Stardew Valley turned the gaming neighborhood the wrong way up when it was launched in 2016, particularly the farming sim neighborhood. In accordance with the sport’s press web page, the indie hit has bought over 20 million copies because it was launched – that widespread success modified issues for indie builders and video games generally, but it surely additionally modified issues in its style.
The farming simulator style had been round and thriving for many years earlier than Stardew Valley was launched. The creator of the indie hit, Eric Barone, has stated on a number of events that his sport was primarily based on the love he had for the unique Harvest Moon video games. Whereas it’s clear that Harvest Moon impacted Stardew Valley from Barone’s feedback, what’s not so clear is the doable affect of Stardew Valley on Harvest Moon. Contemplating the sheer variety of gross sales, it could make sense for the older sequence to take notes from the indie newcomer.
When discussing the unique Harvest Moon video games, it’s necessary to notice that the video games at the moment are known as Story of Seasons. There are nonetheless video games being made underneath the Harvest Moon identify, however the authentic developer, Marvelous, is releasing underneath the Story of Seasons identify. Due to this fact, to be able to examine the sequence of video games that impressed Barone and Stardew Valley particularly, it’s necessary to have a look at older Harvest Moon titles however Story of Seasons titles as soon as they enter the scene in 2014. There are just a few ways in which the Story of Seasons franchise has seemingly modified since Stardew Valley.
The Influence of Stardew Valley on Inclusivity in Story of Seasons
Stardew Valley introduced some new issues to the farming simulator style that Story of Seasons seemingly tailored to its personal video games. Most of those should do with letting the participant customise who they’re from gender id to sexual orientation. Stardew Valley has no limits on who a participant can marry, in addition to the truth that they should be a bachelor/bachelorette. This was unprecedented as previous Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons video games didn’t embrace this.
The closest factor the sequence had ever had was in Harvest Moon DS: Cute, which had a “finest pal” system. The feminine playable character was capable of develop into “finest mates” with sure females and transfer in collectively, beginning a household in the identical method that the participant may with male characters.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive City, which got here out 5 years after Stardew Valley‘s launch, opened up marriage between any of the wedding candidates, no matter their gender or the participant’s gender. There have been different Story of Seasons video games launched, however they had been both a remake that stored traditional marriage methods or the brand new and authentic Story of Seasons: Trio of Cities, which was launched only a few months after Stardew Valley and was being developed earlier than the indie sport made an affect.
It’s price noting that the upcoming Story of Seasons sport, Story of Seasons: A Fantastic Life, is meant to incorporate same-sex marriage regardless of not being within the authentic model of the sport. Whereas this can be an indication that video games have gotten extra inclusive generally, Stardew Valley was the primary high-profile sport to incorporate it within the style, and others adopted go well with.
One other factor that Stardew Valley launched was participant customization. Gamers had a plethora of choices to select from to make their character no matter they wished between quite a few tops, bottoms, hairstyles, pores and skin tones, and sliding shade choices for an almost infinite variety of mixtures. This was one thing exceptional within the prior Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons video games. Whereas there have been small customizable choices within the video games, it was laughable in comparison with Stardew Valley.
The Influence of Stardew Valley on Remakes
It’s price noting that Barone’s causes for making Stardew Valley may very well be a part of why Story of Seasons is specializing in remakes greater than ever. In Chapter Three of Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Tales Behind How Video Video games Are Made by journalist Jason Schreier, there’s a bit on Barone’s reasoning for creating Stardew Valley:
“Barone’s imaginative and prescient was nicely outlined, if unglamorous: he wished to make his personal model of Harvest Moon. The unique sequence had grown much less standard because of a trademark dispute and a pointy decline in high quality, and it was powerful to discover a fashionable sport that evoked the tranquility of the unique farm simulators,” Schreier wrote.
These sorts of observations, and the success of Stardew Valley, may very well be why Story of Seasons has turned its sights to remaking outdated video games. Once more, this may very well be a development in gaming generally. Nevertheless, it’s fascinating that the gamers appear to need blasts from the previous, and when Stardew Valley proved it, the sequence began growing remakes. It’s much more fascinating that the one sport that wasn’t a remake, Pioneers of Olive City, had three content material updates/DLC that introduced again characters from previous video games within the sequence.
Stardew Valley’s Legacy
The affect that Stardew Valley had on the farming simulator neighborhood is spectacular. It took over as the primary farming/social simulator, and plenty of name different video games within the style “like Stardew Valley” versus “like Harvest Moon.” Whereas the sport perfected varied points of the long-standing sequence, it added new issues that gamers appear to like. A few of these issues have since been seen in Story of Seasons, the sequence of video games from the unique Harvest Moon builders. Stardew Valley often is the epitome of farming simulation for a while to return.
