Harvest Moon 64

Harvest Moon 64 by Victor Interactive Software was released in 1999 on the Nintendo 64, maybe you’ve heard of it. This game is an absolute classic and has spawned a delightful little franchise that spans over two decades. With a plethora of farm life activities to get up to, this game offers to help the hours of your day simply melt away. Get your pitchfork and let’s dig in.

Gameplay

First things first, I will draw an immediate comparison between this title and Stardew Valley as they are, for the most part, nearly identical in gameplay. That being said, there is a considerable amount of gameplay here to enjoy. The primary focus of the game is a top down third person resource management game but there is an outright bonkers amount to do around that. Of course, there is an incredible amount of farming with either crops of plants, you can compete in races, go to a church, visit shops and speak to other characters to develop deeper relationships. This game truly does not shy away from encompassing a great many themes and ideas for the player to enjoy.

Something interesting that I truly enjoyed was the use of seasons, where you must plant and harvest the correct crops to make the best use of the time of year. This may not seem like much, but it adds a brilliant complexity to the game that is hard to match by any other game. When you jump into this, its easy to feel overwhelmed but honestly, that’s kind of the fun of it. If you keep your head down and complete the tasks as they come, you will find a delightful game filled with opportunity awaiting you.

If you can focus when you learn stuff, the game becomes easy to play very quickly but that does not mean the game itself is easy. It requires keen eye to detail and focus but the controls and user interface is very complimentary.

Style

The game also shares some strong similarities with Animal Crossing: New Horizons but these are primarily visual with only a few shared stylistic choices. The characters are closer to the old Final Fantasy 7 game but perhaps a bit smoother. Outside of what its like, the game does have its own unique charm with soft edging and cute sprites for all characters. Everything is clear and easy to define which makes the game both nice to look at and easy to follow. Perhaps a little outdated, the graphics still hold up to this day.

Story

The story of the game is subtle. You play a young man whose grandfather has recently passed away and he leaves his farm to you. After this point, the game is kind of entirely up to you. You decide what you want to focus on and how you want to achieve it and lay it out. It offers a wonderful freedom by not making the story overbearing.

Pros:

• Amazing amount of gameplay available
• Looks great
• Sufficiently Challenging
• Very Engaging

Cons:

• Pacing can sometimes throw you
• Requires concentration
• Seasonal events can ruin you

Things are a little different on Harvest Moon's world. Ugly monsters aren't the enemy here, inclement weather is. Experience won't raise your character's level, but it may upgrade your garden hoe. You won't find any evil tyrants trying to rule the universe, but you may find a dog peeing in your house. And you definitely won't risk your life trying to save the universe...our little hero's biggest concern is getting a little action from the ladies.

Harvest Moon 64 isn't like anything else you've seen on the Nintendo 64. It's a romance RPG and a farming simulation (yes, you read right...a farming simulation). As a young boy who just inherited your grandfather's farm, you must...ummm...farm and make a living for yourself. A typical day starts off like this: Go into town, buy some seeds (appropriate for the season at hand), go back, clear some land, till the soil, plant seeds, water seeds, then go to sleep. If you take care of your crops properly, they'll soon be ready for harvest. Now, sell the corn, potatoes or whatever, and make some cash! With the new dough, you can buy more seeds, different farm equipment and even livestock for bigger and better profit (you can sell a cow's milk or a chicken's eggs or a sheep's wool). And don't forget about the little things in video game farm life. Brush your horse regularly to keep him happy, and always bring the dog in when it's raining outside.

But what's the point of all this work? To get laid, of course. You will meet several girls in town who are deserving of your attention. Woo them by buying them flowers or bringing them a yummy cake. Keep working it and eventually, one will marry you...but only if your home looks OK (use some of your hard-earned bucks to pretty up your house with stuff like rugs or full-blown additions, like kitchens or bathrooms). Be careful--some of the other guys in town may get jealous if you're chasing after the same gals they are. (These other suitors may actually treat you differently, altering the game's dialogue and story line a bit. Harvest Moon 64 has over 400 different subplots, and which ones you'll see depend on how you play the game.)

The Super NES and Game Boy sleeper hits received many a kudo for their original, non-linear gameplay. Now, the 64-Bit big brother is serving up more of the farm-fresh goodness, complete with a graphical overhaul (the animals are just too cute now) and a few new features (see sidebar). It's still not a game for everyone, but those looking for a seriously different gaming experience should give Harvest Moon 64 a whirl. Oh, and it's safe for the entire family too.