To begin this critical play, and further, the discussion on playing games as a feminist, I am proud to say that I believe I have been playing all the games CS247 has offered, as a feminist. My main claim to this is that in developing my P1 game, Posh Pooch, I always centered a more feminine game because I ha dn’t enjoyed the premises of the games we played in class. In the terms used in class today, I fit a majority of the characteristics used in the “Jennifer” archetype used to create female-targeted video games. Although I am decidedly not a middle-aged white woman in Wisconsin, I have particular game preferences in that I am not interested in violence (like FPS), overly complex games (space flight simulators), or games that generally take a lot of time (DnD). Thankfully, there are a few (very cliche) games that do suit my interests! My favorite game to play these days is Stardew Valley. Thus, it is the topic of this week’s critical play.
Stardew Valley is created soley by ConcernedApe, published in 20116, and one of the most popular indie games to date. It is on PC and multiple consoles, though I only play on PC. The target audience of this game is likely women and queer folks. It’s very popular amongst those demographics, both of which I identify as. It’s also important to note that Stardew Valley is often not regarded as a “real game,” or people that solely play Stardew Valley are not “real gamers,” which I will dispute in the rest of this essay. Playing Stardew Valley as a feminist is enabled through the large variability in gameplay (no one set path), as well as the emphasis on relationship building of many kinds (non-heterosexual; platonic, etc).
Variability in gameplay is mechanized through the skills of Farming, Mining, Foraging, Fishing, and Combat. Although many players choose to complete all skills in a ‘100% perfection’ run, there is the option to forgo all activities other than the ones you enjoy. For example, I don’t particularly enjoy combat – I’m able to purchase the materials I need through the money I make with extra farming and foraging. This, to me, is a unique ability in Stardew. I have not known other games in which you could simply continue gameplay without forward movement of the plot. Even other indie games, for example Stray, you must move forward with the plot at the end of each scene, or else there isn’t anything left to do within that level. Stardew continuously has activities that are not directly related to plot points and/or have smaller, noncritical arcs. Through the continuous ‘daily’ activities, Stardew effectively mimics the concept of daily chores and tasks that are aesthetically pleasing and enjoyable. Very similar to games like Hayday, though with a much larger processing time, Stardew makes monotonous tasks immersive and transportive. Fitting into the background narrative of a person who quit their terrible corporate job, Stardew is able to transport its players, usually younger folks still working at corporate jobs, into a calmer, serene environment where they can enjoy the monotony.
Relationship building is also a large, meaningful part of Stardew Valley. To me, the most striking aspect that stands out from other games is the fact that you can be gay! Naturally, I took advantage of that.
I’m still in my first playthrough of the game, and in this playthrough I am trying to achieve all the heart events of my 3 girlfriends: Abigail, Leah, and Penny. Maybe in another playthrough I’ll try to woo Haley with sunflowers and coconuts, but I’m half-assured that I will not be pursing any of the male options. I may be bisexual, but given the choice, why would I ever voluntarily choose the men? Anyways. My first ‘friend’ made in the game was actually Linus. He just seemed really friendly and was always cheerful when I interacted with him. Plus, he was always wandering around when I was foraging. As a feminist game designer, I really appreciate the diversity of the characters in the game. Linus is homeless! Penny’s mother is an alcoholic and raised Penny alone! They live in a shitty trailer! As someone who has experienced housing inquality/insecurity, I was really surprised by how relatable Penny is as a character – she laments about how difficult it is to live at home with her mother in such a small space, and she even loves working in education. I really adore how the characters in Stardew are not homogenous. They have lived different lives. They are different people with evolving personalities throughout the gameplay. To me, representing all kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds is exactly what a feminist game designer should do. Of course, Stardew Valley is not without flaws. I do wish that there was more racial and cultural diversity in the game. The Night Market is clearly Asian-inspired, but I see no indication of its origins. There are tacos as a food item, but I see no Latinx characters. The only POC are Maru and her father, Demitrius. Although a white majority is perhaps accurate to the countryside idea, there is no excuse for a lack of racial and ethnic diversity. There are, however, a number of mods that do offer a more diverse cast of characters, and I do appreciate the efforts of the community to serve their own needs and wants.
