Paul Dean spends a year in Stardew Valley [official site], ahead of the game’s one year anniversary later this month, and reflects on the work that goes into building a life, virtual or otherwise.
The farm I ve inherited is a mess. It s nothing more than a small house at one corner of an overgrown tract of land, set away from a tiny riverside village of complacent, mostly white people in large, embellished houses. It s springtime and I m a stranger. As a welcoming gift, a local passes a dog off to me that I think is a stray they have no desire to deal with. The farm comes with a big old television set, a handful of cheap tools and a stagnant pond.
I ve abandoned a pointless desk job in some soulless town and now I have no income. I have no friends. I have decided that this is my life now. It s how I ll come of age.