"Stardew Valley" is the hit indie farming simulator with RPG elements developed by Eric Barone and Sickhead Games. The game in its original conception was a huge hit with many fans, especially those who compared it to an older, similar title, "Harvest Moon." Though the game might come off at repetitive in concept, the opposite is the truth. There are so many secrets and things to unlock throughout the course of the game, and with each update, there are more secrets, more unlockables, and more fun!

I myself have sunk 255 hours into the game and still have not seen everything the game has to offer.

The first patch effectively solved problems that players were frustrated with along with adding so much new content that it felt like getting a free DLC. The idea of multiplayer has been floating around for about a year or so, and now it is finally here!

The Beta

"Stardew Valley's" 1.3 update is still in beta testing. Here, players can finally go into co-op mode by playing in their previous save file or starting an entirely new file with friends. The host player must buy from the carpenter, Robin, a home for the guest players to sleep in. And from there, the players can work together to make their farm, such as these two here:

Farmhands (the guest players) can do anything the host player can do, from farming to fishing to mining.

Because this game was not originally designed to be a multiplayer game, there isn't a detriment to flying solo. Having friends to mess around with makes the game progress go faster, and it's tons of fun!

Players be warned! The new update is a beta. This means that there are still bugs that need to be fixed. Joining the beta means that you're helping find these bugs to be fixed so that when the official update comes out, the game will run smoothly.

Additionally, this beta is only available on PC. So console gamers will be waiting a little longer before they, too, can play with friends.

New Features

The multiplayer mode isn't the only thing that is new to the beta. As with every update, there is a slew of secrets and additions for players to engage with. The biggest game-changer added to the game are pots.

Normally, in order to grow things in the game, the player must find a fertile patch of land and plant the seed. With the pots, plants can be grown anywhere, even inside the farmhouse. That leads to a new item in the game: the cactus fruit plant. This plant can only be grown indoors and goes with the new pot. They can be purchased in the Oasis.

Well, what are you waiting for? Let's farm!