Stardew Valley is one of my favorite games of all time, and I think it’s really well-made. Although some players may not be completely invested in the storylines behind the gameplay, I believe that most people care deeply about the narrative nature of this game (myself included). The items in your inventory can be given as gifts to different townspeople in the game, allowing you to create friendships or romantic relationships with each of them. Once a certain level of kinship has developed, you unlock conversational scenes that allow you to learn about that character’s backstory and/or personality. Additionally, there’s an overall story arc to the game surrounding themes of anti-capitalism and magical realism. As you play, you can slowly make progress to see how these events unfold and how to explain some of the magic that seems to permeate the otherwise normal-seeming town. As I said before, a player could certainly enjoy and appreciate this video game without caring too much about the overarching storylines, but for me, the narrative aspect of this game is definitely one of the reasons I love it so much.
