After 20 years for the reason that unique launch, Harvest Moon, now known as Story of Seasons, is again in motion. Anybody who’s a fan of the hit recreation Stardew Valley would certainly love one of many video games that extremely impressed it. This acquainted farming gem Story of Seasons: A Fantastic Life initially launched on GameCube and PlayStation 2 in 2003, making this a long-awaited remake and assessment. The Story of Seasons franchise had just a few rocky titles within the modern-day, however there’s little doubt that the attraction from twenty years in the past remains to be current inside this remake.
Like most within the collection, you begin a brand new life at your grandfather’s previous farm. Within the nation city of Forgotten Valley, you get to customise your farmer, select the animals you handle, and develop quite a few totally different crops. Not solely that, however there are a number of totally different residents of the Valley, some who’re single and able to mingle. The primary function and objective of this Story of Seasons recreation is to search out somebody to marry by the tip of your first yr, and develop a household with them. This recreation brings again the attraction from the unique, and it nonetheless serves as an important recreation in 2023.
Screenshot by PC Invasion
A return to type
As somebody who loves Stardew Valley, and having solely performed a Story of Seasons recreation on the Nintendo DS as a child—regardless of me proudly owning a GameCube and PlayStation 2—reviewing this recreation was a deal with. Sadly, I gained’t be capable to evaluate it an excessive amount of to the unique, however what I can say from doing my analysis is how a lot Marvelous Inc. did an important job. Nice as in having the ability to not solely replicate what the farming simulator components was, however to maintain it in a contemporary mild.
Whereas the unique had a duller coloration palette, the remake has saturated Forgotten Valley and introduced life into the sport once more. In the event that they have been to promote this as a brand new Story of Seasons title, it will nonetheless maintain up. The gameplay loop is satisfying, and there are continuously new issues to do because the seasons and years go by. You don’t even get to a lot of the good things till you attain the second yr, which makes this a recreation you’ll be taking part in for days on finish.
The thought of having the ability to develop a household and watch your little one develop is one thing that’ll make gamers keep on with the sport for awhile. Regardless of among the early gameplay changing into a bit monotonous, which I’ll clarify additional into the assessment, the perfect stuff comes later. If any participant was upset by any of the newer Story of Seasons titles and needed one thing contemporary however acquainted, I extremely suggest selecting this one up. Though it sits on the identical worth level as a brand new recreation, it actually does really feel updated.
Screenshot by PC Invasion
The day-to-day life on a farm
When you get into the swing of issues, you’ll discover your personal farming routine that works for you. Most gamers will discover that they do related stuff. Get up, feed your animals, gather animal merchandise like Milk and Eggs, water your crops, after which let the animals outdoors. When you’ve executed your morning routine, there are some things across the Valley to do. You may go fishing, gather sources like flowers and mushrooms, or assist out on the dig web site.
Many of the stuff you’ll be doing all through the day will assist contribute to your income. For instance, I normally find yourself spending many in-game hours on the dig web site looking for valuables to promote to Van twice a season. Every season lasts 10 days, and naturally, there are 4 seasons in a yr. It’s also possible to spend your day making an attempt to provide items to the romance choices in hopes that they’ll wish to marry you. By the tip of the day, I carry my animals in, possibly prepare dinner a meal or two, after which head to mattress. The cycle repeats, with sure occasions popping up and making some days really feel new.
Ultimately, you’ll unlock issues like your personal retailer, or new services to make higher merchandise to promote. You may even begin rising hybrid crops, and every of those will slowly earn you extra money. I nonetheless haven’t felt compelled to place the sport down but, however there are occasions after I really feel prefer it isn’t stimulating me sufficient. For instance, digging on the dig web site is a good way to become profitable, nevertheless it’s extremely tedious. I typically have to tug my telephone out to double job as a result of digging simply in a single spot takes a real-life minute.
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When it feels aged
To proceed on what I used to be saying, sure issues concerning the recreation do remind me that it’s a 20-year-old recreation. Each the digging and fishing aren’t actually difficult, all you do is press one button and also you accomplish the factor. However for the dig web site particularly, it’s a must to preserve urgent that button again and again till you get treasure. If Marvelous Inc. have been to alter issues up a bit, I’d’ve reasonably had a tiny minigame for fishing or digging that may preserve me engaged sufficient to benefit from the exercise.
The sensation of an aged recreation continues as I often attempt to busy myself with different actions. As soon as I end my duties on the farm, and don’t have any requests to handle, I typically really feel obligated to finish the day early. There are solely two everlasting outlets on the town, one which’s a café and one other that sells seeds. Van the travelling service provider will come by on the third and eighth, that are my favourite instances of the season. It could be neat to produce other outlets, similar to a furnishings store to brighten your house and farm.
It’s also possible to journey to the town for just a few hours, however the display screen will fade to black and it’ll simply go the time. I perceive this can be a remake, and by no means marketed itself so as to add a ton of recent options, however I typically want for issues that I may do in fashionable farming simulators that I can’t do in Story of Seasons: A Fantastic Life. An almost one-to-one remake is what the group behind the unique was going for, so I can not less than commend them for that.
Screenshot by PC Invasion
A pleasant polish
Since 20 years have handed for the reason that unique, you’ll count on a soar in graphics. It positively appears lots cleaner than the unique, since we’ve handed just a few console generations since then. That’s to not say it has impeccable graphics or something. I just like the cartoonish model, however it’ll often look flat texture clever. It’s not one thing to complain a lot about although, I don’t suppose it will honest properly with high-definition graphics. The pop in colours actually assist, and taking part in on my PC makes it appears good, particularly when the solar units and the lighting adjustments.
One factor it added that I respect is character customization. Apparently, the unique by no means had this characteristic, and I’m glad that in the event that they added something, it was this. There are just a few face choices, and a ton of hairstyles. If this wasn’t added, I really feel as if it will actually make the sport really feel dated. However now you may make your farmer look much like you! Additionally, they help you select between he/him, she/her, and so they/them pronouns, which is surprising, however nice to see.
The adjustments that Marvelous Inc. added make the remake value it, particularly for the bachelors and bachelorettes. Not solely did they add extra romance candidates, however you’ll be able to marry anybody, irrespective of the pronouns you selected! There appears to be a great cause behind each change, making this really feel like a well-updated remake.
Screenshot by PC Invasion
Value your time
Total, I can say with certainty that irrespective of for those who’ve performed the unique or not, you must try Story of Seasons: A Fantastic Life. Though I’ve some gripes about it, the nice elements of the sport overshadow the dangerous. Anybody fascinated about video games with farming like Stardew Valley, or life simulations like The Sims, ought to take pleasure in this remake. There are many stuff to do because the seasons go by, and the gameplay loop is gratifying.
I hope Story of Seasons continues to comply with what it does finest, since I can inform that is in all probability one of many higher video games within the collection. I’m definitely not executed with this recreation, and have much more to find. Marvelous Inc. did a great job with protecting the id of the unique, whereas including quality-of-life updates that make it playable 20 years later.
