Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is an incredibly pleasant and easy-going farming sim that fans of previous Harvest Moon games and Animal Crossing will greatly enjoy. It can get a bit repetitive if played for long periods of time, but the variety of activities and townsfolk to mingle with makes Friends of Mineral Town a fun farming experience.
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town
Developer: MARVELOUS
Price: $50
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (Reviewed)
MonsterVine was provided with a Switch code for review
Now known as Story of Seasons, the Harvest Moon series has long been known for its laid-back farming gameplay and charming little worlds and towns. One of the series’ most highly regarded games is the Gameboy Advance title Friends of Mineral Town, so it makes sense that it would be remade for the wildly successful Switch. Having never played the original, I was excited to see what all the buzz was about, and though it now seems a bit standard for a farming sim, it’s a truly pleasant and relaxing game.
The story is simple, as it should be: you’re a young man or woman who has inherited a farm from your late Grandparent. You have fond memories of visiting the farm as a child, so you’re excited to once again fish, farm, and raise animals in a nostalgic town. After arriving, you meet the townsfolk and begin your new life as a farmer by raising animals and harvesting crops. It sets things up quickly and lets you get straight to farming, which is much appreciated in a lighter game like Friends of Mineral Town.
“Soon enough, you’re hardly even thinking as you feed various animals, water huge swathes of your field, and fill your selling box every in-game day, and it feels fantastic.“
The gameplay consists of a very satisfying loop of planting, harvesting, upgrading, and repeating the process. After planting seeds and watering them, you can harvest your turnips after a couple of days. This gives you money that can be used to buy potato seeds or animals, which provide resources that sell for more, or to upgrade your tools, to allow for more efficient farming. As you slowly work your way up by making more money, you begin to get addicted to the process in the best way. Soon enough, you’re hardly even thinking as you feed various animals, water huge swathes of your field, and fill your selling box every in-game day, and it feels fantastic.
There’s lots to do besides farming though, from building relationships with the denizens of your town to mining for precious metals and ores. These activities all use up stamina, meaning you have to balance them with farming, but can have long-term benefits like allowing for upgraded equipment or unlocking little cutscenes that further develop the town. There’s always something to do with your time, though doing everything repeatedly over one play session can feel a bit exhausting. This is another game that’s best played in short bursts, as this playstyle lets you fully appreciate every part of Friends of Mineral Town.
The presentation is a bit disappointing, as the 3D models are very basic and rounded, which somewhat deflates the appealing Harvest Moon art style. The 2D art used for dialogue portraits is perfectly fine, it’s just the plump models that feel needlessly simplistic. The music is suitably charming though, as the soundtrack works in tandem with the chill atmosphere of Friends of Mineral Town.
The Final Word
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a nice and chill game that’s perfect for relaxing after a tiring day. It can be a bit repetitive if played for too long, but the variety of activities and addictive gameplay loop makes it an overall fun farming game that any fans of the genre will find appealing.
MonsterVine Rating: 3.5 out of 5 – Fair
