It’s Actually Not That Cozy… At First
One of the first things you notice when you play Stardew in 2024 is that over the last four years, much of the “cozy” subgenre of gaming was specifically made as a reaction to it. Many more recent games such as Fae Farm or My Time at Sandrock have made decisions that address Stardew’s weak points or focus more heavily on its strengths.
A particular sticking point is the beginning of the game, as Stardew starts you very low on what another game might call its power curve. You initially have little stamina, don’t know any of the good cooking recipes yet, and are usually forced to keep yourself going through the day by eating random things that you found on the ground. Spring 1, Year 1 farming in Stardew is done on a steady diet of dandelions.
As you get more established, you slowly get better options, more stamina, and time-saving machines like sprinklers, but every day in Stardew is still a race to get as much done as possible before you’re forced to go to bed. There’s a reason why long-time fans all have strategies that revolve around pure efficiency.
