Summary
Stardew Valleyhas a good mixture of charming and likable NPCs and ones that players absolutely can’t stand. Some of the hatedresidents of Pelican Townare frustrating because of their impact on the gameplay. Others rub players the wrong way due to their abrasive personalities or the way they treat others.
CertainStardew Valleycharacters have rough first impressions but manage to turn things around.Haley is a good exampleof someone who seems rude at first, but romancing her reveals a much kinder side of her personality. Thecharacters that players hate the mostnever manage to fully redeem themselves.
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10Shane Is A Polarizing Figure With Stardew Valley Players
Some Players Can’t Forgive Shane’s Initial Rudeness
Players’ opinions of Shane seem pretty split. Some players hate Shane and have a hard time getting over his initial rudeness. He is one of the few villagers that seemoutright hostile to players when they simply say helloto him. Players who don’t spend the time to get to know Shane may miss some of his hidden depth, but it seems like there are plenty of players who are very content not getting to know the seemingly rude man.
Many of Shane’s heart events tackle his struggles with depression and alcoholism. While it could be argued that this makes Shane an unappealing romantic option — since he may not be ready for a relationship — it’s hard not to feel more empathetic toward him once players know about his struggles. Understandably, a lot of players love Shane, but it also makes sense that many would be turned off by his initial gruff exterior and simply hate him without getting to know him.
9Clint’s Pursuit Of Emily Makes Some Players Uncomfortable
Clint Asks The Player To Help Him Win Over Emily
Many players’ early impression of Clint likely won’t be too negative. At first, he simply seems like a shy guy who needs some help working up the courage to talk to Emily. However, the longer this one-sided attraction drags on, the moreit makes players uncomfortable.
Clint will complain to players about being unable to find a romantic partner despite beinga self-proclaimed “nice guy.”It’s telling that when Clint says this, his portrait turns angry, reminding players of many self-proclaimed “nice guys” they may have encountered online who are quick to lash out in anger. This behavior only becomes more off-putting if players decide to romance Emily.
If a player dates or even marries Emily, Clint’s behavior doesn’t change. He still shows up consistently at Emily’s workplace and still shows interest in her despite her being with the player. This takes his behavior from slightly concerning to much more off-putting.
8Caroline’s Treatment Of Her Family Rubs People The Wrong Way
Caroline Complains About Her Daughter And May Have Cheated On Her Husband
Caroline and her family live in the general store run by her husband. Though she seems well-liked by the other residents of the town, especially her best friend Jodi, players seem to have a more negative opinion of Caroline. This is partially due to the way Caroline speaks about her daughter, Abigail.
Abby lives at home with her parents, andCaroline frequentlymakes judgmental remarks about her. It’s bad enough that Caroline criticizes her daughter’s habits, but she also disapproves of the way Abigail chooses to present herself. These lines make Caroline seem very judgmental, and, weirdly, she’s just openly discussing her issues with her daughter with some farmer she barely knows.
Some players also dislike Caroline due to her possible infidelity. Caroline’s husband, Pierre, will confide in the player that he thinksAbigail might not be his daughter. Abby also mentions that she hasn’t dyed her hair in a while, but it is still purple. Neither of her parents has purple hair, but the local wizard does. This has led many players to assumeCaroline cheated on Pierre with the wizardand then didn’t tell him that their daughter wasn’t his biological child, causing them to dislike her even more than players who just don’t like how she talks about Abby.
7Demetrius Is Condescending An Impolite
Demetrius Often Talks Down To Others And Insults The Player
Demetrius is seemingly good-natured most of the time, but some of his interactions with both the player and his wife, Robin, have rubbed players the wrong way. In one incident, Robin asks him to bring home fruit, and he brings home a tomato. While he technically isn’t wrong that tomatoes are fruit, it’s clear that’s not what most people would mean when they say “get fruit.” If the player sides with Robin,Demetrius is rude to them about it.
Demetrius also openlyinsults the player when they start getting to know his daughter, Maru. When Maru leaves the room during a cutscene, Demetrius tells the player that he doesn’t want them seeing her because they will ruin her bright future. This cutscene is especially galling if players see it after paying Demetrius’ wife over a million gold for house renovations and other projects, making it clear they are doing pretty well for themselves.
Some players have also pointed out that he does not seem to include his step-son Sebastian in the family. Sebastian expresses feeling like he doesn’t fit in at home, and Demetrius is more often seen interacting with his biological daughter than with Sebastian. This gives some players the impression that Demetrius isn’t making an effort to be a good step-dad.
6Pam Is Unkind To Her Daughter
Pam Lives With Her Daughter, Penny
Pam is another character that won’t seem so bad so long as players don’t spend much time getting to know her or her daughter. Initially, she just seems like the fun aunt who may be a little too straightforward sometimes. However, as players get to know her daughter, Penny, they will see a nastier side of Pam that has made many players hate her.
During one of Penny’s first heart events, she will ask the player to help her clean up around her and Pam’s trailer. Pam comes home from the bar andangrily yells at Penny for cleaning up, then calls her ungrateful when Penny tries to stand up for herself. While it’s that Pam herself is struggling with addiction, it’s still hard to forgive the way she treats her daughter.
Penny is often seen looking deeply unhappy around town, and it’s pretty clear her home life is the cause of this. Other players have also pointed out that it seems irresponsible to let Pam drive the town bus, given her frequent use of alcohol. Though there is some sympathy for Pam’s struggles, they are overshadowed by the negative effect she has on those around her.
5Alex’s Dialogue Toward Female Farmers Is Decidedly Different
Alex Makes Several Derogatory Comments Toward Female Farmers
Players who choose a male farmer inStardew Valleymay be surprised to learn that Alex is so strongly disliked. Sure, he’s a stereotypical jock which might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but he doesn’t seem too bad. This changes quite a bit when players interact with him as a female farmer.
Alex’s dialogue changes in a pretty unlikable way when speaking to female player characters. Instead of offering to play catch,he’ll say that girls can’t throw a ball. He’ll also creepily ask the player if they own a bikini before they have even started romancing him. Many players are also put off by his 10-heart event.
If players follow through with romancing Alex, they will get a cutscene where they go out to dinner with him. Alex orders a steak for himself and a salad for the player. Some players have expressed their frustration at what they see as either Alex being cheap, or him making a not-so-subtle hint that the player should be eating healthier. This, combined with his sexist comments from earlier, does not paint Alex in a very flattering light.
4Gunther Makes Players Do His Job For Them And Pays Them A Pittance
Players Are Responsible For Filling Stardew Valley’s Museum
Gunther runs the local library which doubles as a museum for Pelican Town. However, when players arrive in town, the museum is empty. Players can donate a variety of items, from interesting fossils to precious gemstones, to the museum. When they do so, it is completely up to them where to place the items, so it’s clearGunther isn’t doing any sort of curation. The more the player brings in, the more it becomes clear that they are simply creating an expansive and valuable collection for Gunther and curating it for him for very little pay.
What Stardew Valley’s Museum Reveals About The Town’s Past
Stardew Valley’s museum sits on the far east side of town, and players must replace stolen artifacts. As they do, a storied past is revealed.
Most artifacts that players find in the museum are in the mines. This means they are risking their lives to find them, and they aren’t being rewarded very well. Some of the later museum rewards are cool, like dinosaur bones, but when players hand Gunther a diamond and get a stuffed bear in return, it’s hard not to feel cheated.
3Lewis Is An Ineffectual Mayor
The Player Is Responsible For Fixing Up Pelican Town
Lewis is Pelican Town’s mayor, but it is difficult to find out what he really does. The only thingplayers ever hear about Mayor Lewis is negative, likehim allowing JojaMart to come to town,or stopping games like the rotten egg toss tradition. Any positive progress that is made in Pelican Town is the direct result of the player’s actions, whether that’s paying to build Pam a house or fixing up the Community Center. Mayor Lewis even looks to the player to tell him when to start events like the egg hunt or Flower Dance.
Aside from Lewis seemingly not doing a great job as the town’s mayor, his treatment of Marnie is also somewhat rude. He wants to keep their relationship a secret, despite there not seeming to be a strong reason why. Marnie can be heard bemoaning her single status, so she clearly wouldn’t mind being in an official relationship. It seems like Lewis is simply stringing her along, and doesn’t even want to tell others that they are seeing each other.
2Pierre Is Just As Greedy As The Villain
Pierre’s Self Interest Is Not Dissimilar From The Owner Of JojaMart
The local store owner, Pierre, seems to see himself as a good alternative to JojaMart; however, his behavior in the game makes it clear that he is just as greedy. In one cutscene, players walk into the store to find Pierre trying to mark up the very same crops they sold him at a ridiculous margin. When the other residents of Pelican Town refuse to pay his overly inflated prices, he offers to sell the player’s crops back to them at a “discount,” which is still a significant markup.
While Pierre obviously has to charge more than he pays for the crops, his scheme to upcharge so significantly speaks to his greed. He also seems to only oppose JojaMart’s presence in town because of the impact it directly has on his business and no other reason. Speaking to Abigail will also reveal thatPierre will feed his family rotten foodfrom the store because he doesn’t want to throw out anything he has paid for.
1Morris Doesn’t Care About The Town, Only Profit
Morris Runs Pelican Town’s JojaMart
While most characters that are hated inStardew Valleycome down to a player’s personal preference, Morris is the one character the game seems to actively be trying to make the player hate. He doesn’t have any redeeming qualities and is mainly present to give the player an incentive to fix up the town instead of giving into JojaMart.Stardew Valleydoesn’t give players any reason to connect with Morris, and players can’t form a friendship with him like they can with the other villagers, so there’s no chance to learn about hidden depths that might make him more likable.
