Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town Reviews
"Industrial revolution is close."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is an ambitious game that suffers from some technical shortcomings but has no shortage of content.
Ultimately, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is exactly what you would expect from the beloved staple. The farming sim makes some bold leaps with its crafting system, but there is nothing groundbreaking in its formula. You can expect the same charming and wholesome aesthetic from this game much like all those that came before it. And even so, this routine will keep fans of the franchise coming back for more.
Anyone who has played a Story of Seasons or Harvest Moon game will feel right at home with Pioneers of Olive Town. It doesn’t break any new ground for the series, and is perhaps a bit too slow paced for its own good, but it proves that the series’ core loop is still engaging and addicting even after so many years. If you have an itch for a charming game that will take you back to a simpler time, it’s definitely worth your time.
Still, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town gets it right in all the important areas. The characters are definitely serviceable and are full of personality. I’m still absolutely in love with the aesthetic, and I can admit that I’ve definitely stayed up too long playing this game. It is missing any online functionality though, but if you are looking for a new solo farming game, definitely take a look at this one.
It is a game that emphasizes getting rewarded for labor, but it lacks optimization. Interacting with attractive town dwellers offers a variety of interesting stories, but the ordinary production is a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, it contains the core and charm of the "STORY OF SEASONS" series.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a farming simulator that doesn't dare much but that offers all the elements of the genre with the right expertise. Don't expect particularly deep gameplay though.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town provides a new and entertaining farming adventure, but some design decisions hold it back from becoming a must-play entry
Assuming that you're not playing this kind of game for the relationship aspects, Pioneers of Olive Town is a good farming RPG. It continues many of the long-established trends of the Harvest Moon series, whilst adding in some welcome quality of life improvements. Although perhaps not quite on Stardew Valley's level, this is still a game that is worth playing and one that genre fans will enjoy. As a bonus, thanks to it now being on PC you don't have to deal with the Switch version's various performance issues.
For better or worse, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is exactly what you'd expect from the series. If you're a fan of farming games like Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley, be sure to check this one out.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is not exactly an example of innovation within the farming management genre, but it beautifully summarizes all the main qualities of the franchise in a charming and addictive way.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a bit far from reaching its fullness as the protagonist of a genre, but it is on the right path. In technical terms, its greatest merit is in the gameplay, especially due to the crafting elements, although it still suffered too much in the setting, narrative and game atmosphere.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Story of Season is a great game for people who like to relax while playing. While having some issues with long loading times, its mix of simple and intuitive mechanics, a lot of activities to experience and a good online multiplayer mode, will make the players who give it a shot surely satisfied.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Farm sims, at least the cute and casual ones like Story of Seasons, fall into a comfortable groove. You know what you’re getting into when you fire up one of these games. Pioneers of Olive Town is no exception. Yet, is that really so bad? If these kind of chop/craft/till/harvest/date cycles appeal to you, Olive Town will be just the dose you’re looking for. The game loop is well-crafted, the systems are polished to a glittering sheen, and the pace is downright swift. On the other hand, if you’re sick of the usual farm sim routine, this isn’t gonna win you over. We’re in well-trodden territory here. But of you’re anything like me, more adorable farming is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Overall, this review of Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town may sound a touch negative, and it is in some parts. I like how it deals with progression while keeping most of its addicting farming foundations intact. Most of what it adds feels nicked from other games and has often been implemented less convincingly. Combined with performance issues and a few other missed opportunities, Pioneers of Olive Town is a solid entry in the series, but it isn't the must-have experience that many had hoped for the series' 25th anniversary.
Story of Seasons: Pionners of Olive Town is a nice game with rough edges. It's well tailored for younger players or gamers new to the genre.
Review in German | Read full review
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is familiar comfort food for farming game lovers, and plenty of it.
Whilst the graphics are packed with charm, the story feels as empty as my farm on the day I arrived. Farming sims owe a lot to this series, but other games perfected it. But for newcomers to the genre, or for those who are looking for a simple life on a plot of land, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town certainly isn’t one to miss.
Overall, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a relaxing game where players can spend hours tending their farm without even realizing it. The experience never gets frustrating but there are a few design decisions that stop it from being great, mainly the machines that become time wasters while players wait for resources. The residents of Olive Town could be more interesting, but then the point of the game is to build a farm rather than socialize into the night. There are far worse farm sims out there, but this isn’t the best of them either.
While I do have a few complaints with Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, overall I really enjoyed the time that I spent with the game. The actual meat of the gameplay is really satisfying with a lot of more modern gameplay ideas to freshen up the already well-loved franchise. The characters are very sweet and lovely and the cows are so round and adorable.