Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town Reviews
The implementation of “makers” and poor optimization may hinder Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town but it still remains a solid entry in a franchise that is still going strong 25 years later.
My fondest memory with my PlayStation 2 is buying games with my pocket money from Bromley Shopping Centre, whenever I went to visit my late grandparents in London. On one of those occasions, the game in question was Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life. I read the manual (I really wish games still had those!) front to back while I visited since I had to wait to get home until I could play.
Personally, I found the game to be an okay experience. It wasn’t by any means bad, I enjoyed my time playing Pioneers of Olive Town. Which reminds me, I should mention that the game has a ton of content. It took me about 50 hours just to get through year 1 and see the credits resulting from completing the main goal of the game, attracting tourists to Olive Town. I also want to state that, for as much inconvenience was added this time around, there is also a lot of convenience added in, particularly when it comes to taking care of your farm animals. And that reminds me, XSEED has stated that they have various fixes planned for the game (aside from fixing freezing problems), including making the loading screens less annoying and somehow improving the maker system. We don’t know at this time more specifically what they’re going to do, or how much better the game will be when they’re done. In the end, it was still merely an okay experience, like I said. I had fun and I enjoyed myself, but it’s far from my favorite Bokujō Monogatari game and not the best Marvelous could’ve put out for the 25th anniversary. However, if you’re a huge farming sim fan, or you simply appreciate the care XSEED always puts into their physical releases like I do, then you might want to consider picking this one up.
A good game for tourists in the Story of Seasons franchise, although not the great place to live longtime fans would like.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
With promises from the game’s producer to support the game by patching more issues and DLC releases being staggered throughout the year, Pioneers of Olive Town will become a bountiful entry in the series. For now, despite its flaws, it’ll woo a sizeable portion of the series’ fanbase and hopefully blossom into a polished game before these farmers move to greener pastures.
There are some areas in which Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town feels like it definitely needs a little more time and room to grow. The progress I’ve seen in the time I’ve played is encouraging, and I’m confident that it will offer plenty of opportunities down the way.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a promising start of a new chapter in the long-running farm/life simulator’s history. All the pieces are in place for an unforgettable experience, with its peaceful and serene location, endlessly customizable landscape, and an unprecedented abundance of crafts and projects to pursue. While at times unwieldy, there’s something for everyone here, especially those who are interested in the organization and production management aspect of running a farm.
After a few choices of character customisation, I arrived at Olive Town and was met by the Mayor who welcomed me to the community, introduced the locals and let me know of his big plans for the future of the town: the desire for an influx of tourists. It just so happens that I had been chosen to play a big part in the Mayor’s grand plans. My dreams of a quiet rural life were not exactly what I imagined as I was quickly drawn attention to the list of village requests in the town hall.
This game made some really strange choices, and I can’t say that I agree with all of them. And, to that end, I feel like some of you out there will end up feeling that way as well. You’ll still be able to find all of the traditional SoS garnishings within Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town if you’re willing to dig deep enough—just be prepared to do a whole lot of crafting along the way.
While I did enjoy most of my time in the wilderness, hitting walls in terms of waiting for materials to process was ultimately a downer. The mayor gradually gives you fewer and fewer tasks to complete, and the focus shifts more towards the player in finding their own fun and setting their own goals. The emphasis on crafting in this Story of Seasons title works to an extent, and there is a fair amount of content to discover; just be prepared for a game loop that can become almost frustratingly familiar just as the leaves start to fall.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a stunning showcase of the classic Harvest Moon series, now available on PC. With its release on the platform, players can also purchase DLC for the game, with new areas to explore and customization options. The result may be cute, but it's not without its problems.
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.
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.
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.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is familiar comfort food for farming game lovers, and plenty of it.
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
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.
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.
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
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