For PC gamers who need to get their Harvest Moon fix, solo developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone’s long awaited farming RPG, Stardew Valley, has appeared on Steam with a “Coming Soon” release date. Chucklefish Games is assisting the developer with launching the title; the studio is best known for such titles as Starbound, Wanderlust Adventures, and Interstellia.
Those familiar with Harvest Moon will recognize the plot instantly: you’ve been bequeathed a failing farm by your grandfather in his will, and it’s up to you to make the farm successful again. In the tradition of virtual life RPGs like the aforementioned Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing, much of the game includes socializing with neighbors, getting married, raising a family and exploration of the surrounding area as well.
The co-op mode of the game allows three other players to enter the game and assist the main player with such tasks as till soil, chop trees, remove grass, place and move furniture, in addition to socializing with other characters in the town alongside the main player.
The minimum system requirements are as follows:
- OS: Windows 7 or greater
- Processor: 2 Ghz
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Graphics: 256 mb video memory, shader model 3.0+
- DirectX: Version 10
- Storage: 500 MB available space
