Harvest Moon: Back To Nature

Harvest Moon: Back to Nature, the first tiel of the HM series to be released on the playstation and an absolute classic when it comes to the ‘cozy gaming’ niche. Here, you can expect to play a well-designed, thoroughly thought-out title that takes its place near the pinnacle of farm life games. There’s a little more to this title than just working the land, however, so if you’re looking for a peaceful life simulator away from the maddening crowds then this is definitely going to be near the top of the list for suggestions. Let’s get into it.

Gameplay

The gameplay in this title is pretty simple. You start up and it asks you to enter a name and date of birth, you can name your dog too so this game is already 10/10. While on your farm, you are allotted a decent amount of space to turn the land and grow crops, flowers, or just grass.

You will also be able to have a chicken coop, a barn for your sheep and cows, a stable for your horse, a fish pond and, finally, an apple tree. This game shares definite similarities with Stardew Valley, Fantasy Farming, and even Animal Crossing.

Your goal is to work the land. Check up on the animals, keep the flowers or crops growing and make sure that everything is happy and healthy. This takes up the majority of your time but there is a lot more to the game than just this. This is, after all, a life simulator.

You can get married! That’s right, you can find one of the local girls and woo her to become your beloved. Figure out what things she likes and surprise her with gifts and treats until she returns your affection. There are five girls to pick from and whichever one you don’t pick will be snatched up by someone else so make sure you’re committed. You can have a kid and then live out the rest of time caught in a picture-perfect moment of a life that is unrealistically blissful and easy.

Story

The story of the title is the same as all the others, really. Your grandfather passes away, as they tend to do, and leaves you with a farm to carry on his land-tending legacy. The catch is that the townsfolk don’t let you fully inherit the farm. You must return it to its former glory in three years or the deal is off. Not something I’m sure they have the power to enforce but okay.

At the end of the three years, Mayor Thomas will come to check on the farm and decide whether or not the player will keep the farm.

Art Style

The art style is simple but charming. Colorful and easy to follow, I find it to be a surprisingly relaxing game to play and it always fills me with a unique sense of simple joy. Just do your best to ignore the fact everyone looks like children.

Pros:

• Great gameplay
• Lots of choices to keep each run unique

Cons:

• Everyone looks a little young and it can take you out of it