Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale Reviews
Return to PopoloCrois is rich in character, but crucial mechanics fall short
While it takes a bit to get all its gameplay elements into place, Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairy Tale is thoroughly charming from the very start.
Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale tells a beautiful tale, but its magic isn't in the plot points, and won't come through in a simple summary of events. Instead, it's in the little details, the kindness of the characters, the gentle music, the journey. Like a storybook that just so happens to come on a 3DS cartridge, Return to PopoloCrois is sweet, heartwarming, and absolutely worth diving into. If you have a soft spot for golden-era JRPGs — or just classically charming games in general — we can't recommend it enough.
It plays like a nice home cooked meal and is fun even though clearly simplified as both an RPG and a farming simulator.
If you're willing to dig in, and I mean truly dig in, the two styles of play benefit Return to PoPoLoCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale. The core story is roughly 30 hours or so, but you can mess around with all of the side content and the farming aspect for far beyond that, which is a perfect excuse to spend weeks on end with a portable.
It has its shortcomings, but Return To PoPoLoCrois is worth checking out for anyone craving an old-school RPG adventure.
While it may be too simplistic for some, Return to PoPoLoCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale is meant to be a light-hearted and mellow adventure.
PopoloCrois follows in the footsteps of other hybrid genre JRPGs like the Atelier series, and instead of alchemy mixes in a heavy dose of a farming instead. While the farming aspect of this hybrid title is compelling enough, the dull combat and a snail’s pace holds it back from greatness.
Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale is a nice blend of RPG and farming simulation. While it can be a bit on the easy side at times, it didn't get to the point where I was getting bored or felt it was too easy. The occasional difficulty spike with bosses can be frustrating, but nothing too bad.If you enjoyed previous games in the PopoloCrois series and don't mind a little Harvest Moon mixed in, this one's worth picking up.
That aside however, if you are a fan of either genre, there is some enjoyment to be had here. It’s not an epic RPG adventure, but more something lighthearted akin to the Fantasy Life on the 3DS. If you are looking for a decent JRPG with farming elements that blends together quite well, then Return to Popolocrois: A Story of Seasons is a solid pick up. If you are hoping for a heavy emphasis on one side or another, you may want to wait for a price drop.
It would be a huge shame for gamers to miss out on Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale due to brand confusion — this is a whimsical and wonderful crossover between a charming children's manga series and the Bokujo Monogatari/Story of Seasons game franchise, formerly known as Harvest Moon in the West.
For all of its grievous faults in balance, Return to PopoloCrois manages to be an enjoyable and light-hearted adventure.
An unusual mash up of a little known RPG series and the rebranded Harvest Moon, Return to PopoloCrois is a simple game, but also an enjoyable romp.
Recommended to those seeking an RPG that is light in all senses of the word.
It’s certainly a charming, and fun game, some deeper ties to the series roots could have made it a near flawless execution in the Rune Factory series.
As I've stated before, those looking to get their farming fix will most likely be disappointed with this odd crossover. The PopoloCrois parts certainly outweigh the Story of Seasons ones. And even then the farming is a lot more simplified in this.
It sounds like I am being hard on Return to PopoloCrois, but that is because I am a little disappointed with Return to PopoloCrois and how it doesn’t blend the two things I enjoy (RPGs and Harvest Moon) in a way that sets a good example for both properties involved.
Some generic plots and sound issues don’t detract too much from a fairly strong RPG/farming hybrid.
Return to PopoloCrois is one of many excellent RPGs available for 3DS, but please don’t let this wealth of options allow it to get lost in the shuffle.
Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale is exactly what it tries to be: an old-school charming JRPG with some farming. It's not particularly ambitious, but it hits a lot of marks and is genuinely enjoyable. The old-school elements may turn off gamers looking for something more modern, but if you give it a shot, the nostalgic delight of the game shines through. Some annoying elements drag down the game, and it's more PopoloCrois than Story of Seasons, but there's nothing that really sours the game as a whole. Old-school RPG fans or those looking for a good game for all ages will find a lot to enjoy, and even the most hard-hearted players may crack a smile at Pietro's adventures.