#32
Stardew Valley (PC)
YoY: NEW
The highest ranked new game on my list this year, Stardew Valley is a title that felt nostalgic from the moment I first started it because I still remember playing the SNES version of Harvest Moon years ago. Stardew Valley is a perfect game to just unwind and relax with, as there's no real time limits to anything. You just work on whatever things you want to at your own pace. There is an overarching story to the game, but that's largely in the background, while the focus is always on developing your own farm and on the relationships between your character and the many interesting people that live in the valley.
It's the freedom to decide what you want to do that really makes Stardew Valley such a great game. Whether you like to farm, fish, explore dungeons, spend time with other people, do quests, improve your home, or a number of other things, you can make the decision for yourself, because the game doesn't force you towards anything specific. It's all up to you.
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