Stardew Valley: The Board Game—a loving production but a mixed review from Grandpa
Stardew Valley: The Board Game was a surprise February announcement. Somehow this colorful collaboration between Cole Medeiros and Stardew Valley's sole developer Eric Barone was kept hush-hush for two years. When it was finally announced, it sold out quickly.
Given the long development time and the obvious demand, expectations were high for this cardboard adaptation to deliver on its potential. Unfortunately, there’s a few sticks and crumpled refuse mixed in with the game's gifts of starfruit and ore.
When you first open the large box, none of these concerns will be on your mind. In terms of looks, this board game is impeccable. It captures the bright, whimsical tone of its namesake exceptionally well. The box is packed with cute custom dice, a mound of cards, and enough beautiful tokens to bury the entire valley. Even better, the package includes a plastic tray to store all of the market tiles, which speeds up play and helps limit component sprawl.
The board game also shows an obvious love for its source material. This is evident not only in the artwork and graphic design but in the construction of the various mini-games. Pretty much every task you’d expect to carry out is present here, each with its own sub-system to explore.
