Stardew Valley is, unsurprisingly, one of the best indie games ever made – a fantastic, cozy experience that sees you renovate a farm and amble through life in a rural town, socializing, farming, mining, and more. Confined to a 1.5-hour playtime, Stardew Valley: The Board Game can’t quite capture the cozy magic, but it’s still great – and while it’s hard to find in stock, you can now get it at a tasty discount.
We feel Stardew Valley: The Board Game is a bit misunderstood. Its gameplay doesn’t directly capture the video game’s slow pace or easy-going objectives, and instead offers a co-operative strategy challenge that can feel tough or even punishing. That’s a turn off for some.
But it’s not necessarily a downside for the type of Stardew Valley fans who hyper-optimize their farms and have completed all 120 floors of the mines (you know who you are). And aesthetically, the Stardew board game is heart-meltingly gorgeous enough to go toe to toe with the best board games around.
Despite playing best with four people, it’s a solid couple’s board game and, like many mechanically chunky board games, plays surprisingly well solo!
Many of the things you’ll do in the original version of Stardew Valley remain. Working with your fellow farmers in order to fend off the capitalistic JojaMart Corporation, you’ll need to fish, farm, befriend, and find plenty of different resources to complete Grandpa’s Goals, which slowly become more apparent as the game goes on. As you progress towards restoring the Community Centre, you’ll have to work as a group to overcome certain events as you enjoy the rural life of Stardew Valley.
While the game’s charm comes off as family-friendly, this hard-boiled Stardew Valley adaptation makes it much more attractive for adults. The rules seem simple at first, but it will soon become apparent that there’s a lot of depth to the Valley as you explore more of the charming rural paradise you find yourself in.
In our Stardew Valley: The Board Game review, Callum Bains bounced off some of the rockier parts of the field – but said Stardew’s stand-out feature was its “undoubtedly replayability”, adding that “you’ll encounter new dilemmas and situations, [meaning] you can play this board game over and over again.” If you’re looking for a board game to offer plenty of different situations each and every time, then, Stardew Valley should be a tempting crop.
Considering how highly sought after the Stardew Valley board game has been lately, it’s surprising to find it not only in stock but also at a discount. Right now, you can grab Stardew Valley: The Board Game for just $62.70 / £48.49 ($83.99) at Zatu Games. That’s a 25% discount off the usual price, and it’s a great treat for your game nights.
For something more suitable for little ones, you might want to check out the best kids’ board games instead. Alternatively, the best card games will give you some great experiences if you’d prefer something less time-consuming to set up and play.
Source: Wargamer
