10 Video Games That Only Exist Because Of Nostalgia

Released in February 2016, Stardew Valley is a farming-simulator with RPG elements, and borrows heavily from another popular franchise, Natume's Harvest Moon. In the game, players assume the role of a young farmer, who’s given the task of managing the day-to-day responsibilities of his grandfather’s dilapidated farm. In order to succeed, players must sow their own fields, plant their own crops and engage with the local townsfolk, exploring the landscape and forging strong, sustainable relationships in the process.

As previously mentioned, the game borrows significantly from Harvest Moon. In fact, to call it a spiritual successor might be an understatement; the game is essentially a remake, and while it does bring a handful of fresh ideas to the table, those ideas aren’t nearly significant enough to distinguish it from its predecessor. Both games are structured around the same three year cycle; they both involve the same relationship mechanics, and they’re both principally concerned with farming, lots and lots of farming.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it is worth mentioning. Stardew Valley is Harvest Moon, and while the game has been a huge commercial success, much of that success can be attributed almost entirely to nostalgia. For many, Harvest Moon died a quiet death a very long time ago, and has never been the same since. In its absence, Stardew Valley is helping to singlehandedly sustain the entire genre, and it’s doing so in remarkable fashion.

You may have bought the game purely out of nostalgia for Harvest Moon, but that doesn’t mean Stardew Valley isn’t a worthwhile experience.