I want a combine harvester.
Not gonna lie,
Harvest Moon looks so dull that I've been doing all in my power to put off playing it for as long as possible. It is a pleasant looking little 16-bit farm simulator, complete with chubby cows, adorable chickens, mans best friend and some villagers and lots of farm antics and changes of seasons and work and ugh, just end it already.
It's like an empty
Zelda. It's got that look, but where are the clear and visible threats to my wellbeing? What do I do? Why am I doing it? Let's attempt to find out.
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| Welcome to your Farm. Ignore your Farm, let's go to Town |
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| Townsfolk are friendly. When are they not? |
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| Easter gets renamed for reasons of censorship or localisation or something. |
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| I don't know what this woman means - I've not even started farming yet. |
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| Learning from books isn't as easy as in Skyrim. |
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| Please let me leave. |
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| I envy the dead. |
Frustrations
Long story short, I'm stuck in town and don't want to play, after having spent a single cutscene on my farm.
Fun Times
In the same way that Minecraft is entertaining for its sense of achievement, self-made or not, Harvest Moon probably offers some nice feel-good moments when you finally plough that square and move that wood and milk that cow and my God, I'm bored just watching the How to Play video that's included on the start menu.
Bored, but it does at least allow me to screenshot the farm, where the meat of the game will take place across far too many seasons.
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| Run! |
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| Smash! |
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| Cut! |
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| Tool! |
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| Plough! |
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| Water! |
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| Pick! |
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| Pack! |
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| Scythe! |
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| Cheat! |
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| Sprinkle! |
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| Milk! |
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| Pet! |
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| Winter is coming. The crops are dead. The animals are frozen. Your smile is everpresent. |
Final Word
I've not played this game. I have, but I've not farmed. If I ever find the slightest ounce of interest in looking up a guide to Harvest Moon, I might use it to get out of town and farm with a purpose, but I think there's more chance of me being actually competent on a real farm than there is of that happening.
You may have heard me say it before, you'll probably hear me say it again, but if something is not your 'thing', if something isn't clicking or jiving or gelling with you, then don't bother with it. If you're not entertained by a piece of entertainment, then it's not for you.
It might be exactly what someone else is looking for, however. In another Universe, Harvest Moon is the kind of game where I semi-mindlessly play it while watching YouTube or listening to a podcast. It could be that sort of game for you, or you could play it with full commitment, challenging yourself to find the perfect farm set up.
There's plenty to do (from what I've read, obviously) to keep you on your toes, and performing to a routine is rewarded, which is a lovely concept. Shame it's in a farm simulator that I have no interest in.
Harvest Moon has too many sequels to make sense, but then so does Farming Simulator, so who am I to judge. Do you like farms? Farming? Repetition? Cows? Chores? Then maybe you'll like Harvest Moon. I don't.
Well, cows are ok.
Fun Facts
American markets saw all references to alcohol changed to 'juice', but characters would still get 'juiced' thanks to its effects.
Harvest Moon, developed by Amccus, first released in 1996.
Version played: SNES, 1997, via emulation.
