A relaxing farming game for Harvest Moon fans - Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life Quick Review

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PLAY IT OR SKIP IT?

Play it, especially if you’re a fan of older Harvest Moon games. Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is a remake of a Harvest Moon title that was originally released on the Nintendo GameCube. It’s received a visual overhaul, and there’s lots of new content, but it hasn’t lost any of the original game’s charm. A Wonderful Life has everything you’d expect from a farming game, like crops to grow and cute animals to raise, but it has a unique approach to storytelling that sets it apart from similar titles. The story it tells spans decades, and your choices can shape the course of the game. It’s a truly special title that helped me remember why I fell in love with farming games in the first place.

TIME PLAYED

Once I started playing A Wonderful Life, I didn’t want to put it down, and I wound up sinking over seventeen hours into the game. That got me through the first year of the game, during which I fell in love, got hitched, and started a family of my own. I also devoted plenty of time to my farm, and I managed to grow all kinds of crops to collect a huge assortment of animals before I put the game down. I’m still saving up for some big farm expansions, so I’m sure life on the farm will only get better from here on out.

WHAT’S AWESOME

• Tons of cute animals. I like growing turnips as much as the next person, but the real highlight of playing farming games is caring for cuddly creatures. When I arrived at my farm, the only animal in my barn was a cow, but it wasn’t long before the place was teeming with life. I filled up my chicken coop, got myself a horse, and picked up a fuzzy pink sheep. I even adopted an adorable puppy, who I named Tofu. In addition to milking my cows and shearing my sheep, I made a point of playing with my pup and teaching him tricks each day. Soon, he could beg, raise his paw, and could even jump on command!

• The world changes as you play. Most farming games let you play at your own pace, but in Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life, time is always moving forward. The game is divided into several chapters, and when a chapter comes to an end, the story leaps forward in time. Dealing with time limits might sound stressful, but I found that it made things more engaging. I didn’t just feel like I was going through the motions and waiting for time to pass. Instead, I felt like I was building a life and making connections with the people around me. My time might have been limited, but every day felt like it mattered.

• Incredibly relaxing gameplay. I thought playing a farming game with a time limit would stress me out, but I discovered it had the opposite effect. There was more than enough time to take care of all my daily farm chores, with more than enough room left for other activities, like fishing, grabbing a bite at the local cafe, or helping out at the archaeological site. If I forgot to do something, like water some of my crops or check on my chickens, it didn’t feel like a big deal. Instead of rushing to get things done, I tackled my tasks at a leisurely place and relaxed in front of the TV at the end of each day. Farm work is tough, but when I was playing A Wonderful Life, it felt like all the stresses of the real world melted away. It’s a sweet, peaceful take on farming life.

• Charming world and characters. A Wonderful Life takes place in Forget-Me-Not Valley, a tiny village in the middle of nowhere. There aren’t many people that call the town home, but the residents are extremely lovable, and a huge range of personalities are on display. I was brought to the town by Takakura, a gruff-but-kindly old man who was one of my father’s closest friends. He quickly introduced me to the rest of the town, and everyone did their best to make me feel at home. As I got to know people, they requested items from my farm or shared some of their favorite memories. I loved talking to villagers one-on-one, but some of my favorite moments were events that included the entire town. Forget-Me-Not Valley has a warm, inviting vibe, and I felt honored to call it home.

• Plenty of marriage options. A Wonderful Life has four eligible bachelors and four eligible bachelorettes, and players are free to marry any marriage candidate that catches their interest. I had plenty of time to get to know the town’s singles before I proposed. I considered a few candidates, like grumpy farmer Matthew, wealthy orphan Lumina, and oddball artist Gordy. After a few dates, I wound up marrying Molly, a big city girl that fled for the country when life got rough. Once I was engaged, some of the other characters started to pair off with each other, which made me feel more confident about my own choice.

WHAT SUCKS

• Lack of modern conveniences. A Wonderful Life might be a remake, but it still feels like a game that was made years ago. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if you’re a fan of classic Harvest Moon titles, but some players might be put off by its slow pace and dated mechanics. At first, I missed having features like a mini-map or quest tracker, but after a while, I didn’t even notice they weren’t there. If you prefer newer farming games, A Wonderful Life might not be for you, but if you love retro gaming, you might appreciate this blast from the past.

💬 Are you ready to visit Forget-Me-Not Valley and become a farmer, or do you have a different career path in mind? Share your thoughts in the comments!