In Stardew Valley, players are able to interact with multiple NPCs, one of which is Leo, an orphaned boy living on Ginger Island.
Overview
Stardew Valley is a simulation role-playing video game, developed by Eric Barone. It was initially released for Microsoft Windows in 2016. It was then later released for Xbox One, the Mac operating system, PlayStation Vita, Linux, Nintendo Switch, Android and PlayStation 4.
At the beginning of the game, players can create a character. The character soon becomes the recipient of a small house and a plot of land situated in Pelican Town. Players are given the opportunity to select a farm type. It is important to note that each farm has a unique theme, as well as different drawbacks and benefits.
The farm is initially overrun with trees, weeds, boulders and stumps. It is thus up to the players to clean the farm up, in order to begin with livestock and crops. As players progress in the game, they are able to expand their farm’s buildings and facilities and generate a revenue.
Players are able to socialize non-playable characters (NPCs) that inhabit the town. Once players have formed a relationship with an NPC, they are able to marry them. This results in the NPC helping the player’s character look after the farm. Additionally, players can craft goods, cook meals, go fishing and explore procedurally generated caves. In the caves, they can defeat multiple creatures and mine ores.
In the game, players can complete several quests in order to earn money, or to complete specific collections of materials. They can also use these materials, also called bundles to restore the town’s Community Centre.
Players will be rewarded with various items, including seeds and tools, if they complete a bundle. However, completing multiple bundles grants them access to new game mechanics and new areas, such as a desert.
It is important to note that all of the above-mentioned activities must be metered against the character’s exhaustion level and health, as well as the game’s internal clock. Players are able to consume food, which grants buffs, that is useful in certain activities and situations.
Players should remember that food is a source of replenishing health and energy. It thus enables them to complete more tasks in a day. Additionally, it is important to note that the game uses a simplified calendar.
Each year has four 28-day months that represent each season. The season determines which activities can be beneficial and which crops can be grown. However, later in the game, players can restore a greenhouse that can grow any crop, regardless of the season.
Leo
As mentioned above, players are able to interact with the inhabitants, one of which is Leo. He is a young orphan boy that lives on Ginger Island. It is important to note that he will not speak to players until they offer the parrots of the island 10 Golden Walnuts.
After they have offered the food to the parrots, Leo can be spoken to and he can receive gifts. When players raise Leo to six hearts, he moves to Stardew Valley. Leo will eventually become friends with Jas, Linus and Vincent.
Leo gift guide
Even though players can gift Leo with anything, there are some gifts that he loves, while he hates others. It is recommended that players offer him gifts that he likes and love, while staying away from gifts that he hates and dislikes. The following table indicates the gifts that Leo likes, loves, is neutral to, dislikes and hates:
| Likes | Loves | Neutral | Dislikes | Hates |
| Nautilus Shell | Duck Feather | All Eggs (except Ostrich Egg, Void Egg, and Dinosaur Egg) | Chanterelle | Wine |
| Dragon’ Tooth | Mango | All Fruit (except Mango, Salmonberry, and Spice Berry) | Magma Cap | Pale Ale |
| Rainbow Shell | Poi | All Milk | Salmonberry | Mead |
| Sea Urchin | Ostrich Egg | All Fish | Wild Horseradish
|
Beer
|
| Quartz | All Universal Loves | All Universal Neutrals (except Duck Feather, Hops, Nautilus Shell, and Rainbow Shell) | Dandelion | Triple Shot Espresso |
| Spice Berry | Common Mushroom
|
Oil | ||
| All Universal Likes | All Cooked Dishes (except Bread, Fried Egg, Poi, and Triple Shot Espresso) | Unmilled Rice |
Heart events
As mentioned above, Leo will move to the mainland when he reaches six hearts, however, players will have to raise him to nine hearts. When Leo reaches seven hearts, he will send the player a recipe for Mango Sticky Rice in the mail. Players will then have to continue building a relationship with him until he reaches nine hearts.
Once he reaches nine hearts, players should enter the Mountain on a sunny day between 6:00 and 19:00 to trigger a cutscene. Players will then discover that Leo is adjusting well to life in Stardew Valley. However, he still misses Ginger Island from time to time.