Review cover Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town (Nintendo Switch)
Official GBAtemp Review

Product Information:

  • Release Date (NA): July 14, 2020
  • Release Date (EU): July 10, 2020
  • Publisher: Marvelous Europe
  • Developer: Marvelous Inc.
  • Genres: Role-Playing, Simulation
  • Also For: Computer

Game Features:

Single player
Local Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Co-operative
An iconic setting and what many would consider the pinnacle of the series, can Story of Seasons recapture the original magic of Mineral Town?

attachFull216511

Throughout my childhood, nothing quite went together like farming and Harvest Moon. I couldn’t think about one without the other, and while other prominent titles may have released since, the name still holds fond memories for myself and many others. It’s necessary before continuing to say that Story of Seasons is the Harvest Moon you came to love as a child; or perhaps it’s more apt to say Harvest Moon is Story of Seasons.

The long and short of it is that Natsume published the Bokujo Monogatari games in the west as Harvest Moon, and when Marvelous decided to stop licencing the series to Natsume, Natsume maintained the rights to the Harvest Moon name. It’s bizarre, but it helps explain to some degree why the sequel to what many would consider the pinnacle of the franchise, Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town, is now releasing under the banner of Story of Seasons. With that out of the way, does it still hold up more than 15 years later?

attachFull216512

Review image Review image

Starting the game for the first time, you’re presented with a few options: the first to pick a character design and skin colour, and the second a difficulty setting, alongside your usual name and birthday. The customisation on offer does little to rival that of Stardew Valley, but is enough to feel like you have a say in your character’s appearance and form a satisfying connection from the get-go. It’s worth noting here that same-sex marriage is possible in this game, so you’re really free to live your best farming life without having to compromise on your character to get the love interest of your dreams. Likely the most interesting addition here is the choice of a simple or normal difficulty. The difference is somewhat minimal, and regardless of your choice, your opportunities aren’t limited as you play. With simple mode offering a gentler start, as well as items selling for a bit more and the locals being a little friendlier, you still get the full Mineral Town experience. The wonderful thing about simple mode is that it’s what other games may try to sell you as an extra; ultimately, it’s a time saver. You get a bit more money, people like you a bit faster, it’s here not for people who want a dumbed-down experience, but for those who simply don’t want to commit so much of their time to the farm. Perhaps the only down side is that you can’t readily switch between these modes. It’s a commitment you need to make from the start, but a wonderful addition overall.

When it comes to plot, the setup is simple. You visited Mineral Town in your youth to spend a summer on your grandfather’s farm. 20 years later and your grandfather since passing, the farm is somewhat in ruins, and it’s your job to pick up the pieces…assuming you want to anyway. One of my favourite parts of any game, you can get the credits to roll within minutes of starting by just saying you don’t want to do it. The mayor of Mineral Town accepts it without pressuring you, and sets you on the next train back to the city. It’s a silly inclusion, but one I always find myself appreciating far more than the alternative of endlessly looping dialogue boxes. Once you finally accept your farming fate, you’re let loose and the game can really begin. What you make of it is entirely up to you.

attachFull216514

Playing on Simple Mode grants you a few turnips to get you going!

Your first year in Mineral Town is one of plentiful choice. How you grow as a farmer, and in turn, how your farm grows as a result, will vary significantly from person to person, and playthrough to playthrough. At the core of the game, you have two components: farming and animal tending. Farming is as simple as it ever was. You till the ground with your hoe, you spread your seeds, and you water them each day until they’re fully grown. You then sell the crops, buy more seeds, and there’s your money-making cycle. While this will be familiar territory for many, a welcome change here is the fact you can walk over your crops once planted. In the original game, once partially-grown, crops would become impassable tiles, making it incredibly difficult to reap a full yield without upgraded tools. With this change, you can both make more money early on, and navigate your field easier.

attachFull216518

My flavoured cows: Lemon, Banana, Straw, and Berry.

Animal tending is something that generally comes a little after farming. Once you have a bit of cash, you can head into town to buy yourself one of a brilliant array of creatures. While your usual cows, sheep, and chickens all feature here, there’s also a few more unusual picks. Though alpacas are a favourite of mine, the spotlight really must be shined on the flavoured cows, available as strawberry, coffee, or fruit. Aside from looking adorable with their own unique colouring and tail design, they also, you guessed it, produce specially-flavoured milk. Where else would strawberry milk come from if not a strawberry cow? Though significantly more work than crops, animals come with their own perks. Looking past the genuine affection and sense of attachment you gain for these creatures, each comes with their own sustainable byproduct, varying from animal to animal. Cows give milk, sheep give wool, you get the idea. As the animals come to like you more, their produce becomes more valuable, resulting in more money for you and a sense of satisfaction that you got them to that point.

Perhaps a minor criticism of mine in this department, but one that detracted from the experience all the same–bought animals can never fully love you. Now this sounds silly, and to me, it really is, but the animals you buy from PoPoultry or Yodel Ranch have a hard cap on their affection. Limiting you to five hearts out of a possible ten, it makes your initial animals feel like little more than a means to an end. At five hearts maximum, their produce is also limited in quality. The only way to increase this cap is to breed your animals. Breeding two five heart animals gives you offspring with a cap of six hearts, this continuing all the way to ten hearts. It’s tedious. It rewards those who play patiently and systematically, and it’s both a blessing and a curse. It’s something you really have to aim for, and whether the investment of time and effort is worthwhile to you is something I really can’t predict.

attachFull216519

For those wanting to participate fully in events, however, it may just be essential. Littered across your farming calendar are a series of fun events. Ranging from seasonal festivals, to cooking competitions, to animal shows, horse races, and everything in between, Mineral Town does its best to keeps its residents entertained. My favourite of these has to be the Spring and Autumn derbies. In these, you get to watch and bet on horses for some serious profit if you happen to play your cards right. You’ll find there’s something interesting happening almost every week, breaking up your regular farming life in fun and interesting ways.

Of course, the farm isn’t the only point of focus; the game’s called Friends of Mineral Town after all, and making these friends is somewhat of a mixed bag for me. This remake is remarkably faithful to the original design. You become friends with people by talking to them daily, and you raise affection by giving people gifts. After so long, you trigger events with these people, getting to know them a little more and getting them to know you a little more. It’s a simple system to grasp and an enjoyable system to partake in, but it leads me to my biggest issue with the game as a whole: the monotony.

attachFull216517

Review image Review image

The game is repetitive. There’s no beating around the bush with this. You start out fresh, you start out exploring, you start out starry-eyed and curious to the world, but this has its limits. Once the people have been talked to, the fields cleared, the animals safely where they belong, you find yourself falling into a cycle. Water crops, feed animals, talk to animals, get produce from animals, talk to love interest, give gift to love interest, sleep, repeat. The fine folks of Mineral Town remind me of Majora’s Mask’s Clock Town residents. They’re on a schedule, destined to repeat the same events, spout the same lines. I want to learn more about these characters, I want to bond with them, I want to care about them, but there’s only so many times I can read the same thing before coming to the conclusion it simply isn’t worth it. Mineral Town as a whole lacks the variety of life and activity to stand tall as an unguided experience. In some respects, I’d say this remake is too faithful to its predecessor; the genre has moved on, but this game is by design stuck 15 years in the past.

Similarities aside, what has changed is just as interesting. You have a new art style, which brings with it new character portraits, a better inventory system, and one of the best UIs I’ve seen in a game to date. The last point I genuinely cannot overstate, it’s fantastic. Everything is on-screen and accessible without being in the way. It presents your inventory and tools to you in such a way where you find yourself going entire play sessions without feeling the need to actually pause. There’s also a few extra marriage candidates, a few extra events, and, as a blessing to many, same-sex marriage.

All in all, this is Mineral Town. It’s the Mineral Town you always loved, with many of the same quirks, for better or worse. While I found myself utterly charmed in coming home to the farm, it’s not a game I could sit and play for hours on end. To me, it’s a game to be picked up and played a little at a time, and in its own way, that’s fine. Mineral Town is back, and one day at a time, I’ll be living my best farming life.

Verdict

What We Liked ...
  • Incredibly faithful retelling of Mineral Town's story
  • Charming visual style
  • Character customisation
  • Multiple difficulty settings
  • Same-sex marriage now possible
What We Didn't Like ...
  • Incredibly faithful retelling of Mineral Town's story
  • Somewhat monotonous gameplay
7
Gameplay
If you've played Harvest Moon, Story of Seasons, or even Stardew Valley, you know exactly what to expect; this game delivers. Though you can get caught up in a cycle of repeating the same events day after day, the events themselves remain satisfying and fun, especially when tackled in small bursts.
9
Presentation
Though something easy to write off at a glance, the visual style of Mineral Town charmed me in ways I never expected. From the fresh character portraits to a glorious transition to 3D space, the folks at Marvelous managed the transition from the game's iconic GBA aesthetic to something entirely its own.
-
Lasting Appeal
I feel uncomfortable putting a number to the game's lasting appeal, because it'll vary so significantly from person to person. There's a brilliant amount of content to be had here, but it's locked behind a monotonous cycle of samey dialogue and checklisted daily goals. It's something I can pick up and play a week at a time in-game, but it's also something I can see people pouring endless hours into. Whether it's for you will depend entirely on how you interpret the game's freedoms.
8
out of 10

Overall

For better or worse, this is the Mineral Town we know and love. Complete with quirks both good and bad, it stands as a faithful retelling to this classic ranch story. If you're looking for a peaceful game to play a bit at a time, or just want to revisit a beloved town from your childhood, Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town might just be for you.
Great review.

While it took some time for me to get used to the art style I have to say I prefer it and the character designs; they pop with personality and character that surpasses the GBA version. I do wish the game had a few more events such as the ones from BTN and replaced the Chicken Festival with the one from the BTN one. I hate the bit of RNG it has in it.

I don't like how the handled animal affection in this game. Like you pointed out buying an animal and only able to raise it to 5 hearts and having to breed it many times in order to get it to 10 hearts isn't worth it. This is less annoying for chickens since it takes a few days for their eggs to hatch but cows, sheeps and alpaca takes over 20 days before they give birth plus many more days before they fully grow up. I don't see this as worth the time or money since by the time you get an animal to 10 hearts you will be in Year 3 or later. ( I was in Year 2 Autumn and my cow had 8 hearts. But you need to ship everything to clear your shipping log so ech.

Making friends in this game and seeing their events has been made super easy. There were days were I was able to experience 4-6 events in a row. I also ran into many new events that started in one event and ended in another event later on. This made the world feel a bit more alive and is one of the better changes in this remake.

The game is repetitive. I would agree 100% after the first month or 2 you have a pattern down and it can get a bit boring. Thankfully I play this game while having a podcast running in the background so that helps.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scarlet
@RyRyIV

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life?

Man I tried to get into A Wonderful Life many times but every time I got bored as I felt it was way to slow; even though I love the fact that your child can grow up and change based on what you do and who you makes friends with.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RedBlueGreen
@RyRyIV

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life?

Man I tried to get into A Wonderful Life many times but every time I got bored as I felt it was way to slow; even though I love the fact that your child can grow up and change based on what you do and who you makes friends with.
I’ll totally admit, the later years of the game definitely feel like a slog. But the good outweighs the bad, for me. I love the original art style, I love the location in general, I love the music, and most importantly I love that it brings you through an entire life, as your family grows and the Valley ages with you. It always just felt so alive to me.

It was my favorite Harvest Moon game as a kid, and I’m sure that I’m thinking overly fondly of it as a result. But that’s what I remember, and that’s why if they did a remake of it I’d be first in line to pick it up
 
So, a rehash of a 15 year old game, and everyone eats it happily, like reheated microwave food at a fancy restaurant?

Make new games dammit! If it was a better known franchise, or a AAA game being done the remastered treatment, most people would scoff it and ask for originality.

This is the same sheep with wee better clothing, and everyone laps it up.

People are confusing. I am an old dog, for sure.
 
@eyeliner

Remakes have their place in the industry as long as a healthy supply of new games are always coming out. They released a new game; Doraemon Story of Seasons last year on PC and the switch. They get a pass from me on this one.
 
SOS: FOMT is a remake of HM: FOMT, which was a 2003 game, which is a better version of 1999's HM: Back to Nature. A remake of what's probably the most well-known HM game is of course, going to be loved by people. It's a nearly 20-year-old game, a remake is perfectly acceptable at that point.

There have been 4 SOS games within the past 5 years--they're putting out great new games at an impressive pace. This is hardly the typical "lol ew 'remaster' remake after 3 years" debate.
 
@eyeliner

Remakes have their place in the industry as long as a healthy supply of new games are always coming out. They released a new game; Doraemon Story of Seasons last year on PC and the switch. They get a pass from me on this one.
Fair enough, but considering that the Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons games are alike, would it kill them tomake a truly original entry, instead milking thre cow for a few more drops?

Come on, slapping a different story in this re-release would make this almost an entirely new game, considering they inserted a few novelties, like same gender marriage (basically disabled a variable check in the code).

These things are what makes me wonder if we at large deserve the staleness in games. We just live in the past, relishing in mostly eschewed memories of games we are unable to have the first impression again.

But hey, if the majority is supportive, I'm obviously an outlier, and not the main target for it.
 
This is my second play-through in English since they for some reason included the full English localization in the Japanese version. (Still not sure what that's about.) For a remake, it does everything I could ask for. It keeps many aspects the same, and mostly adds quality of life changes to it. Most namely, the inventory. You can walk over all crops, making tool upgrades much more effective. Also, apparently, you animals can't die, so when you do breed them to a higher level they stay that way. (You can also manually feed them for a significantly higher daily friendship boost.) Same-sex marriage was surprising, and even more surprising in the final English version when they decided to show heart levels for everyone from the beginning unlike the Japanese version. Those are a just a few upgrades, but I really can't stress enough that all these mechanic changes make the game objectively more extensible than it was before. Hot dang.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CallmeBerto
...The chibi design is...eh. I guess it works? I'd think making them a little more realistically-proportioned would be better, personally.
Oh, and the two initial female designs...overalls or jean shorts? Where's the skirt, or dress? Something actually feminine?
 
@eyeliner

Remakes have their place in the industry as long as a healthy supply of new games are always coming out. They released a new game; Doraemon Story of Seasons last year on PC and the switch. They get a pass from me on this one.
While I do like the Legend of Zelda remakes and remasters/enhanced ports, they haven't released a new proper game since 2013 - A Link Between Worlds. Since then, the only "new" games were the abysmal Tri-Force Heroes, and the massively-disappointing, tedious, and mechanically-infuriating Breath of the Wild.

I would like to see a return to form; a new proper game, that has none of BotW's joyless mechanics and countless flaws. A proper game that's more similar to Twilight Princess/Ocarina of Time/The Wind Waker/A Link Between Worlds/Link's Awakening, than Skyward Sword or Breath of the Wild. A proper game, that's not just a touch-up of a previous game.

Will we even get one on the Switch? The Wii U never got one; the Wii (the worst console I've had the displeasure of using) had two, the GameCube had two (though it shared one with the Wii), the N64 had two, the 3DS got one, the DS got two (though mainly touch-only; bleurgh)...the Switch still has zero brand-new proper games. That's extremely unfortunate.
 
@AkiraKurusu

Nintendo looks like they are taking their third person Zelda games in a new direction with both BOTW and it's sequel. I think Nintendo did a good job with BOTW as their first take on an open world. Were there flaws? Heck yeah I still think their weapon break system is total trash and will never find any joy in such a system, they also need to make better dungeons.

I actually forgot they haven't done a proper 2D Zelda game since A Link between worlds and you can say they cheated a bit since that is very close to A link to the past.
 
@AkiraKurusu

Nintendo looks like they are taking their third person Zelda games in a new direction with both BOTW and it's sequel. I think Nintendo did a good job with BOTW as their first take on an open world. Were there flaws? Heck yeah I still think their weapon break system is total trash and will never find any joy in such a system, they also need to make better dungeons.

I actually forgot they haven't done a proper 2D Zelda game since A Link between worlds and you can say they cheated a bit since that is very close to A link to the past.
While I vehemently disagree with the "I think Nintendo did a good job with BOTW" part (I can't stand this atrocity), I respect your opinion. I just think this "new direction" is the complete wrong one, since it alienates fans of classic games, those who first experienced the series with Ocarina of Time (3D, in my case), and then branched out to other, similar, titles.

It's also not just "2D" they haven't done since A Link Between Worlds, either. It's a brand-new traditional Zelda game. What have we gotten since then? Twilight Princess HD - a remaster of the GameCube and Wii game. The Wind Waker HD - a remaster of the GameCube game. Majora's Mask 3D - a remake of the N64 game. Link's Awakening - a remake of the Game Boy and Game Boy Colour game. Tri-Force Heroes - a disastrous multiplayer-focused game with no actual in-team communications, and a tacked-on singleplayer option. Breath of the Wild - definitively NOT a traditional 3D game.

I want Nintendo to go back to traditional game design after BotW 2, or whatever it'll end up being named. This is one direction I cannot stand, due to just how tedious, frustrating, and bland open-worlds with equipment fragility and stamina and repetitive tasks are.
 
what kind of farmer wears a dress

really

you're REALLY complaining the female protagonists are dressed for their work

you never fail to surprise me


Lol ToT was the best in this. You could wear many different outfits regardless of sex. Want to be a guy in a dress? There you go. Want to be a chick in a suit? We got you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RyRyIV and Scarlet
what kind of farmer wears a dress

really

you're REALLY complaining the female protagonists are dressed for their work

you never fail to surprise me
You've never seen old Westerns? Rural villages, where every woman shown is in either a dress or a skirt, despite being in a town that likely subsists on farming?
...What am I even doing awake at 2:28am, anyway...? Oh yeah...too hot...please don't mind me, if I disappear for another handful of hours.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CallmeBerto
You've never seen old Westerns? Rural villages, where every woman shown is in either a dress or a skirt, despite being in a town that likely subsists on farming?
Almost like those outfits were chosen by a costume designer who cared more about what costumes they had on set rather than practicality. Plus you never see the women farming in those movies. They’re always relegated to “house” roles. The design is just fine, this being a complaint is a stretch to put it politely.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tirea
So, a rehash of a 15 year old game, and everyone eats it happily, like reheated microwave food at a fancy restaurant?

Make new games dammit! If it was a better known franchise, or a AAA game being done the remastered treatment, most people would scoff it and ask for originality.

This is the same sheep with wee better clothing, and everyone laps it up.

People are confusing. I am an old dog, for sure.
I Think Story of Season intentionaly REMAKE old famous titles too make the fans know that they are the REAL "Harvest Moon"...
Since the split up with Natsume... Some of the fans did not even know that the new "Harvest Moon" title released by Natsume is actually not the real one anymore... and even some people said that "Story of Season" is clone of "Harvest Moon" and even "Stardew Valley" LoL... so by remaking the old "Harvest Moon" title but using "Story of Season" instead lots of fans will know about it.
this might affect future sales. and i think this is a good move from Marvelous.

The new crossover concept by Marvelous like Popolo crois Story of Season, Doraemon Story of Season also have lots of potential...
maybe do some crossover collabs with well known anime like One Piece, Dr. Stone, etc might be interesting.

of course we always wait for the canon series too... hope after this mineral town remake they make the canon series entry next...
 
  • Like
Reactions: CallmeBerto
  • Deleted by VinsCool
  • Reason: Duplicate
I honestly thought this was farmville game when I saw the graphics, before I saw those harvest moon cows. Second thought was it was a cell-phone game. Actually, I'm guessing that was the aim? Is it available for android/ios as well?

I watched someone play it and it looked sooooo bad. But they were having fun playing it, so maybe it's worth overcoming the cheap feel. Is it because it's a remake?

But I'm just complaining about aesthetic, it's sounding like the gameplay is addictive enough.
 
I honestly thought this was farmville game when I saw the graphics, before I saw those harvest moon cows. Second thought was it was a cell-phone game. Actually, I'm guessing that was the aim? Is it available for android/ios as well?

I watched someone play it and it looked sooooo bad. But they were having fun playing it, so maybe it's worth overcoming the cheap feel. Is it because it's a remake?

But I'm just complaining about aesthetic, it's sounding like the gameplay is addictive enough.
The whole aesthetic is honestly something that grows on you. Though initially I did think the same, it has a certain sense of polish and refinement that shines though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: osaka35
Nice review. I got some nostalgia going down rating this game. I love it tough.
Rune Factory 4, Doreamon Story of Seasons, it´s great owning a Nintendo Switch.
 
While I do like the Legend of Zelda remakes and remasters/enhanced ports, they haven't released a new proper game since 2013 - A Link Between Worlds. Since then, the only "new" games were the abysmal Tri-Force Heroes, and the massively-disappointing, tedious, and mechanically-infuriating Breath of the Wild.
Breath of the Wild was new proper LoZ game, though. Not to mention they're making another one. It kinda looks like you're complaining about Nintendo "not making new proper Zelda games" while ignoring new proper Zelda games that you just happened to personally dislike.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CactusMan
Breath of the Wild was new proper LoZ game, though. Not to mention they're making another one. It kinda looks like you're complaining about Nintendo "not making new proper Zelda games" while ignoring new proper Zelda games that you just happened to personally dislike.
Breath of the Wild was not a "proper" LoZ game, though. No prior game had an open-world, for one, or shrines, or orbs. Breath of the Wild doesn't have Heart Pieces, either, and lacks the large selection of tools and gadgets Link usually collects. The only previous game to have stamina, resource collecting, and shield fragility was Skyward Sword, a mediocre game with few things going for it; weapon fragility was never a global (or near-global) mechanic before, either - the Giant's Knife and Razor Sword were both optional, and easily replaceable by unbreakable replacements.

Breath of the Wild is nothing like Twilight Princess, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, The Wind Waker, Link's Awakening, A Link Between Worlds, or most other games. It's not even similar to Zelda 1, since that game didn't have stamina, fragility, or resources.
Nintendo's making a sequel to Breath of the Wild, which will likely - unfortunately - retain most of BotW's frustrating mechanics and flaws; it's not making a game similar to previous, superior, games.
 
Breath of the Wild was not a "proper" LoZ game, though. No prior game had an open-world, for one, or shrines, or orbs. Breath of the Wild doesn't have Heart Pieces, either, and lacks the large selection of tools and gadgets Link usually collects. The only previous game to have stamina, resource collecting, and shield fragility was Skyward Sword, a mediocre game with few things going for it; weapon fragility was never a global (or near-global) mechanic before, either - the Giant's Knife and Razor Sword were both optional, and easily replaceable by unbreakable replacements.

Breath of the Wild is nothing like Twilight Princess, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, The Wind Waker, Link's Awakening, A Link Between Worlds, or most other games. It's not even similar to Zelda 1, since that game didn't have stamina, fragility, or resources.
Nintendo's making a sequel to Breath of the Wild, which will likely - unfortunately - retain most of BotW's frustrating mechanics and flaws; it's not making a game similar to previous, superior, games.
Drastically changing gameplay mechanics and trying out new styles is what Legend of Zelda was repeatedly doing since the very first sequel in the 80s, so there's nothing "unproper" or "un-zelda" about it. If applying your logic in retrospective, then Ocarina of Time wasn't a proper LoZ game either, really.
 
Drastically changing gameplay mechanics and trying out new styles is what Legend of Zelda was repeatedly doing since the very first sequel in the 80s, so there's nothing "unproper" or "un-zelda" about it. If applying your logic in retrospective, then Ocarina of Time wasn't a proper LoZ game either, really.
Honestly you just can't please people. You stick too closely to the successful games and you get called out for being uninspired and unoriginal. You stray too far and people denounce it as an intruder in the series.

If you like Breath of the Wild, that's great. If you don't, that's great too. No game will appeal to everybody. Personally, I'm interested to see what they do with Breath of the Wild's core gameplay in the setting of a new game. With criticism of the first game in mind, I can only see it being an improvement; hopefully from a narrative standpoint.

But yeah, that's all I have to say on that. Hoes mad either way,
 
I just played this for a little under 10 hours, and I just can't anymore. I was having fun with the whole nostalgia of seeing FOMT in remake form and the music tracks and such, but the formula is so...boring. Mind numbingly repetitive. I couldn't stand one more minute of it.

Which is funny, because I honestly used to love this game as a kid. I can recall getting somewhere to the start of year 3 and only getting burnt out after dozens of hours. Now, I can't imagine getting that far.

And I think it's all Stardew and RF4's fault. Stardew is just this game but better, and Rune Factory 4 is SV but better. They've both ruined the rest of the HM/SoS lineup for me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CallmeBerto
I just played this for a little under 10 hours, and I just can't anymore. I was having fun with the whole nostalgia of seeing FOMT in remake form and the music tracks and such, but the formula is so...boring. Mind numbingly repetitive. I couldn't stand one more minute of it.

Which is funny, because I honestly used to love this game as a kid. I can recall getting somewhere to the start of year 3 and only getting burnt out after dozens of hours. Now, I can't imagine getting that far.

And I think it's all Stardew and RF4's fault. Stardew is just this game but better, and Rune Factory 4 is SV but better. They've both ruined the rest of the HM/SoS lineup for me.

I've been saying to try out Story of Seasons - Trio of Towns for awhile now lol.
I do understand where you are coming from though. Older HM games really show their age when compared to more modern farming sims. The main reason I even picked up this game on day one was to show support for more ports; maybe RF4?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chary
I've been saying to try out Story of Seasons - Trio of Towns for awhile now lol.
I do understand where you are coming from though. Older HM games really show their age when compared to more modern farming sims. The main reason I even picked up this game on day one was to show support for more ports; maybe RF4?
I think I'd die from sheer joy if RF4 hit PC. The recent sales report from XSEED is kind of pathetic for RF4 sales...it didn't really do well on Switch, so I'd hope it didn't kill hopes of a second chance on PC...
 
  • Like
Reactions: CallmeBerto
@RyRyIV

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life?

Man I tried to get into A Wonderful Life many times but every time I got bored as I felt it was way to slow; even though I love the fact that your child can grow up and change based on what you do and who you makes friends with.
That's generally considered one of the weaker titles IIRC cause there's a bit of a lack of content, though they really focused on fleshing out the romantic life aspect, consequently though there are only 3 potential partners.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CallmeBerto
I hope we see a remake of Harvest Moon DS soon.

While I vehemently disagree with the "I think Nintendo did a good job with BOTW" part (I can't stand this atrocity), I respect your opinion. I just think this "new direction" is the complete wrong one, since it alienates fans of classic games, those who first experienced the series with Ocarina of Time (3D, in my case), and then branched out to other, similar, titles.

It's also not just "2D" they haven't done since A Link Between Worlds, either. It's a brand-new traditional Zelda game. What have we gotten since then? Twilight Princess HD - a remaster of the GameCube and Wii game. The Wind Waker HD - a remaster of the GameCube game. Majora's Mask 3D - a remake of the N64 game. Link's Awakening - a remake of the Game Boy and Game Boy Colour game. Tri-Force Heroes - a disastrous multiplayer-focused game with no actual in-team communications, and a tacked-on singleplayer option. Breath of the Wild - definitively NOT a traditional 3D game.

I want Nintendo to go back to traditional game design after BotW 2, or whatever it'll end up being named. This is one direction I cannot stand, due to just how tedious, frustrating, and bland open-worlds with equipment fragility and stamina and repetitive tasks are.
Agreed. As a long time fan of the series I hated BOTW. I'm really liking Genshin Impact though. BOTW's main dungeons were a huge insult. The puzzles consisted of pausing the game to adjust whatever part you could. PS3 era Resident Evil had better puzzles.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AkiraKurusu
I hope we see a remake of Harvest Moon DS soon.


Agreed. As a long time fan of the series I hated BOTW. I'm really liking Genshin Impact though. BOTW's main dungeons were a huge insult. The puzzles consisted of pausing the game to adjust whatever part you could. PS3 era Resident Evil had better puzzles.
The beasts...ugh. I could never figure out how to actually solve the elephant one, how to position the trunk (which constantly pours water) so I could get to the highest level in the middle. Ended up just using moonjump to get up there.
The electric Gerudo beast took me forever to figure out, due to just how convoluted it is. You only have like two electric source spheres, and where they need to be placed to get stuff running is frustratingly obscure.

The other two beasts...meh, doable but definitely not memorable.
 
I bought this game, just haven't played it yet. I also bought I think it was animal costumes as dlc. I went through all my dlc yesterday and bought what I didn't have. I have 16.5GBs left on a 1TB micro sd card, and I'm legit. that's a lot of stuff there. :D
 
I bought this game, just haven't played it yet. I also bought I think it was animal costumes as dlc. I went through all my dlc yesterday and bought what I didn't have. I have 16.5GBs left on a 1TB micro sd card, and I'm legit. that's a lot of stuff there. :D
I feel your storage woes, I'm at 300+ digital games last I checked...
 
  • Like
Reactions: godreborn
you can have more than 300 this time around? I think I have maybe something like 173.
I've never tried to install everything, but I'm fairly sure it wouldn't all fit. It's also spread across three regional accounts if that makes any difference.
 
  • Like
Reactions: godreborn
it's probably not likely I'd reach 300 titles after the switch has been around for over 4 years. I might get close, but I'd need a 2TB card, which doesn't exist afaik.
 
I've tried a few harvest Moon games but the gameplay has never appealed to me.
Same here; I've also tried that Stardew Valley thing a while back, due to all the praise heaped on it and it being on sale (almost certainly; I rarely buy games full price), but I just got bored of it real quick. Sure, I get that the mindless repetition is supposed to be the selling point behind games like these, but those two descriptors bore the hell out of me, get me more easily frustrated and into a crappy mood.

Oh, yeah, I suppose grinding up Pokémon to maybe use in the Battle Frontier/Subway/Maison/Tree - creating them in PKHeX as Eggs, hatching them in-game, EV training them, levelling them up, teaching them moves, etc. - is a form of "mindless repetition" for some, and it can feel that way at times, but it's not always mindless. I need to think about which moves to teach them, how to EV train them. how I'm gonna evolve them, etc. There's also a real end reward - being able to go through the local Battle place with these PKMN.

And even before I start grinding Pokémon like that, I have to beat the main game first, so the concept of a "slow beginning" doesn't really apply - in farming sims, like Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons and Stardew Valley, the farming IS the whole point of the game. It doesn't feel like I can play through the story one way, then change my approach and play it a different way; it just feels like the same "way" throughout, and the beginning is often full of tutorials and limited choices and stuff, so it feels slow.

I don't get the same sensations with farming sims, that I do with Pokémon, and I do not care about marriage, even virtually - so what's the "end goal"? What am I supposed to be working towards?
 
Same here; I've also tried that Stardew Valley thing a while back, due to all the praise heaped on it and it being on sale (almost certainly; I rarely buy games full price), but I just got bored of it real quick. Sure, I get that the mindless repetition is supposed to be the selling point behind games like these, but those two descriptors bore the hell out of me, get me more easily frustrated and into a crappy mood.

Oh, yeah, I suppose grinding up Pokémon to maybe use in the Battle Frontier/Subway/Maison/Tree - creating them in PKHeX as Eggs, hatching them in-game, EV training them, levelling them up, teaching them moves, etc. - is a form of "mindless repetition" for some, and it can feel that way at times, but it's not always mindless. I need to think about which moves to teach them, how to EV train them. how I'm gonna evolve them, etc. There's also a real end reward - being able to go through the local Battle place with these PKMN.

And even before I start grinding Pokémon like that, I have to beat the main game first, so the concept of a "slow beginning" doesn't really apply - in farming sims, like Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons and Stardew Valley, the farming IS the whole point of the game. It doesn't feel like I can play through the story one way, then change my approach and play it a different way; it just feels like the same "way" throughout, and the beginning is often full of tutorials and limited choices and stuff, so it feels slow.

I don't get the same sensations with farming sims, that I do with Pokémon, and I do not care about marriage, even virtually - so what's the "end goal"? What am I supposed to be working towards?
I mean what you've said here is exactly why I find Harvest Moon DS the most compelling entry of the series. Rescuing harvest sprites serves as an indicator of progress and gives you some tangible objectives to work towards. It makes an aimless genre far more focused for people who prefer that kind of gameplay.

It also had a killer casino (that would unfortunately never make it into a remake because of gambling laws lol).
 
I mean what you've said here is exactly why I find Harvest Moon DS the most compelling entry of the series. Rescuing harvest sprites serves as an indicator of progress and gives you some tangible objectives to work towards. It makes an aimless genre far more focused for people who prefer that kind of gameplay.

It also had a killer casino (that would unfortunately never make it into a remake because of gambling laws lol).
Fuck casinos, I hate gambling and randomness in pretty much all forms.

HM DS, though...huh. Might look into that, thanks!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scarlet
Oh, yeah, I suppose grinding up Pokémon to maybe use in the Battle Frontier/Subway/Maison/Tree - creating them in PKHeX as Eggs, hatching them in-game, EV training them, levelling them up, teaching them moves, etc. - is a form of "mindless repetition" for some, and it can feel that way at times, but it's not always mindless. I need to think about which moves to teach them, how to EV train them. how I'm gonna evolve them, etc. There's also a real end reward - being able to go through the local Battle place with these PKMN.
I think it's best to play through the main quest normally then use hacked Pokemon in the battle tower and competitive play.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AkiraKurusu
I think it's best to play through the main quest normally then use hacked Pokemon in the battle tower and competitive play.
I don't do competitive - especially since in-game competitive is kinda dead for DS and 3DS nowadays, last I checked - but...yeah, that's pretty much what I do for Battle facilities!
Either that, or in Gen V+, the good ol' Choice Scarf Truant Durant with Entrainment strategy (change the foe's Ability to Truant with Entrainment, so they can't act every second turn. Then switch to my second Pokémon, with a boosting move + Baton Pass + Substitute + Protect, to set up, then use Baton Pass to pass those boosts to my third Pokémon - the actual attacker).
 
Review cover
Product Information:
  • Release Date (NA): July 14, 2020
  • Release Date (EU): July 10, 2020
  • Publisher: Marvelous Europe
  • Developer: Marvelous Inc.
  • Genres: Role-Playing, Simulation
  • Also For: Computer
Game Features:
Single player
Local Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Co-operative

Reviews

  1. Xiaomi has just launched its latest smartphone line, the Xiaomi 14 series. In this series, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is the top-of-the-line model, with a focus on photography and a dedicated Photography Kit to complement this focus. Let’s take a closer look!

  2. Obsidian’s Pentiment is part of a new wave of Xbox games coming to other platforms. Should you try to solve the 16th century murder mystery it presents?

  3. The second iteration of Supernote's compact e-ink notebook, we check out the A6X2 Nomad!

  4. Acting like an NPC has never been more intense

  5. The Aurvana Ace by Creative might look like your regular pair of wireless earbuds but it's the first to pack xMEMS’ solid-state silicon drivers. These are supposed to deliver richer, lifelike...

Site & Scene News

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2: Sorry for accidentally bending over