One of the most impressive things about Stardew Valley is that even in the 10 years since and countless copycats, there's still never been one that I'd play again.

[haste@mastodon.social]

@JessTheUnstill Same, though I will say I think Fields of Mistria is on the right track! I stopped playing it til its out of early access cause I don’t wanna burn out on it early

[affekt@hachyderm.io]

@JessTheUnstill the absolute perfect distillation of the genre

[jesstheunstill@infosec.exchange]

Hot take:
Stardew Valley is an isekai

[jesstheunstill@infosec.exchange]

Normal office worker transported into a whole new region where they live out a power fantasy, naturally able to outdo everyone around them, gain magical otherworldly powers, speak with a godlike being, etc

[jiub@not.an.evilcyberhacker.net]

@Haste@mastodon.social @JessTheUnstill@infosec.exchange yeah, fields of mistria seems like it has the most potential for replay. i've played quite a few stardew clones and mistria is the only one i've been interested in replaying so far (besides stardew valley itself). excited to see what the full release brings

[squarism@hachyderm.io]

@JessTheUnstill "How did I, a game, get transported to this Steam library?"

[jesstheunstill@infosec.exchange]

@squarism if it's your first time playing it, have fun. It's a serious classic of the genre. And if you're into modding, after you do one playthrough, do Stardew Valley Expanded. It is almost a full expansion to the base game.

[epic_null@infosec.exchange]

@JessTheUnstill I kinda see where you are going, but doesn't the main character have to die for it to count?

[jesstheunstill@infosec.exchange]

@Epic_Null no isekai is just "to another world" - reincarnated is only one flavor of it

[jesstheunstill@infosec.exchange]

@Epic_Null Plenty are "fall through a portal" or "summoned as a hero" or whatever. Like Peter Pan would be an isekai

[herrold@dice.camp]

@JessTheUnstill it feels like Stepford to me.

Aso, who steals money from an unconscious neighbor? What a bunch of fucks.

[herrold@dice.camp]

@JessTheUnstill "shhh she's passed out, let's take her wallet."

I wanted to burn every house down to the ground. Pull a Midnight Mass.

[jesstheunstill@infosec.exchange]

@herrold It's probably the dwarf. They canonically steal most of their shit.

[chocobo13@mastodon.social]

@JessTheUnstill
Definitely adult person moves into town, absolutely mops the floor with the children at the yearly Easter egg hunt. I can't help but picture them elbowing the kids out of the way like it's black Friday sales...

[jesstheunstill@infosec.exchange]

@chocobo13 not to mention romancing teenagers.

[nazokiyoubinbou@urusai.social]

@JessTheUnstill I want to say "but they went there willingly and knowingly" since isekai as a format generally means they are transplanted rather forcefully.

But technically isekai just means not Earth — another world. It doesn't specify how they get there.

And going from the corporate, capitalist world of struggling even to survive as you work your life away into a small town where one can survive just off the land and not have to constantly pay money to be alive kind of does qualify as moving to another world in a way I guess.

I guess I can see it?

[xfts@fuzzies.wtf]

@JessTheUnstill I mean, you're not wrong

[echo@agora.beepbird.net]

@JessTheUnstill Lukewarm take, which is to say that yes, it absolutely is an isekai and I am now recommending it as one.