Retro farming simulator and indie gaming sensation Stardew Valley saw unprecedented success and garnered a wildly positive reception upon its 2016 release, selling more than three million copies by the end of the following year and putting solo developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone on the map. Its charms are many, from the simple gratification of building and improving the player’s personal farm to developing lasting relationships with the host of NPCs inhabiting nearby Pelican Town.
The latter is a particularly great drawing point, boasting a roster of twelve LGBT-friendly romance candidates that are available regardless of the player’s chosen gender. As is usually the case in these situations, some of them emerge as clear favorites among fans. Below are all twelve marriage candidates featured in Stardew Valley, ranked from worst to best.
12 Shane
Shane’s a bit of a mixed bag. His heart events weave together a wonderful character arc, as the player character helps him to confront his problematic alcoholism and step up to take charge of his own life.
However, Shane doesn’t actually seem to make much progress once married. His room is always messy, and his depression gets the better of him regularly. While not a bad guy, some of Shane’s heart events are fairly depressing, meaning that this one isn’t for the faint of heart.
11 Haley
Though Haley does get a bit better once romanced, finding a solid reason to enjoy her company in the first place is a challenge that some may not be up to facing. She has just a little bit of work to do on her personality.
Haley starts off as incredibly rude, self-absorbed, and judgmental - largely owing to her wealthy and popular upbringing. She isn’t entirely without a heart, but players need to dig a little bit before managing to find it.
10 Alex
Beneath all those muscles, Alex is actually quite the sweetheart, and he dealt with his fair share of personal struggles before he moved to the Valley. He’s also a bit of a broken record though, constantly fixated on working out and keeping fit.
It may be more of personal consideration, but Alex’s one-note personality can be a little bit of a drag for players in search of a more dynamic partner to share their farmhouse with. Sports and weightlifting are great, but there’s not much else to Alex’s interests.
9 Sam
Sam’s energetic, fun, and contemporary. Whether he’s playing guitar and jamming out with his band, practicing skateboard maneuvers, or just idling some time by with his Game Boy, he’s always got something cool going on.
That said, Sam can be a little bit of an airhead, and he’s had it pretty easy living with his mother. She spoils Sam pretty regularly, meaning he’s never really developed some essential life skills, such as cooking.
8 Leah
Leah is either a total hit or a complete miss, depending on the player that’s attempting to woo her. She’s a talented artist and sculptor, and the player can help her to set up a fun art show in Pelican Town during one of her heart events.
Leah is also a very healthy eater, with her diet and preferred gifts leaning strongly towards vegetarian offerings. For players with the same tastes, she’s a perfect match. Romancing Leah does involve dealing with her jealous ex, so prepare for a bit of drama.
7 Harvey
Harvey is the partner of choice for the health conscious farmer. You can’t really do better than marrying a doctor in that respect, anyway. Harvey is also affable, friendly, and supportive, making him a pretty ideal candidate with all things considered.
The doctor is a bit plain and conventional in terms of romance, though, which can fall either way in terms of desirability. That said, the hot-air balloon date that his ten heart event revolves around is a pretty slick idea. Harvey’s got more game than he’s given credit for.
6 Maru
Maru is smart as a whip, taking after her father. Speaking of her father, Demetrius is just a wee bit overprotective of his darling daughter. Looking past that, though, Maru is a fine companion, so long as the player doesn’t mind minor injuries from her wild experiments.
Besides, she manages to build an (arguably) sentient robot assistant over the course of her heart events, which isn’t something you see every day. The robot’s assistant gig is short-lived, however, as it requests its freedom to wander the galaxy in search of other synthetic life.
5 Sebastian
Gamers are likely to find a soft spot in their hearts for Sebastian, the sedentary loner that spends a little too much time on the computer. He is geeky and lovably rebellious, although there is a little bit more to him than meets the eye.
One of his heart events revolves around the player sitting down with him for what is essentially a session of Dungeons & Dragons, along with Sam. It is a good bit of fun and scores some major points for being delightfully nerdy.
4 Emily
Emily is a deeply spiritual person with a lot of new age beliefs. She is also the polar opposite of her sister, Haley, with Emily being deeply concerned with helping people and creatures in need. She can also be quite crafty and enjoys making her own clothes.
What makes Emily particularly special are her heart events, with a few of them featuring abstract, colorful, and surreal experiences that are fun to watch. The player even gets a walk-on part in one of her dreams for the first one, neatly setting the tone for their relationship.
3 Elliott
Elliott is a handsome writer struggling to get his novel complete, living alone in a shack near the beach. During his first heart event, he’ll ask the player what genre of literature is their favorite, and his finished novel will reflect the player’s choice in the end.
The rest of his heart events are quite good as well, ranging from a night at the saloon to a romantic rowboat outing for two. After marriage, he is easily one of the sweeter options, as he has a tendency to shower the player in compliments with an expected poetic flair.
2 Abigail
Abigail is adventurous, feisty, and free-spirited, boasting some of the best heart events out of all the potential romantic partners in Pelican Town. Easily possessing one of the quirkier and more interesting personalities, she enjoys studying the occult and playing in the rain.
She’ll play video games with the player, venture into the mines, and even displays some musical aptitude from time to time. In short, Abigail’s events are a blast and she is an incredibly relatable character.
1 Penny
Introverted and bookish, Penny is sweet as pie and twice as wholesome. She’s considerate, caring, loves a good book, and has a soft spot for educating children, serving as a tutor for Jas and Vincent.
Although Penny is always looking out for others, her home situation is a bit desperate, as she lives in a small trailer with her alcoholic mother. She is a great person that deserves better, and the player has the opportunity to give her that. It’s an altogether endearing romance that every player should experience at least once.
NEXT: 10 Dark Secrets In Stardew Valley
