Honestly I’d be more inclined to play Stardew Valley if it was about a depressed cop trying to solve a murder whilst navigating the politics of a mass strike and the fallout of counter revolution
I know I’m just being picky about a joke at this point but this post bugs me every time I see it. because stardew valley actually does have a pretty direct political statement. it’s not really the cat-in-the-alps game people seem to think it is, it’s very explicitly anti-capitalism
it’s just not like. complex about it
the literal opening of the game is your player character as an office worker in Fucked Up Evil Capitalist Company Office (complete with randomized worker skeletons) and deciding to move out to the middle of nowhere farmville to get away from it all.
and the actual story of the game is Fucked Up Evil Capitalist Company Wants To Take Over Your Town. and you get the choice of either help the local townsfolk (and also local magic spirits) repair the community center or let the company you just left the demonstrably horrendous working conditions of turn it into a warehouse