Stardew Valley: Why Morris Deserves to Be a Romanceable Bachelor

Stardew Valley’s romance options have become a defining part of the game, but one character players can’t romance might be a missed opportunity. Showing a bit more love to one of Stardew Valley’s more complicated characters may have been a way to expand on the game’s lore.

While Stardew Valley continues to receive updates, it seems that no more romance options will be added to the game. With 12 different romanceable characters, Stardew Valley is perhaps one of the RPGs with the most romance options, but some characters still lack a certain amount of development. One of the game’s most controversial characters, who could use some extra screen time, is Morris. As Pelican Town’s resident JojaMart corporate employee, he sticks out among the rest of the cast, and can even be viewed as a villain. But giving players the option to romance and marry him would have provided an opportunity to expand his character into a more three-dimensional person.

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The Case For Romancing Morris in Stardew Valley

Being the JojaMart representative in Pelican Town is a thankless job, but Morris does his best. While it’s easy to view the corporation as a villainous entity, some players have enjoyed playing a pro-JojaMart version of Stardew Valley. In these playthroughs, Morris becomes a much more important character. As JojaMart’s only representative to Pelican Town, he is the one that players will be interacting with as they expand JojaMart. This version of the game sees a JojaMart warehouse being built instead of the community center.

A romance track with Morris could allow players an opportunity to see Pelican Town from an entirely different perspective. Unlike most of the other townsfolk, Morris is a visitor to the town, coming and leaving for work each day. As an outsider, he could share a unique perspective with the player, who is also new to the community. Adding him as a romance option would also come with revealing Stardew Valley heart events that could add an extra layer to his character.

JojaMart: A Man on the Inside

Another unique way Morris’ romance could have added to the game is a chance to see JojaMart from the inside. JojaMart serves as the closest thing Stardew Valley has to a villain, so viewing it from Morris’ point of view as a spouse could have led to more chances to throw shade at corporations. He’s dedicated his life to them, so it’s unlikely that he would leave that job just because he’s married. Seeing how little his schedule allows him to spend time with his spouse and children compared to the other romance options would create a jarring contract between corporate and rural lives. This might be a surprisingly dark moment in Stardew Valley, but the game already has its share of darkness.

Or perhaps living so close to someone who believes in the corporation would unlock more dialogue options from Morris, allowing the player to see them as less of a villain. After all, Stardew Valley shows both sides of the argument. If the player chooses to run JojaMart out of town, the villagers who work there are out of a job, and the less wealthy residents can’t afford to shop anywhere else. Letting Morris sing JojaMart’s praises to the player by decorating his living space accordingly and telling them why he stays at the job would give an insight into that part of corporate life that the game is currently missing. This could all add to the simulation game’s great worldbuilding.

It’s unclear if many players would choose Morris as their romance option over the other candidates, but his inclusion offers so many possibilities that it seems a shame they don’t have a chance to. He could be one of the best Stardew Valley romance options, if he had a chance. The JojaMart path is one that players tend to overlook, but it offers an alternate experience that is worth having in a game like Stardew Valley. Player choice is important, and letting players fully commit to the JojaMart path by marrying their highest ranking employee in town would be the perfect addition to any pro-JojaMart playthrough.

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is a hit Indie release that spawned a cult following thanks to its similarities to titles like Harvest Moon and The Sims. Players will take control of their own characters as they are dropped into the eponymous Stardew Valley and given an old dilapidated farm. They’ll cultivate new crops and relationships with the NPCs scattered around the area, as well as combat monsters and embark on other quests.

Released

February 26, 2016

Developer(s)

ConcernedApe

Genre(s)

RPG , Simulation

ESRB

E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)

Publisher(s)

ConcernedApe

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer , Online Multiplayer

Engine

Proprietary

How Long To Beat

53 Hours

X|S Enhanced

No

File Size Xbox Series

1 GB (November 2023)

Metascore

89

Split Screen Orientation

Vertical or Horizontal

Number of Players

1-4

Steam Deck Compatibility

Verified

Local Co-Op Support

1-4 Players