DORAEMON STORY OF SEASONS: Friends of the Great Kingdom

A return to the highly successful farming sim/anime-tie-in formula with all the magic of Doraemon is inbound with Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom. Following the same gameplay loop of the previous game, this new entry in the series promises even more new adventures with some of the anime's most instantly-recognizable characters.

Friends of the Great Kingdom delivers some of the same old, tried-and-true farming gameplay loop we're so used to seeing from this kind of game by now. What it does new, however, is upping the ante with its plot, bringing a much more engaging story to the game than its predecessor.

Mash-up Agriculture

Who would have thought just how far a series such as Story of Seasons could go? Since it changed its name from the Harvest Moon brand, the series has delivered some new, "remixed" versions of its most meaningful entries. On the other hand, we have the Doraemon Story of Seasons brand.

The first entry took fans by surprise with its great presentation and careful attention to detail, and the sequel is no exception. Friends of the Great Kingdom brings back that spark of magic that the first game had, elevating the stakes a bit more by introducing a story that feels much more personal and well-crafted.

Meaningful Narrative

Though the plot is not something that most fans of the genre might consider "integral" to the game's experience, it certainly helps with keeping the players invested in the long run.

While other games like Stardew Valley might focus mostly on the addictiveness of its gameplay loop to keep players hooked, Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom does the same with its entertaining plot that feels straight out of an episode of the show.

Doraemon, Noby, and the rest of the gang are all here, with the same personalities they had in the highly successful anime. Fans of the show will be delighted to get a new Doraemon adventure along with their new farming sim – and honestly? It's a pretty good plot for what it is.

Farming Together

Even though the earlier entries in the Story of Seasons and Harvest Moon sagas were exclusively single-player affairs, the newer entries have introduced more and more multiplayer elements into their core design.

We've seen the same thing happening to other games, like Stardew Valley, but Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom goes a step further by adding local multiplayer to the formula.

This means that players can come together and work on the same farm on a single console or PC, making the experience feel much more cooperative than ever before. Add to that the undeniable charm and top-notch presentation of this game, and you got yourself one of the best co-op multiplayer experiences you can get.

Pros

• Addictive gameplay loop
• Adorable illustration-like visuals
• Local multiplayer

Cons

• Might be better suited for Doraemon fans