unfeignedly a terrific life .
When Story of Seasons : A marvelous lifetime was first annunciate back in September 2022 , I literally cry out . Yes , I am that pathetic . For years , I ’d wanted a remake of Harvest Moon : A marvelous living as the original on the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2 was my most - played puerility plot by a turgid margin . And finally , my want has come true . But does it hold up ? Here are my thoughts .
The Start of A Wonderful Life in Forgotten Valley
Unlike the original Harvest Moon : A tremendous Life , where you could only play as a boy make Mark , Story of Seasons direct a unexampled route by allow you to choose between a female or male person - presenting character . you’re able to tailor-make your avatar with a selection of tegument tones , eye shapes , and coiffure , though do n’t expect anything too fancy ; it is limited but acquire the Book of Job done . You ’re also able to name them whatever you ’d like and select your pronouns .
Story of Seasons : A Wonderful Life is set in Forgotten Valley ( Forget - Me - Not Valley was a better name , but whatever ) and keeps the same story as the original : you move from the metropolis to take on your late father ’s farm with his old friend Takakura . Once you ’ve made your role , you get a dog , a barn , a hencoop , and a set of starter tools to kick off your new husbandry adventure before being introduced to the townspeople .
Many of the characters in the biz have been renamed from the original , with some — like Marlin and Cody , now Matthew and Gordy — receiving complete redesigns and new identities . This is n’t as impactful as I mean it would be , as a self - intromit purist who expected to go in hat the graphic symbol changes . If anything , they ’re better ( specially in Cody / Gordy ’s case , most definitely require ) . I will admit that I am mixed-up about some of the name swaps . Why is Muffy now Molly , and why is Celia foretell Cecilia , for exemplar ? barely crucial , though .
Townsfolk Are Your Friends
As you navigate your new husbandry liveliness , you ’ll spend your days interacting with many unlike people in Forgotten Valley , whether it ’s to purchase seeds at Vesta ’s Farm , fill their request , or play the Territory Capture minigame with the twins . There are festivals that you could hang ( do n’t forget to bring an offer ! ) and event that give you a deeper perceptiveness into each character , especially if you play on building friendship .
“ Two eld in , I regain myself caring about each and every character and seem forward to our everyday interactions … After I ’d taken forethought of my farm first , of line . “
Like in other Story of Seasons and Harvest Moon game , you increase your friendship with a villager by give them gifts . Each person has specific pet and may even indue you something in return if you raise your intimacy enough . For object lesson , I got a book by befriending Mukumuku and another by winning Territory Capture 10 times .
There are a variety of crops to grow across the seasons.(Screenshot by Prima Games)
Each persona has their own backstory and unique personality , and it really feel like you ’re genuinely becoming friend with them . Two years in , I find myself caring about each and every character and await forward to our daily interactions … After I ’d taken care of my farm first , of class .
Farming Feels Like… Farming (the Grindy Kind)
As you ship off your crops and make money by selling random point to Van , the creepy journey merchant who , 20 twelvemonth later on , still gives me “ hide yo ’ kids , shroud yo ’ married woman ” vibe , you build up your farm with fresh facility and animals . They ’re quite expensive , so do n’t expect to be cranking out loads of money within the first couple of years , at least . Like the original , Story of Seasons : A Wonderful Life expects you to take things slow and really take your time working for the amber you earn , whether planting seed , going sportfishing , or turning Milk River into butter .
I like this , personally , because it feels rewarding when your hard work pay off off , and you ’re finally capable to buy a young matter for your farm . It really gives the signified of “ Iearnedthis . ” But I can entirely understand why this might turn some players off who are used to quicker payoff in exchangeable secret plan like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing . Patience is central and is well repay here , but you do require alotof it .
The game does give you middling of a helping hand , though . As you come along , you make access to new tools that can exercise your fields quicker , consecrate you more sentence and vigour to focus on other ways to generate hard currency stream . Still , managing your time well is crucial , especially since you ’re expected to marry in the first twelvemonth and must obtain place in your docket to courtroom one of Forgotten Valley ’s suitors to kick off Chapter 2 .
The Blue Bar is now a café. RIP, Moon Trip cocktails.(Screenshot by Prima Games)
Romance Isn’t Dead Here
There are eight marriage ceremony candidate in Forgotten Valley , and unlike the original , you could marry whomever you want , regardless of gender . I was buck between Cecilia and Molly because they ’re the most nostalgic for me , though I finally croak with Molly in the terminal . I was lure to go with Rock for the jape because he ends up being an everlasting jerk by and by on ( if you know , you bang ) , but I decided I want to in reality relish my playthrough . We dislike Rock in this menage .
As you raise your relationship with a potential love pastime throughout Chapter 1 , you get a handful of event that instruct you more about that person . I learned that Molly is from the city , moving to the valley after being tired of living a busy aliveness and being hounded by admirer involve her when she ’s break to settle down , which made me see her vulnerable side and value her more . When I proposed with a Blue Feather , I was surprised to see her say yes after I ’d bombarded her with the same giving every twenty-four hours for almost a whole year but we stan an appreciative queen .
“ I went out of my style to give gifts to my married woman and daughter each day , await forward to their thankful reactions and the warm feeling that , hell yeah , I am the supplier , and they want me just as much as I require them . ”
Fishing is just one way to make money in Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life.(Screenshot by Prima Games)
At the starting of Chapter 2 , Molly moved into the farm , and we had a daughter named Daisy , who is a bambino at this point . Your nipper ’s gender and appearance will vary depending on which lover you take and whether your reference is male or female person - presenting . As the months and years go by , you ’ll straightaway influence your child ’s career path by giving them particular toy , adopt them to certain places , and more .
Having your own folk unit gives you that maternal feeling of shelter . You have a child that is relying on you ! pain my family , and I ’ll hurt you , hoodlum . I went out of my way to give gift to my married woman and girl each twenty-four hours , looking forward to their grateful reaction and the warm feeling that , hell yeah , I am the provider , and they need me just as much as I require them .
Nostalgia Runs Rampant in Forgotten Valley
As a whole , Story of Seasons : A Wonderful Life feels very nostalgic to me . It ’s like coming home after a menstruation of being away and seeing your family again … Even if they have different name and do n’t commend you . Iremember , and that ’s what ’s of import .
I was very glad to see that they keep almost every feature of Harvest Moon : A Wonderful living in , even down to the archeology dig site , cooking , and a sure tragical effect , which I wo n’t spoil but ready by consume tissues on hand . As I mentioned above , the Territory Capture minigame add up back , which I was cheerily surprised to see . I used to love absolutely smoke that sheik as a kid and spent right smart too much time in the remake doing the same thing , purely for the satisfaction .
There are new features too , such as the Camera . I was so excited when I see this in my tools menu , but using the Photo Mode was a full letdown because , while you could take some cool shot , I could not find a way to view my photos in full later or save them to my hard drive . or else , you could only riffle through your album and see each of your photographs on the page on a smaller scale . It instantly killed it for me , and I did n’t touch the Camera again afterward . If I take a impression that I have it away , I want to be able-bodied to show it off ! ( I did retrieve a workaround by being quick to the draw with my print screen release to take a screenshot in the split second before UI appeared on sieve , but not idealistic at all ) .
Entering a new life with Molly.(Screenshot by Prima Games)
Otherwise , the new event , peter , fish , and more contribute in the remake make the plot feel new , even to veteran actor like me who encounter the original to death . For fledgling , the fresh improver will only leave to a swell gameplay experience , and I ’m frankly jealous of those getting to feel the joy of A Wonderful Life for the very first prison term .
At the clip of writing , I ’m 20 60 minutes in and in yr three , and I love it just as much as I did in the first couple of hour . I ’ve stimulate no design on stop my playthrough any time soon . In fact , allow ’s finish this here because my Bos taurus need milking and I ’ve got watermelons to glean .
STORY OF time of year : A WONDERFUL living
I love my new family like my own.(Screenshot by Prima Games)
PROS : ● Progression feel rewarding . ● Building kinship with townsfolk is meaningful . ● You directly influence your child ’s vocation path .
CONS : ● Slower - pace than other farming games ( I in person like this , but it ’s not for everybody ) . ● Photo Mode is a letdown .
A written matter of this secret plan was provided by the publishing house for review . Reviewed on microcomputer using ASUS ROG Ally .
Eventually, you get a horse to ride on. Bye, walking!(Screenshot by Prima Games)
Crop fusion returns, though Tartan is Vinnie now for some reason.(Screenshot by Prima Games)
