Harvest Island is a self - proclaim horror farming sim . It is not . But is it a unfit game ? Not quite . allow ’s unravel this confusing plot .
Harvest Islandsays that it is a repugnance land sim where you ’ll be tend to a farm and exploring the deep mysteries of the island . With Gods to please and secrets to discover , the allurement of this unconventional husbandry game should congeal it aside from all other farming title . And it does , but not in the style you ’d look it to . This secret plan is n’t really anything like it said it would be , but is it still a good game ?
Is Harvest Island a good game?
It is tricky to unravel why Harvest Island is a dear game without discussing why it is a bad game , and even why it is but a mediocre game . There is certainly an audience out there for it — myself included — but the secret plan wo n’t attract this interview without a marketing shift .
I have grown to enjoy the mysteries and fib that the biz tells but was ab initio very disappointed considering what I was expect from the biz . This disappointment is what will turn many players forth from the game , and that ’s fine , but you should eff what you ’re in for before playing Harvest Island . It is not what the verbal description says it is .
So , let ’s discuss why the secret plan is bad , okay , and serious , and get into the spoiler - free details so you’re able to adjudicate if it ’s a game worth buy and fiddle .
Why Harvest Island is a bad game
permit ’s initiate with the wide-eyed fact that Harvest Island says it is a “ revulsion land sim , ” only for that not to really be true . It is not ascaryhorror game but merely has ominous and disturbing moments and a mystifying story . This is a foresightful guess from attaching the horror label , so revulsion fans will be disappointed .
Also , it is n’t really a farming sim . Sure , it has a farm , beast , and crops , but the systems are so incredibly basic that it isn’tsimulatinganything . The only thing that is really a farming mechanic is hold to irrigate your crop day by day for them to grow . But there is no punishment or cost for neglecting your farming duties for days on destruction . Your animals get on just fine ; you ’ll only interact with them to get their green goods if you need it .
Considering that Harvest Island is n’t scary and has extremely basic farming characteristic , it is secure to say that it ’s a sorry game . Right ?
Image via Yobob Games
Well , people who get into the plot expecting either a good farming or dear horror plot will be disappointed , and this is due to how the biz commercialise itself . You should not act as Harvest Island if either of these is why you would need to act as it . Youwillbe lease down .
However , if you enter with the right expectations , you could really enjoy your time with Harvest Island .
Why Harvest Island is an okay game
When it comes to the mere gameplay with no expectation , you may have a pleasant time playing Harvest Island . The mechanics are n’t risky , although you may witness them repetitious . Thankfully , there are some pleasant component that may offset this for you .
The art style and medicine are strong point of the secret plan . I know a well - produced game does n’t needs mean it ’s “ good , ” but it is deserving note that these two thing areverywell done and pleasurable , which is telling for one developer . I get laid exploring the environments and have yet to get tire of the music .
There are some good mechanics that allow the game to be less one - dimensional , such as the lunar time period come in and out , give away new paths and new items to collect . At night , dissimilar creatures come out , and dissimilar fish become available to potentially catch . These features , mix with the music and prowess , make the world seem animated . Also , the God Statues are pretty fun , allowing you to interact with the Gods for items and even farm animate being .
Screenshot: PC Invasion
There are some somewhat coolheaded auto-mechanic , but most of what nominate the gameseemappealing is just a thematic overcoat .
It all does little to deepen the actual gameplay , which is still plainly “ I need to build this thing , so I need to get a whole clump of detail in the same locations ” and “ I require to keep offering things to the Gods , so I involve to get a whole bunch of item in the same emplacement . ” This is literally the gameplay , and you ’ll be running back and forth to the forest , to the beach , to the caves to collect resource upon resources .
Even interacting with the fauna becomes a chore . Yes , the beast are cute , and you may pet them and give them treats , but this is only done so you may get them to produce more items for you , as they ’ll roll in the hay you . You ’ll shortly obtain yourself spamming through all interaction to get them to love you , and then you ’ll never have to do them again .
Screenshot: PC Invasion
With you having an muscularity prevention , you either need to keep caboodle of food or need to keep returning to the farm to sleep . Thisdoesget in the agency as a modest incommodiousness . Also , it is deserving noting that there are some graphic bug that may appear every now and then , but it ’s a minor issue and will go away or be inconsequential .
So , automatically , you may have a comely time exploring , gathering resources , and ramp up up the farm to give up you to gather more resource , if that ’s your affair . But it ’s understandable if you ’d rather not go through the same gameplay closed circuit over and over again .
Despite all of the above , permit me to enjoin you why I think Harvest Island is actually agood biz — at least , if you ’re alike - disposed .
Screenshot: PC Invasion
Why Harvest Island is a good game
We have talk about why Harvest Island is not a farming sim , not a horror , and has middling gameplay mechanics . So , what is itreally , and how can it be enjoyable ?
retrieve of Harvest Island as an ominous account - drive experience , with farming - theme gameplay . You should recreate this secret plan merely to learn the interactions between characters — and to soak up yourself in the arcanum and whodunit as they toy out .
Sure , the dialogue can be a picayune laborious at time , but it did n’t really impede my experience . If you are to diddle the secret plan properly , then you take to be walk everywhere and revisiting areas regularly to earmark the environmental storytelling to take place .
Screenshot: PC Invasion
Harvest Island is so pleasant , and the repetitious job get you so snitch into a act , that when something menacing or distressing befall , it canreallygrip you . I intend , you may actually feel tense if you ’ve taken to the characters and the world properly .
Thisis why I ’ve enjoyed my time with Harvest Island . I delight the characters and story — it ’s deserving overlooking the repetitive gameplay to keep allowing the fib to play out . If you’re able to see yourself getting hooked on this super strange and secret tale , it may be deserving swash out some hard currency on it .
With this lens , the unique mechanic become more appreciated , and it does n’t count that the husbandry is basic and that the repugnance is n’t scary , as that ’s not what you ’re there for . In fact , it becomes a strength that husbandry is so basic , otherwise , it would get in the way of why I ’m really playing the plot .
So… is Harvest Island a good game?
All in all , I ca n’t rate the game too highly because objectively , it ’s not agreatgame , and it is a marketing failure that will head to a lot of letdown and defeat . But I really enjoy the floor YoBob has go on here — it has me endue and I will be seeing it to its conclusion !
Whether this is deserving the price ticket is up to you , as there are objectively superior experiences out there for around this price .
I hope you ’ve savor this review of Harvest Island . For guide to avail you with your Harvest Island adventure , look no further thanPC Invasion .
