Why is this game so popular?

[Mody birdy]

not judging, never played it, but it just looks like another nitendo game to me

[Fire Miser]

Originally posted by Mody Bird:

but it just looks like another nitendo game to me

This. There are extremely few games that provide this particular experiance (done well) on PC.

[Fuhrer]

It's a Harvest Moon clone.

Harvest Moon has been terrible for a very long time now, but this is actually very good.

It's the first PC release of this specific type of game.

[Saint Landwalker]

There's a very strong "Harvest Moon nostalgia" element to its popularity, but that nostalgia (and the popularity) are both well-deserved.

It's not a genre or a playstyle that's going to suit everybody. It's a laid-back game, for the most part. Some people like a laid-back game. Some people want itchy trigger fingers and action-action-action.

[Scyris]

Originally posted by Mody Bird:

not judging, never played it, but it just looks like another nitendo game to me

Its a throwback to the 16 bit era, and besides graphics mean very little, its all about the gameplay, I haven't played many AAA games lately because gameplay wise well, they are pretty garbage tier. They look pretty yes, but poop covered with glitter to make it pretty is still just poop, its just pretty poop.

[troublmaker]

Specifically because it is a Harvest Moon Clone and also because of how addictive it is. It has the MMO feeling of 'one last thing' to it that drives people to play for insanely long times. That drives up the activity. Civ 5 has about as many players as Stardew Valley and is high on the popular lists for the exact same reason.

[Juxtavarious]

I would have said it had more to do with how it has nothing to do with the three C's of gaming (Candy Crush, Clash of Clans, and Call of Duty) and it is exploring a genre that is largely ignored by the major AAA industry. I myself have been looking for a game reminescent of Harvest Moon from SNES and N64. This game has a lot of that with some improvements--and several shortcomings--so that it's more inclusive of an experience. There aren't a lot of games like this on the market and it is also promising for a multiplayer platform. I have a few ideas for how something like that might work, but it would depend heavily on how they want it to work and what they think would work best with the story. I can't think of any other game on the market that is truly multiplayer and focuses on a farming and dating sim platform. It's a rare oddity really. The list of games in that genre are slim. I can think of three franchises off the top of my head that are doing this including Stardew Valley.

And no, I' not counting the abomination that is Farm Ville.

[goldenprimus]

It might look like another Nintendo game to you, but how many Nintendo / Super Nintendo games are some of the greatest games ever? Also, the classic Harvest Moon games are the best life and farming sims ever.

[rincewind]

Originally posted by Fuhrer:

It's a Harvest Moon clone.

Harvest Moon has been terrible for a very long time now, but this is actually very good.

It's the first PC release of this specific type of game.

Not the first.

Wild Season was "released" early. But was a mess of game, sadly.

World's Dawn also was released before Stardew Valley. And thankfuly was a great game too. Smaller but more personal, cozy and relaxing.

Anyways, Stardew Valley is so popular because people wanted a Harvest Moon type game for PC for ages. And this one does a lot of things wonderfuly.

[Hammertone]

Originally posted by Mody Bird:

not judging, never played it, but it just looks like another nitendo game to me

You've notice that almost no farming type game exist in pc, if they exist, either are mess up junk, or your daily "farming simulator" type. So this one is the first that actually fulfils many player desire.
The game it self is pretty much above average in my eye. Not medicore, but definitely not a great either. The are 2 major driving force behind this success.
1, there are no comparison and no competitors. No compatitor means either you took it or leave it. While no comparison means, there's no "bad" in this games. After all there's no such thing as "bad" and "good" without "better". Dig it?
2, steam didn't allow complex review, either thumbs up, or thumbs down, not even a middle. That give quite large impact on score, it is a catalyst for a "score bloat". If some games obtain a.... let says 80% positive at start, and those review comes from people that familiar with harvest moon, etc. That gives a quite initiative for other people that didn't know harvest moon, those people gonna say this game is the best, because they didn't met other big title.... yet. They give a thumbs up, other people comes, the cycle continue till here at 98%.
If there's other big title here on pc, better yet... on steam, this game score gonna drop a bit. That's all my analysis for now

Edit for spacing error.