Narrative, Sequencing, Simulation and Strategy)
Accessibility: 24 features
Components: 2D Overhead, Day and Night, Grid, Open World and Pixels
Developer: Concerned Ape (@ConcernedApe)
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Written by parents for parents, the database complements the in-depth discussion about video game addiction, violence, spending and online safety in the Taming Gaming book. We are an editorially independent, free resource without adverts that is supported by partnerships. |
