Stardew Valley
Overview -
'Stardew Valley' is the work of one man, Eric Barone, also known as ConcernedApe. Inspired by farm sim franchise 'Harvest Moon', Barone developed 'Stardew Valley' for four years before a publisher found him, and the game proceeded to sell over a million copies on Steam in just a few months. It is currently available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, with a Switch version also in development.
Video Review
This is a pixelly game with a distinctly 'Terraria'-like aesthetic. It's also 2D and resembles the JRPGs of the 90s, like 'Final Fantasy VI' and even 'Suikoden'. There are some pretty pixels on display but a few problems crop up occasionally, like a strange lockup once or twice every in-game day that lasts for a few seconds. Also, the thumbstick is wiggly and not recommended for farming - the d-pad works much better. Still, it has made the transition to console far better than many ports, and the menus and crafting interfaces are decently optimized.
Audio Review
The audio is reminiscent of SNES games. The soundtrack has a lilting, pleasant simplicity that carries through each season. The sound effects are fun and whimsical. There is no voice acting, and the game is free of audio problems.
'Stardew Valley' takes its inspirations and runs away with them into not just an amazing game, but undoubtedly one of the best of the year. There is no shortage of engrossing gameplay, and it has an adorable personality. The Xbox One version has been ported over with very few issues and I see myself emerging only grudgingly from my farm work over the holiday season.