Stardew Valley has a board game now
But it's only available in the US at first
If you're tired of your digital farm life then why not turn off all that tech and get back into the real world? I don't mean in a garden or farm with mud and stuff, I'm talking about dice, cards and little chips you move around a board. Stardew Valley developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone announced Stardew Valley: The Board Game last night, inviting players to defend the Valley from the evil Joja Corporation in tabletop form.
"For more than 2 and a half years I’ve been working together with board game designer Cole Medeiros to make a board game that captures the essence of Stardew Valley," ConcernedApe says on the Stardew blog. "It has pretty much everything from the video game: villagers, crops, animals, fishing, foraging, mining and more. We worked hard to make a board game we think is really fun to play and to look at. I hope you enjoy it!"
Cole Medeiros has previously worked on board games like Gubs: A Game Of Wit And Luck and Web Of Spies.
Stardew Valley: The Board Game can be played solo or co-op with up to four players. Similarly to the video game, the aim is to protect the Valley, bring it back to life, and drive out Joja Corp. You do this by completing goals from your Grandpa and restoring the Community Center, and these goals will be randomised each time you play so it's not super repetitive.
"The game has a lot to it but there are rules to make it easier or harder depending on your preferences. Just like the video game, we want you to be able to make this your own," ConcernedApe says.
He emphasises that it's still a pretty complex game, not the sort of casual experience you can quickly pick up. It's easier once you get your head around the rules though, which you can find in the Dropbox here to decide if this is the sort of game for you before you spend money on it.
I love me a good video game board game adaptation, but sadly I won't be able to get my hands on this one for a bit, as they're currently only shipping to the US. They plan on making it available to more countries in the future, though.
If you're in the USA right now and fancy picking up a copy, you can buy Stardew Valley: The Board Game right here for $55 (about £38).