Monster Harvest Reviews
Monster Harvest is a good example of why great ideas also need to be followed up with great execution. There's nothing wrong with the idea of a farm sim with monster-catching elements, but Monster Harvest does a rough job of convincing you of that. The monster RPG content is so poorly done that it might as well have not been implemented at all, as it clearly took focus away from the decent farm sim portion of the gameplay. Amazingly, the farm sim gameplay still redeems this enough that it's not a complete dumpster fire, but we'd only give this the barest of recommendations to anybody looking for another entry in the genre. Take our word for it, you're much better off just starting over with a new farm in Stardew Valley, or picking up Rune Factory 4.
Perhaps the biggest downside is that, as of right now, Monster Harvest isn't particularly long for a farming sim game. I think I finished it in just over twenty hours or so. To be fair, I was grinding so I could write this review, but by the time I finished the first year in-game, I had already reached my maximum XP cap and unlocked the bunker. In the first week of Year Two I had fully upgraded all of my tools and had enough materials (just short on cash) to finish upgrading all of my farm buildings. In week two I beat the SlimeCo boss. If the developer doesn't have plans to make events a real part of the game or expand the story and dungeons, this unique experience just isn't worth a full price investment.
There’s a lot to enjoy here, and if you’re a fan of Stardew Valley or Pokemon, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.
Monster Harvest is retro in how it looks, which is great, but also in how it plays, which isn't as great. The gameplay doesn't feel addictive enough for a farming simulator, and the monster battle portion feels tacked on. I had fun with the game, but I never felt drawn into the world.
There’s a lot of potential to Monster Harvest, but it falls short on delivering a farming sim game that comes close to rivalling others in the genre. Hopefully, with time, Monster Harvest continues to grow, but until then it feels like it’s missing what makes the hard work worthwhile. Honestly, this feels like an Early Access title that still needs more time before it’s ready for full release. It seems the phrase ‘third time’s the charm’ does not apply to game delays.
The premise of Monster Harvest sounds almost too good to be true: a farming action RPG combined with monster catching mechanics, what could be better? Unfortunately, playing this on the Nintendo Switch might not be the best for your eyes.
While Monster Harvest offers a unique perspective on the farming sim, it follows along with the genre norms too closely to really set itself apart.
Monster Harvest is a nice mix between Stardew Valley and Pokemon but it’s missing some stuff that makes both of those other games great.
Monster Harvest could have been a very good game, but due to the laziness of the creators came out crapiszon, which should be avoided with a wide arc!
Review in Polish | Read full review
Monster Harvest is a welcome mix between farming games and turn-based little monster battles, using an artistic style consistent with the project and with a traditional and very well executed gameplay model. It's fun, addictive and challenging without seeming punitive or overly complicated.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Not respectful of time, and not quite it's own game yet.
Monster Harvest focuses on farming and leveling your monsters. While the idea is fresh, there wasn’t much content within the game and the two ideas didn’t really mix that well. Few glitches were found that proved some of the gameplay experience to be ruined, NPCs made me feel even lonelier and the festival feature was not the most comfortable event to enjoy either. Felt like I was playing an unfinished game.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Maple Powered Games has something here that I can just feel waiting to be mined out of this block of coal. If there's anything that's clear after my time with it, it's that Monster Harvest needed an Early Access period. In its current state, it's hard to recommend Monster Harvest. Fans of its genre inspirations will find little to enjoy in the game's interpretations of either gameplay style. Those looking for some winning combination of the two will walk away empty-handed. But I want to believe they can figure it out.
Monster Harvest is a mostly forgettable title that will only really appeal to those who are incredibly fond of the genre.
Overall Monster Harvest is an average entry into a genre that, for the most part, is oversaturated with average entries. It tries to emulate the genre patriarch and does a respectable job in terms of the farming mechanics, overall feel, and presentation. The town, the folk, and the whole monster thing hold the game back, however. There is very little reason to invest your time and money into such a temporal vacuum when that game is merely adequate.
Overall, Monster Harvest is a very interesting spin on the very crowded farming simulator genre. The gameplay concept has great potential for an enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, the execution missed its mark in too many places, including but not limited to the main monster component, such as the oversimplified battles, bugs, interface and font issues, and limited content. It appears that the developers are currently working on patches to address issues, but it remains to be seen if the game will see its full potential realized. For now, feel free to skip this harvest.
Monster Harvest hardly innovates in its farm simulator function and does not work well in its combat system. Not every mix can work out well and there are better alternatives on the market.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Monster Harvest is part of a growing genre that tries to combine farming sims like Harvest Moon with creature collecting like Pokemon. Unfortunately, by trying to cram as many different mechanics as possible into one tiny title, Monster Harvest pared them down to their basest level in an effort to offer a nibble of many things but never a filling feast. As for the bugs it launched with, those will soon be addressed with promised patches, but when it comes to gameplay, Monster Harvest still feels like it needs a little more time to grow. A lot more depth on all fronts will turn this garden variety game into a bumper crop; with enough time, I have faith the developers will find the balance Monster Harvest needs to achieve greatness.
If Monster Harvest had invested some more time in any of the major aspects of the game, like the combat system, the relationships, or the story loop, the other issues might have been forgiven. Since I found myself bored with the gameplay and confused about my purpose in Monster Harvest, I can’t rate the game any higher than a 6 out of 10. There are too many missing elements for this game to really stand up to the other farming simulators on the market.
Monster Harvest feels like it wants to set itself apart from its counterparts in the genre, and there is undeniable potential here. However, I felt like I was playing an early access game despite being fully released. So much of the world feels like fundamental revision and polish are missing, and I can’t see myself revisiting Planimal Point anytime soon.