How Stardew Valley May Have Impacted Story of Seasons

Stardew Valley turned the gaming neighborhood the wrong way up when it was launched in 2016, particularly the farming sim neighborhood. In keeping with the sport’s press web page, the indie hit has offered over 20 million copies because it was launched – that widespread success modified issues for indie builders and video games normally, however it 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 mentioned on a number of events that his recreation 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 potential influence of Stardew Valley on Harvest Moon. Contemplating the sheer variety of gross sales, it might make sense for the older sequence to take notes from the indie newcomer.

When discussing the unique Harvest Moon video games, it’s vital to notice that the video games are actually known as Story of Seasons. There are nonetheless video games being made below the Harvest Moon identify, however the authentic developer, Marvelous, is releasing below the Story of Seasons identify. Subsequently, with a view to examine the sequence of video games that impressed Barone and Stardew Valley particularly, it’s vital 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 Impression 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 must 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, moreover the truth that they must 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 good friend” system. The feminine playable character was capable of change into “finest associates” with sure females and transfer in collectively, beginning a household in the identical means 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 saved traditional marriage programs or the brand new and authentic Story of Seasons: Trio of Cities, which was launched just some months after Stardew Valley and was being developed earlier than the indie recreation made an influence. 

It’s value noting that the upcoming Story of Seasons recreation, Story of Seasons: A Great 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 normally, Stardew Valley was the primary high-profile recreation to incorporate it within the style, and others adopted swimsuit. 

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 needed 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 unparalleled 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 Impression of Stardew Valley on Remakes 

It’s value 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 piece on Barone’s reasoning for creating Stardew Valley:

“Barone’s imaginative and prescient was properly outlined, if unglamorous: he needed to make his personal model of Harvest Moon. The unique sequence had grown much less fashionable due to a trademark dispute and a pointy decline in high quality, and it was powerful to discover a fashionable recreation 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 pattern in gaming normally. Nevertheless, it’s attention-grabbing 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 attention-grabbing that the one recreation 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 influence that Stardew Valley had on the farming simulator neighborhood is spectacular. It took over as the principle farming/social simulator, and lots of name different video games within the style “like Stardew Valley” versus “like Harvest Moon.” Whereas the sport perfected varied features 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 stands out as the epitome of farming simulation for a while to come back.