Harvest Moon

[Krillin]

Any other HM fanatics on Chubbs? I'm totally psyched about this new Magical Melody game. It apparently fixes everything that sucked about AWL (which was pretty much everything), added more brides/grooms for a total of ELEVEN, allowed you to get more than one horse, allowed you to play forever instead of having to stop playing once the game "finished" (an annoyance that puzzled many a player of AWL), fixed the farming system so that raising crops doesn't actually suck anymore, and even went back to more stylized graphics.

I've only read a few reviews, but everything I've seen has been one word: stellar. And, I believe it debuted at $40. I'm definitely picking this up when it drops down, maybe even before that.

I think this pwns Kingdom Hearts II out of the water for me. And yes, I'm dead serious. It's sweet to see Sora and Auron on the same screen at the same time, but in the end, I'd much rather kick back and grow a few sweet potatoes.

Thoughts? Comments? Does anyone actually HAVE this game yet? If so, what do you think of it?

[Android-18]

If it's out I'll go buy it after work, I love Harvest Moon. Does the time still suck? I liked how in FoMt you went into a building and the time stopped, in AwL the time kept going no matter where you went. I hated that, I felt rushed.

[Krillin]

I don't remember reading anything about that, other than the fact that the months are back to 30-days, instead of 10-days. I'm definitely psyched about that.

I kinda liked how the time kept going even if you were inside. It gave it a very cool kind of feel. If you were in someone's house and they needed to go somewhere, they actually told you something like, "Um, I need to go now, so..." Very cool.

Anyway, big note I left out, FESTIVALS ARE BACK! Real ones. Not the lame ones in AWL. Oh yeah.

[Raditzu]

I really want to get into one of the Harvest Moon games. I rented a couple, but always managed to fall asleep or something before I got into them.

Out of curiosity, would you recomend starting out with one of the older ones, or going straight to the current stuff?

[Krillin]

Well, the "true" HM fanatics would say go with the SNES game, or the N64 games first. I wouldn't really say that, unless you've got more patience than I do (which, you may). If you have a GBA, Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town is a must-have. To date, it is my favorite Harvest Moon, and a good note of what the series is really like.

Whatever you do, don't get A Wonderful Life, unless you can find it for maybe five bucks. I love Harvest Moon, but I hate that game. Too slow, too boring, and too unimportant. In the other games, there are always goals you can work toward. In this one, there's nothing.

Basically, go ahead and get the N64 one if you'd like, but I'd recommend FoMT more. Many people have played it and liked it. I tried to play it, but I was used to my character moving a whole lot faster a la Mineral Town and such. Taking two seconds to swing the sickle once is a bit much.

[Android-18]

Get friends of mineral town for either the ps1 or the gameboy, it is the best in my opinion. I didn't play the 64 version, but I watched my ex play it a lot, which got me started on friends of mineral town for the ps1. Do NOT play the harvest moon for ps2, it sucked a lot. The recent one for game cube, wonderful life, it's graphics were breath taking, but it didn't appeal to me as much as friends of mineral town.

[Krillin]

Yeah, I forgot to mention that the PS2 one isn't well-respected amongst most of the fans of HM.

By the way, I had no idea Friends of Mineral Town came out for the Playstation. Did it come state-wide, or was it Japanese only? I might have to look into getting me a copy.

[Raditzu]

So you both would definitely recommend not just grabbing the newest one, eh?

Kami's brother has FoMt for GBA and I've dinked around on it a few times. I'll definitely remember to look for it next time I'm out and about.

[Android-18]

I'm not too sure, but I rented it and my brother burned it so I own it...kind of xD. It's graphics arent as good as the GBA's, and it's slightly different.

[Krillin]

I'll have to sniff around GameStop sometime. Give those nerds something to do other than fiddle with the GameCube candy cases.

Yeah, I can't recommend the new one yet for two main reasons. One, and most importantly, I haven't played it yet, and two, it hasn't really been out very long. If you could find a used copy or something for twenty bucks, you should probably pick it up, but otherwise, I'd wait until you play the others first.

[Android-18]

I want to preorder the new one, it comes with a sheep plushie.

[Krillin]

It was released on Thursday, I believe. Dunno how that effects pre-ordering.

[Orion]

Is this version for the GameCube?

[Android-18]

Yes, it is.

[Super Buu]

I got HM: Friends of Mineral Town after getting AWL, and I really haven't given it the appreciation it deserves. I sold AWL after a while, but it lacks a load of depth compared to the 2d incarnations. I never really got into FoMT, but I remember that I preferred it to the GC version indefinitely (I had played the old GB HM). Now that you mention it, I've packed it into my DS for the trip up to London today I'll probably start a new file and go from scratch.

I haven't seen much about this new game yet. Any idea when it'll come out in PAL? For Animal Crossing it took them two years, since it's such a text-heavy game and they wanted to translate it into all the EU languages =/

[Android-18]

PAL?

[Raditzu]

I don't remember what it stands for, but thats the format video games are released in in Europe.

[Orion]

And Australasia. All you Americans have NTLS or something.

[Alsa]

Originally posted by Krillin
Any other HM fanatics on Chubbs?

*raises hand*

[Drake]

I find virtual farming to be a funny concept.