Harvestella Reviews

Harvestella is ranked in the 60th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Nov 4, 2022

I’ve seen a lot of people complain that Harvestella is just another farming game, when in reality, it’s a full blown RPG that has farming as an economical side quest that’s meant to boost the RPG side of things, and I think that’s an amazing touch.

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7 / 10
Nov 7, 2022

Harvestella could be described as one of the best 'good' games you'll play this year. Its performance issues and rather simplistic mechanics hold it back from being great, but its quest design, dungeon exploration, and successful fusion of very distinct gameplay mechanics make it quite compelling all the same. That launch day $60 price tag feels a little high for what's on offer here, but this is absolutely a title that we'd recommend farm sim fans buy when the inevitable sales start to crop up. Harvestella may not be a challenger to Stardew Valley's crown, but it does enough to distinguish itself as a worthwhile experience anyway.

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78 / 100
Nov 7, 2022

Harvestella starts from a very interesting proposal, combining a story in the style of Final Fantasy with mechanics of games like Stardew Valley, but fails to give the chest by not delving into any of its elements. Add technical defects and we have the clear case of an AA game that with a little more time and budget could be AAA.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
5 / 10
Nov 8, 2022

Mixing Final Fantasy with Harvest Moon feels like it should result in something more stimulating than this awkward mishmash, whose disparate elements all prove disappointingly underdeveloped.

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7.5 / 10.0
Nov 9, 2022

If you can overlook these issues, and are a fan of stuff like Rune Factory, Stardew Valley or even the slept-on Level 5 title Fantasy Life – the latter a definite kindred spirit in terms of its JRPG tropes, action, farming and jobs – then you will get a lot out of Harvestella.

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85 / 100
Nov 9, 2022

HARVESTELLA is Square Enix's first contact with the niche market that forms the atypical fusion of RPG with farm simulator and the room for improvement is evident. But we must admit that the title of Live Wire has its charm and we liked it. Let's hope that Square Enix wants to continue exploring the possibilities of the synergy of these two genres.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Nov 9, 2022

Yes, it is a farming life-sim and action-RPG, but Harvestella is more enjoyable when you're not comparing it to its contemporaries.

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6 / 10.0
Nov 9, 2022

Harvestella gets close but doesn’t quite strike a balance between JRPG elements and farming sim, but feels focused on having more done adequately than less done better. For players looking for a fairly casual JRPG experience, Harvestella is a palatable taster, but combat or farming fans may feel hungry for more or become bored with chores. I have enjoyed my time in the world so far, and I’m curious to see how the story continues and whether I run out of stamina in the 50 or so hours to reach the endgame.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 10, 2022

Harvestella is rough around the edges, and it's not particularly accomplished at anything it sets out to do, but it's a fun, engaging farming sim at its core, and certainly worth a look for fans of the genre.

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Nov 10, 2022

Harvestella is a solid life simulation RPG, which has its farming system and intuitive mechanics as its biggest draws. While the presence of beautiful visuals, a flawless soundtrack, fluid overall mechanics, and a charismatic set of characters and narrative manages to set the game apart as one of the most charming, although not without its flaws, RPG experiences of the year.

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4 / 5.0
Nov 10, 2022

Harvestella is hard to readily recommend to the farming simulator crowd, but for those who miss PS2-era JRPGs/dungeon-crawlers, this is not a game you’ll want to pass up. Everything here feels comfortable but fresh, like a beloved, clearly worn jacket tailored to current measurements. Its streamlined approach to farming allows players to focus on a rich story set in an even richer world, featuring exploration and combat mechanics that actually make you want to stick around in the dungeons for hours. If you’re looking for a JRPG/farming sim that doesn’t compromise on story or beauty but allows you to turn your brain “off” after a long day, Harvestella is ripe for picking.

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Nov 10, 2022

Harvestella is a rather blurry but calming and eventful RPG farming simulator that fails to capture the beauty in its two primary genres. Its gameplay is busy, often distracting, and ultimately leaves plenty to be desired. While this game is definitely enjoyable to play, it just doesn’t quite hit the mark, nor does it bring the exciting unique style it so adamantly promised.

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Nov 10, 2022

Harvestella is a game full of immersive environments, beautiful music, and an engaging and meaningful narrative for both its world and main characters, which is enough to redeem the game's more mediocre elements. There are several areas of Harvestella, like it farming, animations, and social simulation elements that would have greatly benefited from more depth and care put into them, but despite these flaws the game manages to be incredibly addictive. It's easier to notice these issues when comparing Harvestella to games like Rune Factory, but standing on its own Harvestella is a fairly strong title that's worth players' time. It may not be perfect, but it's very easy for players to fall into a "just one more day" loop in Harvestella nonetheless as they uncover the mysteries of its universe.

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INVEN
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Nov 10, 2022

Are you looking for a fantasy life with beautiful scenery and deep stories? 'Harvestella' can be one of your choices only if you are okay with suffering from terrible management system for stamina and time. While the combat system is okay at least, overall motion is somewhat awkward. Also, Insufficient convenience features are enough to make you think the game has a pretty big room for improvement.

Review in Korean | Read full review

Unscored
Nov 11, 2022

An engrossing JRPG that uses the framing of a life sim to ground its twisty and overblown story.

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8 / 10
Nov 11, 2022

Harvestella may have unsightly character models and rote combat, but it offers a satisfying blend of farming sim and action RPG that scratches the itches it's supposed to.

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Nov 11, 2022

Harvestella stumbles before it finds a decent pace, with the biggest drawbacks being the slow start and temperamental graphics. If you can get past these shortcomings, there’s plenty to be enjoyed here and a hefty completion time to keep you busy. While it offers an enjoyable blend of RPG meets life sim, there isn’t enough substance on either side to take the game from good to great.

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3.5 / 5.0
Nov 13, 2022

Harvestella attempts to create a unique gaming experience by combining farming and life sim elements with action RPG elements.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 14, 2022

A good mix between life-sim and GdR, Harvestella seems to be a game addressed to the less experienced players, rather than the expert ones.

Review in Italian | Read full review

6.8 / 10.0
Nov 14, 2022

Harvestella is more than the sum of its parts, but it tries to merge some different gameplay souls into one nonetheless, resulting in a lack of depth in any of these.

Review in Italian | Read full review