Commonly referred to as the “twisted sister” to Stardew Valley, Graveyard Keeper has held strong in many fan’s hearts since its release back in 2018. Now with multiple DLC’s released, we were able to get our hands on the game with the DLC’s, including Game of Crone.
For purposes of this review, I’ll touch briefly on the gameplay for the base game, but will be primarily focusing on Game of Crone.
PLOT
Graveyard Keeper takes place in medieval times, and focuses on a few major plot points: A love story, a variety of ethical dilemmas, and the curiosities of capitalism. Filled with odd choices and even stranger characters to meet and interact with, the player is responsible for building and maintaining a truly twisted graveyard.
Game of Crone adds in a few storylines of its own, contributing several more hours of playtime. Your old pal Donkey returns, wanting you to rise up and join him and his allies in a good old-fashioned revolution. Escaped prisoners from the Inquisition need assistance surviving in the wilderness, and it’s up to you to build a safe refugee camp. Oh, and did I mention there’s a vampire terrorizing a village? Yeah, you need to handle that, too.
GAMEPLAY
The overall gameplay is simple, yet complex at the same time. In true management simulator fashion, you’re responsible for so much. While all of the content may be simple to those with experience, some beginners to the genre may have a harder time grasping it, as it tends to lean towards overwhelming at times.
Crafting, time management, building, you name it – the weight of this cruel world has fallen on your shoulders.
Along with several smaller additions, Game of Crone has added in some new mechanics and perks, expanding on the processes existing players would be familiar with.
PROS
The additional hours of content are a huge benefit. While, yes, there was already tons to do, now there are even more rewards and incentives to complete these new challenges and goals. It’s a breath of fresh air to well-seasoned players, while filling up the sandbox for new players.
While the new storylines aren’t overly deep, they are certainly enjoyable. Some of the mysteries will take some real thought to consider, while others can be solved before the characters reach the ultimate conclusion. Overall though, they’re fun, and that’s what matters.
CONS
There really isn’t anything to complain about. While the repetition might get old at some point if you have massive amounts of hours logged in, that’s really to be expected with any type of grind.
But I wouldn’t necessarily say it “wow’d” me either. Fun, yes. Amazing, maybe not so much. But enjoyable regardless.
VERDICT
While I would definitely recommend picking up Game of Crone – and the first DLC, Stranger Sins – while on sale, I would also understand existing fans purchasing them for the full price. The added content is worth it, and unraveling the overall mystery will certainly have players coming back for more.
