The long-awaited Version 1.5 update toStardew Valleyhas been rolled out for PC, including tons of late-game content as well as a brand new farm option and “remixes” for veteran players. Version 1.5 will release for console players early next year.
Creator Eric Barone’s original concept was torelive the earlyHarvest Moongames, but with new content and updates to keep the game fresh and new. Instead of ending the story after two in-game years, Barone wanted to keep it going. This hadn’t been done yet, so he releasedStardew Valleyin 2016. Since then, it has received a number of updates, such as the multiplayer update that came with Version 1.3. Now, according to Barone, 1.5 is the game’s “biggest update yet.”
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Aspreviously teased byStardew’s creator, one of the biggest new elements with Version 1.5 is the option to choose a beach farm. At the start of the game, players get to choose between a variety of farms depending on their profit interests, such as the riverland farm that encourages fishing, or a hill-top farm that encourages mining. The beach farm inStardew Valleyis a big, sandy area, which means that players won’t be able to use sprinklers when farming, but provides plenty of fishing opportunities. It should be fun for veteran players with more experience, but for players new toStardew Valley, Barone recommends choosing another option.
Additionally, Barone details a spoiler-friendly list oflate-game content additions toStardew Valley,includingnew goals, new quest types, new people to meet, and new character events. But the full changelog details the most interesting additions to the game.
One of the biggest changes to the late-game content ofStardew Valleyis the introduction of an area called Ginger Island. This island will include new NPCs and quests as well as minigames, puzzles, and even a volcano dungeon. The patch notes detail a new character by the name of Leo, who has “his own backstory, plot lines, events, etc.,” which perhaps meansanother romance option forStardew Valley.
A ton of new enemies have beenadded toStardew Valleywith the 1.5 updateas well, most of which fall under the volcanic theme and can be found on Ginger Island. Some of the new enemies include False Magma Caps, Hot Heads, Lava Lurks, and Magma Sprites. Dozens of new items, quest items, rings, clothing items, furniture, and weapons have also been added.
Additionally, Barone has added a brand-new animal toStardew Valley. With Version 1.5, players can now raise ostriches on their farms. Along with many quality-of-life improvements, 1.5 certainly sounds like the biggest updateStardew Valleyhas seen so far.
Stardew Valleyis available now for mobile devices, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
