Stardew Valley by no means actually tells you while you’re achieved — which is each a blessing and a curse. Whereas there’s all the time one other season to prep for and one other shed to construct, sooner or later, even essentially the most devoted gamers would possibly want a purpose to verify again in on Pelican City. So let’s say your farm’s paid off, each villager’s at 10 hearts, and your Group Heart’s stuffed to the brim: How do you convey again the identical sense of surprise to a brand new Stardew Valley run while you already know which crops flip a revenue and which villagers up to now?
Let’s add some whimsy, right here. What in case your partner was decided by destiny? What in case your farmhouse decor was dictated by a randomized face…or your total economic system ran on eggs earlier than you ever touched a watering can? Deal with these Stardew Valley challenges to search out out…should you dare.
11
Chase 10 million gold by the tip of 12 months One
At a look: Hit an aggressive gold goal — 10 million, or much less, if that feels too daunting — earlier than your first winter’s out.
Ten million gold? In a single yr? On this economic system? You’ve received your work minimize out for you. Taking over this problem will imply you’re optimizing kegs, casks, and crop timing more durable than any earlier, extra informal run of yours has ever demanded. (Even a maxed-out greenhouse stuffed with historical fruit wine gained’t get you to this aim with out principally excellent scheduling.) See how shut you get…and should you don’t fairly make it to 10 million, there’s all the time the following run.
10
Get an ideal rating on Grandpa’s analysis…early
At a look: Earn all 21 factors on Grandpa’s 12 months 3 analysis forward of schedule. (Or get as shut as you possibly can.)
Grandpa’s analysis in Stardew Valley tracks the cash you’ve earned, the talents you’ve leveled, your Group Heart progress, and your normal social standing. Most gamers don’t come shut to an ideal 21 by the point this eval will get triggered at first of 12 months 3. Beating it early means not enjoying favorites with expertise or NPCs and juggling all your quests and funds very, very strategically. Suppose you’re as much as the duty? (Together with finishing each single museum assortment?) Better of luck to you and your endeavors.
At a look: Select a single instrument for your entire run — watering can, pickaxe, no matter — and deal with each different one as if it does not exist.
Begin easy: No milk pails, no shears, no fishing rod — until it’s the one instrument you’ve determined is your go-to for the entire run. (You’ll discover out in a short time simply how a lot of Stardew Valley is optionally available.) Then, go additional, and see if yow will discover exploits or workarounds: Bombs, say, as an alternative of a pickaxe to clear rocks. Or does a borrowed rod at a competition fishing contest depend? Your name, we’re not watching.
8
Boycott Pierre’s Common Retailer
At a look: By no means spend a single coin at Pierre’s, forcing you towards JojaMart, foraging, or no matter else you possibly can scrounge up.
Whereas we’re large followers of procuring native, making different selections your norm in Stardew Valley ups the problem significantly. Chopping off Pierre (so sorry, Pierre!) means routing each single seed buy, instrument improve, and sprinkler order by means of JojaMart or different, much less predictable strategies. Sprinklers, seasonal seeds, and fertilizer will all be a lot more durable to come back by, and you will seemingly lean on foraging and the touring cart’s restricted inventory way over you are used to.
7
Undertake each animal earlier than you plant a single crop
At a look: No farming of any sort till each animal constructing you possibly can afford is full.
Skip the usual your-crops-fund-your-livestock order of operations. As a substitute, scrounge your gold to bankroll a full coop and barn earlier than you until a single plot of dust. Your early funding must come fully from foraging, fishing, and no matter wild sources you possibly can wrangle earlier than your first coop has even paid for itself. Any subsequent runs you do after this one are going to really feel so, really easy.
6
Go full vegetarian (slash, pacifist)
At a look: No meat, no fish. No intentional killing within the mines both.
Chopping meat and fish out of your eating regimen and/or your total economic system removes a giant chunk of your food- and gift-giving choices. When you’re in a position to lengthen the rule to no killing within the mines (intentional killing, anyway), you’ll discover that fight turns into way more worrying than routine. Most variations of this run do permit for self-defense, since swinging a scythe when a slime corners you isn’t actually searching. However the true stress will nonetheless, seemingly, come from making an attempt to fund your total farm whereas plant-based.
5
Flip your farm right into a post-apocalyptic bunker
At a look: Reframe the entire recreation as survival after a disaster.
Oh no! The bottom and water are compromised — your new basic fact in a post-apocalyptic model of Stardew Valley. Fish and any crops grown with out sprinklers are off-limits, and wet days are harmful as an alternative of cozy…so that you’ll be caught indoors. You might need to skip festivals and Group Heart leisure bundles till, say, you could have a kitchen so you possibly can convey your personal (secure!) meals. Or, set your self timed challenges to get a sequence of duties achieved earlier than you need to bunker down throughout a fictional, headcanon survival occasion (maybe there are zombies in Pelican City, and you have to disguise till you get an All Clear). This one would require some artistic framing in your finish, however it provides a recent sense of urgency into an in any other case cozy, low-pressure recreation.
4
Let a randomized face determine who you might be
At a look: Randomize your character’s look, then spend the season redecorating your farmhouse to match.
While you first begin up the sport and are creating your character, hit “randomize,” get handed a face you had zero say in, summon the braveness to not hit the button once more, and commit. Spend the season asking your self philosophical questions (like “what sort of individual would appear to be this?”) in addition to sensible ones — like what sort of farmhouse your luck-of-the-draw character would most likely need to reside in. Trace: Problem your self to go along with one thing you wouldn’t naturally construct. Perhaps they want an entire shrine to their fishing gear. Perhaps they’d be into mismatched wallpaper as a vibe. Strive residing like a stranger, and see the way it feels.
3
Let another person choose your soulmate, then go all in
At a look: Have a pal select your partner for you — or choose one at random your self — and commit totally, even when it’s somebody you’d by no means usually go for.
No scouting present preferences on-line. No selecting a romance choice primarily based on which villager’s questline you discover charming, or who you suppose you’d date in actual life. No math about strategic hearts per week, both: Hand the choice to a pal (or destiny), then lean into regardless of the end result is. Decide to a full present schedule, watch each single coronary heart occasion, and permit your self completely zero second-guessing the selection a season later. You by no means know — you would possibly find yourself falling for somebody you would possibly in any other case not have given a second look…
2
Reside nocturnally
At a look: By no means depart your farmhouse earlier than 6 p.m., and be again inside earlier than 2am. Now, farming, mining, and socializing all have to suit right into a a lot smaller window.
Pelican City after darkish feels very completely different. It’s an entire new rhythm: Fewer NPCs are out and about, and also you’ve received a a lot tighter time allowance to slot in a mine run or social go to should you can solely do issues after conventional working hours. Even a routine errand will turn into a logistical nightmare, and also you’ll need to handle your crops very, very deftly. However the environment of the sport is what’ll stick to you, right here. It turns a bustling farming sim and its acquainted daytime cycle right into a a lot odder, quieter, tenser expertise.
