Harvest Moon 64
Reviewed by Danielle L.
Who ever thought that a farming sim could be so cool? At first glance,
Harvest Moon 64 looks downright boring. You're a young man who inherited
his grandfather's run-dwon farm. You have two years to fix it up, plant
crops, get animals, become rich, get a wife and kid, and add on to the house.
It looks boring, but it's not!! This is one of the coolest games ever created!
You can go to festivals, flirt with girls, and even become friends with tiny
little elves. This game has it all!
Graphics: 10 out of 10
They're actually pretty good. The polygons don't show at all. The animals
are all pretty realistic looking (well, they are a little cartoony, but
they're supposed to be), you can even see the little wings and feathers
on the chickens. There are great landscapes, and I especially love the
anime-style portrait that shows up next to the dialogue box of the
person you're talking to. Very cool. The landscapes also change
appropriately for seasons. Everything is full of life in summer and spring,
but fades a little in the fall as the leaves change colors. In winter, the
earth is blanketed in a sheet of snow. Good weather effects for rain/snow, too.
Music and Sound: 9 out of 10
Great effects. Neighing horses, mooing cows, baa-ing sheep, if you
have chickens, they'll even crow first thing in the morning! The
background music even changes from season to season. Spring has
a merry little tune and winter has a somber melody. The music
changes at the festivals, too. There's cute dancing music and when
the townspeople play their instruments, it sounds great. The only
problem was this: sometimes, when you go from one place to another,
such as from a house to the outside, the music stops, and the song
starts over from the beginning. This was extremely annoying.
Game Challenge: 10 out of 10
This game is as hard as you want to make it. If you want to accomplish
every task set before you (and there are a lot). It will take awhile.
Some of the most challenging thins were getting a girl to like you so
you could marry her. It takes awhile, and you have to know what to do
and not to do. Still, the challenge doesn't ruin this game, the way it
ruins others. Just enough challenge, but not too much.
Game Play-Fun: 10 out of 10
This is the most addictive game I have ever played! I have actually sat
down for four or five hours straight, and went into a kind of trance as I
played this game, shutting out everything from the real world. The
obsession you'll get for this game is a little scary. You are almost
concerned with the character's life as you are with your own. The game
can go any way you want it to. The ending depends on how you played and
what you did. It is truly interactive!
Frustration
The only thing that frustrated me was having to feed my animals and
water my plants before I could go to a festival. No biggie, though. The
other thing was spending lots of time and money trying to woo a
particular girl, but it takes forever.
Replayability: 10 out of 10
This game literally never ends. Sure, after the two years (in game-time)
are up, your dad comes back and gives you a little rating, but you can
keep going. After you've completed all of your tasks, you can still keep
going, watch your kid grow up, try out new crops, etc. There's also so
much to get done! You get married, have a kid, add on to your house, go
to festivals, raise animals, grow crops, etc. The vast array of tasks is
mind-boggling. And of course, once you've done everything, you have to
play it at least one more time for good measure.
Game Value: 10 out of 10
Oh definitely, any $40 game that can occupy me for about six or seven
hours a day is well worth it. With such a high replayability level, it is
sooo worth it! Buy this game, or as I suggest, rent it first. You are
going to love it!
Overall: 10 out of 10
I love this game (can't you tell). It has great graphics, killer sounds,
and such avant-garde objectives that it is totally awesome. This will
definitely be on your wih-list for Christmas, and it definitely deserves
to be. Thank you, Natsume!