Stardew Valley supplants Portal 2 as the highest rated game in Steam, getting it one step closer to perfection

Stardew Valley may be nine years old, but it’s not done breaking records. The title got to wrap up Q2 of 2025 by knocking Portal 2 out of its fourteen year run as the highest rated Steam game of all time. Here are some reasons why Stardew Valley lives up to its new throne, and why you may want to try it instead of the newest summer blockbuster release!

Stardew has a little bit of everything. Yes, it’s “primarily” a farming sim, but did you know it also has life / relationship sim elements, a fishing minigame, dungeon crawling, collecting, cooking, and crafting, with achievements for each of these that gives you goals to work towards? It’s a lot.

While it may have a lot, it does not have to be a lot. You don’t have to engage with every element every in-game day. One day, you can blast through Skull Caverns for resources, and the next you’re out fishing up a legendary fish. The majority of time-bounded activities are events (think community festivals, for example) and if you miss one — good news! It loops right back around the next in-game year. Truly, the lack of pressure while you’re playing may be too relaxing for some; the absolute drove of community challenge run ideas and speedrun options means you never lack for ideas.

Stardew is also wildly extensible, thanks to community-published adding on Nexus Mods, ModDrop, and CurseForge. These can range from informational, to aesthetic, to game-breaking. There are mods out there (like Stardew Valley Expanded) that are effectively expansions. One of my favorites? Adding Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon as an in-game pet.

However, the best part of the game may be outside it — the community. It is thanks to the robust community of game fans that there are mods or resources like the Stardew Valley Wiki, not to mention an absolute drove of online guides and YouTube videos for absolutely every topic. Yes, Stardew has a dedicated (and unique) developer in ConcernedApe but the community behind him is just as much of a plus for the title.

Yes, the game’s newest milestone may be a bit hard to quantify, as the time between reports on Steam 250 and SteamDB muddy the timeline about when and how long Stardew held the “top game” title. Ultimately, ratings are but one decision point folks use when looking at a new game. If you’re looking for something new to try this summer, it might be time to dust off the farm — your crops await!