Story of Seasons Reviews
I played a lot of Animal Crossing last year, in the process rekindling my love for life sims. Playing Story of Seasons was a much different experience because it's more fast-paced and goal-oriented. It's not too unlike past Harvest Moon games, but it's a worthwhile entry nonetheless. There's a lovely little game to uncover here, though it'll likely take you a couple dozen hours to really get things going. That said, the time investment is certainly worth it, because at the end of the day, you're left with a fine farming sim that's totally rewarding.
Despite its nagging restrictions, Story of Seasons is an absorbing farming game with a wonderful sense of progression.
If you're the sort of gamer that hates to grind, then Story of Seasons is one you should avoid, despite how accessible the overall package is. True, Marvelous has scaled back some of the series' tedious tasks but the option to automate the process for the lazy, more casual gamer would have been a nice addition. However, if you're a fan of Harvest Moons' more recent offerings then Story of Seasons should be right up your alley. There's some initial monotony to get past initially, but it's followed by a rewarding, content-rich game to be explored here and one that will warrant your attention whenever you get a spare few minutes to visit the farm.
An inoffensive yet unspectacular game that pleases through being something different and relaxing.
Story of Seasons feels like a new chapter of Harvest Moon but it goes further than its inspiration. Its gameplay mechanics are very well executed, despite a rather slow start and its trade system, as well as the romance story, work like a charm. Where Story of Seasons disappoints is in its visual interface, which falls behind the benchmarks that the 3DS has set.
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I cannot suggest Story of Seasons to everybody, but those who like the idea of a calming experience that lets you peacefully escape to a charming world should definitely consider Story of Seasons. If you can get over a painfully long opening before the game opens up and lets you actually play the game, a poor soundtrack, and dull characters, you will be rewarded with an engaging world and a ton of variety and options. It is a fun, relaxing experience – just remember that it is anything but perfect.
Story of Seasons may rightfully belong in the Harvest Moon family, but it's a strong enough entry to stand on its own. Taking familiar gameplay elements such as farming and the romance system, this title uses the framework that came before it and expands on that in many positive directions. It may not be the most polished game, with its finicky frame rate and an underwhelming 3D display, but the charming characters and satisfying gameplay make this a game worth any Harvest Moon fan's time. If you're looking to start a relaxing new virtual life full of charm and charisma, look no further than Story of Seasons.
Eventually rewarding but needs patience
For better and worse this is Harvest Moon in all but name, with a few useful new ideas but still the same old crop of problems.
Story of Seasons is a niche game for an extremely small crowd. It's not bad and as another in this small genre, it's good. The slow pace and plethora of tasks can be overwhelming at first, accompanied by a slow start, but those who put in the time will reap its rewards. Fans of Nintendo's Animal Crossing series will feel at home and enjoy this as well. And to other gamers, like this one, maybe it's time to branch out the old genre branch.
Story of Seasons is a very run of the mill farming sim. It doesn't elevate the genre and it is a very long and tedious endeavour. It does have an unbelievable amount of options and fans of the genre that don't look for much will most likely be satisfied. For everyone else, though, it all just takes way too long to get interesting and is a sloppy game with a lot of slowdown. Never mind that there is an unfathomable amount of busy work the game calls gameplay, the rewards don't feel worth the effort. Are there better farming games out there? Probably, but Story of Seasons should be commended for how much content was put into it, even if most of it feels hollow.