Stardew Valley Guidebook by Kari Fry, Ryan Novak, and ConcernedApe

In this post, I am going to review something I have never reviewed before - that I wouldn't usually review - but I was very impressed with it and had to share it, and that would be the Stardew Valley Guidebook by Kari Fry and ConcernedApe, aka Eric Barone.

(Source: Kelsey Darling)

When you were a child, your grandfather passed away; but before he did, he left you a note and told you to open it when you were ready for a change. Time has passed, you have grown up, and are now working for Joja Corp., a soul sucking job. Then you remember the letter your grandfather left you, and when you open it, you learn he has left you his farm in Stardew Valley, knowing one day you would need to leave the hustle and bustle behind and seek a simpler life. So you pack up and leave for the Valley, only realizing you know nothing about a simpler life until you get to the overgrown farm. And that is where this book comes in handy.

For those new to Stardew Valley, it is a simulation role playing game developed by Eric Barone (ConcernedApe) in February 2016. It was primarily inspired by the farming simulation game, Harvest Moon, but also had some inspiration from Animal Crossing, Rune Factory, Minecraft, and Terraria. It is available for play on Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation Vita, iOS, and Android; it comes in a single player and multiplayer mode. I was introduced to the game via Twitch streamer, Ray (brownman on Twitch, @RayNarvaezJr on Twitter). I initially watched him play a little of the multiplayer when it was released, but really took an interest in it when he started playing the latest update of it this year. It was then that I decided I needed to play this game. I am not a huge gamer, but I have been a big fan of The Sims since its release in 2000 and have played random games over the years - various Zelda games, Pokemon Sword, Super Mario. Once I started playing, I took to the Stardew Valley Wiki and YouTube for guidance and questions, but I eventually found my way to the guidebook (I know, big shock I found a book).

The guidebook is written by Ryan Novak and illustrated by Kari Fry and man did they do a brilliant job! Really, I cannot get over the illustrations in the book. It is what made me get the book over just wanting the book. Technically, everything in the book could be found online somewhere, but it won't be in such a clear and concise manner as the book is. I can speak from experience. If you look at my internet tabs, it is filled with multiple different searched for "Stardew Valley favorite gifts" and "Stardew Valley squid" and "Stardew Old Master Cannoli." Not that the official wiki isn't useful. It's the first link I click on if I see that it's available. But the book is broken into perfect little chapters that are exactly how I would organize it (someone working on this book is clearly Type A).

(Source: Giphy)

The book starts off with a blank farmer for you to draw in yourself, your name, and your farms name; it also shows illustrations of the people involved in making the book as perfect and pretty as it is and a special thanks. From there, the book is broken into eight chapters: Getting Started, People & Places, Farm Life, Crafting & Cooking, Fishing, Mining & Adventuring, Community Involvement & Advanced Goals, and Appendix & Farmer's Almanac. From there, the book gives you all the information to live a successful life in Stardew Valley and prevent Joja Corp from ruining everything (it does tell you what happens if you request help from Joja). It does give you hints for some of the more difficult tasks, but leaves everything up to you basically, so if you're only looking for cheats, this is not your book; but where's the fun in cheating? Throughout the book, it tells you about all the weapons, tools, crops, minerals, fish and more. More than that, it tells you what season, weather condition, time, and place you will find it in. When it comes to the people, it tells you all of their likes, loves, and hates so you can maximize your relationships and maybe find your true love. And it has check lists for the community center and to rebuild the library, which is the best since I keep forgetting if I need something at all, if I have turned it in, or if it's needed for those projects.

(Source: Giphy)

This book is a work of art and a wealth of information, and a must have for anyone who love Stardew. It is currently out of stock, but they are working on a 1.4 updated edition (the current one was for the 1.3 update) and should be available in the spring. You can sign up to get a notification when it's available. If you love Stardew Valley, this book will not only give you everything you need, the full color illustrations will awe you!

Rating: 10/10
Authors: Kari Fry, Ryan Novak, ConcernedApe
Genres: Gaming, Non-Fiction
Dates Read: January 21-22, 2020