Release Date: October 17th 2019
Developed by: Marvelous, Bullets Co. Ltd.
Published by: Marvelous, XSEED Games
Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One & Series, PC
Story of Seasons is Harvest Moon, due to a long, drawn out and confusing legal dispute that many hyperactive Youtubers and arrogant podcasters are only happy to run through repeatedly. So if you would like the full history: WTFDYW?! Episode 33.
Story of Seasons is a virtual farming series, which is a comical idea to anyone that hasn’t been enveloped by one of these games before. Stardew Valley was heavily influenced by the series and draws a lot of inspiration from this title’s original release in particular. You inherit your Grandfather’s old abandoned farm, as is tradition in these games. You must work the land and restore it to its former glory. Not only that, you also have to mingle with the townsfolk and become an upstanding member of the community. This includes singling out one unlucky marriageable candidate and throwing wildflowers and eggs at them until they become your betrothed out of submission and defeat. Which of course, is the traditional Farmer way.
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a remake of the Game Boy Advance title Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town which is a remake of the PSX Title Harvest Moon: Back to Nature which was a reboot of Harvest Moon 64. The GBA title added a lot of extras which have been carried forward, along with some quality of life improvements that really help the flow of the game. The first one that jumped out was being able to walk over your crops, which may not sound huge to many of you. It makes a big difference in the early portion of the game. In older titles making horseshoe shaped plots of land was vital for maximum crop yield, at least until you upgraded your tools. You must perform daily tasks to succeed in this game and the small touches added to respect your time are greatly appreciated.
You have four seasons, thirty days in each and there is always something to do to fill a day. Planting and watering crops is a nearly constant activity, only taking a break in Winter, by which stage you should have some Chickens and Cows to keep revenue rolling in to pay the heating bills. Seeds must be purchased and ground prepared for planting, it doesn’t take long to become adept at the sowing game. One thing to be aware of when seasons are about to change; seeds take a certain amount of time to grow and the crops will fail outside of their designated season. Nothing worse than spending your savings on seeds and having a famine leave you in ruin. They’re pretty hard to bounce back from.
Other activities in the game include fishing, available in a multitude of locations, which is also a great form of gathering currency. Chopping up tree stumps or shattering rocks also provide materials to upgrade and improve buildings found on your farm. There are two mines, one available year round and the other only available in Winter as the lake freezes over. You can find the required materials to upgrade your tools,by smashing rocks and collecting various ores. Upgraded tools help you take on bigger tasks as you progress into the game. Also a collection of jewels you can sell or gift to your fellow villagers. You have to work your way further down into the mine to find more valuable minerals and you have to watch your stamina levels as you go. Power Berries can be found in various locations throughout the game and they permanently increase your stamina. Which is handy when you need to go harder, for longer. A mystical viagra berry. Otherwise taking a dip in the hot spring or eating your body weight in Cucumbers will get you back in the game.
The days do move at quite a rapid pace, so you’ll not have a problem finding enough activities to pass the time. I’m not sure if it’s my memory playing tricks or if the game clock really does run that bit hotter in this version of the game. Feels like you lose a couple of in game hours just getting across the village. I have landed outside the local store just after closing time on more than one occasion. I don’t think the shopkeeper Jeff realises how easily grudges can form in small towns and how adept this player is at holding on to these petty grudges for life. Speaking of my inability to connect to people on an emotional level; there is a full town of people ready to make your acquaintance. For first time players, this will be a delight, meeting all the quirky citizens and becoming a productive member of this fantasy community. For anyone that has played the older titles; prepare to get brain strain. Characters have been redesigned and some have had their names changed. I know this shouldn’t really matter, but why is Ann now Ran? I wasn’t aware Ran was even a name.
Socialising is the weakest aspect of the game for me. One: because I have become one with misanthropy and a happy life is one with the least amount of social contact possible. Two: because each character has two lines of dialogue that change depending on season and location. The interactions get old quickly. If you give villagers gifts and it is something they like, eventually you may trigger cutscenes to bond even further, but these do show the age of the game’s foundations. Character development has come a long way since the Playstation 1. You will notice some characters will have a heart on their avatar and these signal that they are possible romantic partners. If you put the effort in and throw enough Sweet Potatoes at them every day.
From as early as the Super Nintendo Games in the series you could get married and it has always felt like the most tacked on mechanic in the game. They have tried to focus on this aspect in newer titles in the series and the core game experience usually suffers for it. I come here to Milk Cows and ship turnips. Not turn my farm into some Yewtree sting operation. However, you can ignore marriage and focus on the animals instead. I try to refrain from swearing in written form on the PDG site. But you can get a pet Dog, Cat, Capybara or a fantastic Penguin. I was overjoyed to finally get a pet Penguin, one of few things on my bucket list that doesn’t involve violence or substance abuse. You are also gifted a Foal in your first year; with enough love and attention it will grow into a mighty steed. This helps getting around the map quickly when time can be so precious.
While your pets are mostly just for the novelty of owning them; they have removed wild animal attacks from the game. So your Dogs no longer protect your property and you can no longer protect your chickens with a hammer. You can also keep some livestock for a disgusting profit. Milk, Eggs and Wool which get more valuable depending on how well you care for your flock or cattle. The produce can also be converted into Cheese, mayonnaise or Wool later in game for boosted earnings. You can keep Cows which also come in colourful variations that produce Coffee, Fruit or Strawberry Milk. Which, yes, that’s how each of those products are made in real life too. You can keep Sheep, Alpacas and Rabbits for wool. Chickens lay eggs and I usually throw these in the hot spring as they make great presents for possible waifus or husbandos. Keeping animals and growing a selection of crops that change depending on the season is how most players will dedicate their time to. Get your watering-can upgraded as soon as possible. Life is too short to spurt over one square at a time.
What keeps the player hooked here is the farming, the days are so quick you often talk yourself into just one more day. A similar sensation to the “Hades’ just one more run mentality.” Two incredibly contrasting experiences; but will both leave you bleary eyed at three in the morning after thinking you’d only played for half an hour. The game’s visuals make it bright and engaging. The change in seasons is always reflected well in the surrounding areas. The animals and characters are well represented; the chibi models of livestock have a place in my heart. There is usually a jaunty tune in the background as you work yourself to the virtual bone. Many of these are stuck in the mental jukebox for eternity. For those who have played the previous versions of this game will be happy to jump back in and get reimmersed within Mineral Town. Whereas newcomers have a treasure chest of good times just waiting to be unearthed or fished out of the ocean.
If you’re a fan of Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing or Dreamlight Valley and looking for a similar title to play, this is a very easy recommendation. For everybody else, there is an incredibly solid game here; but the twee nature can be off-putting, depending on your tastes.
-DeadbeatpunK
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