Story of Seasons

Natsume deserves our thanks for bringing the Bokujo Monogatari series to the West, but now it's XSEED's turn to shine – and indeed they have. [Issue #15; May/June 2015, p.75]

Story of Seasons’ kept me occupied for well over 30 hours, and even then I could have kept playing until the cows came home.

Story of Seasons is a great life simulation and farm RPG game, with a slow progression, but a lot of content and some good new ideas for the genre.

A hundredth sequel to Harvest Moon delivers what you expect from it – a chance to experience a simple yet happy farm life. [05/2016, p.75]

An enjoyable and refreshing Harvest Moon-like experience that deserves your attention.

Leave everything behind and immerse yourself in Story of Seasons, then work hard and get married.

Story of Seasons is one of the best Harvest Moon games we've played. It's one of those game you can spend months playing, and one you don't want to miss if you like what it has to offer.

It gets right what games like FarmVille got wrong.

Story of Seasons doesn't rewrite the book on farming sims, but it's a big, healthy break from the Harvest Moon series that adds a few strong new ideas. It's Harvest Moon in everything but name, and one of the best of this kind of game to come along in a while.

Story of Seasons is a great game to relax with, and ultimately I adored my time with it. For fans of the series, this installment will not disappoint, and for newcomers, it offers aa terrific entry point with a ton of ease. There's so much to discover, create and customize in Story of Seasons that it's easy to lose track of time. It really is just that much fun.

Story of Seasons has all the features that are expected from a game of the series and adds numerous ideas.

In a world where most simulation games have moved to the mobile marketplace and include obnoxious timers and microtransactions, it's wonderful to see this good old series keep evolving and improving.

Whether you've had a video game farmer's tan for years or are planting your first crop of electronic wheat like me (and Story of Seasons' main character), I think you'll find enjoyment in this game.

Longtime fans of Harvest Moon or those looking to reconnect with the series, Story of Seasons takes it back to the basics.

One of the finest iterations in years. While it lacks the outright ambition present in Natsume’s recent interpretation of the franchise, it utterly nails the atmosphere and offers impeccable trimmings that just might win over fans experiencing barnyard burnout.

Marvelous hasn’t lost their spark for creating a farming game worth picking up, and for that, we’re grateful.

Story of Seasons looks fantastic, feels great, and offers an overabundance of things to do and places to see. It’s a farmer’s paradise, though its almost excruciatingly slow tutorial and internship will take a large amount of patience to get through if you’re to see all the game has to offer, and there is a lot.

All in all, Story of Seasons is practically bursting at the seams with content, and the gameplay, while streamlined, has not been “simplified” like many feared. Instead, its new mechanics make the game accessible and current, delivering a wholly satisfying farming sim experience while still finding a way to respect players’ time.

Overall, the classic Harvest Moon formula continues to thrive in Story of Seasons with some new features and touch-ups to keep it entertaining and enjoyable for fans.

While Natsume, after the feud, is trying to instill new life into the Harvest Moon franchise, Marvelous brings the traditional vision of the saga. It may have a new name, but Story of Seasons is the real Harvest Moon that we all know, somebody loves and somebody despises.

Story of Seasons has one of the most discouraging and longest tutorials we've seen in a videogame. But once you get over it you found a funny and diverse farm simulation game. A worthy successor to Harvest Moon.

It is a pity Story of Seasons has such a slow start, because impatient gamers may stop playing. Please don't, because Story of Seasons is a fun farming simulator that will keep you busy for many hours thanks to the many possibilities for you to chose from.

Story of Seasons takes a while to get going, but when it does, it is an awesome Harvest Moon-like experience. There is an interesting system in place for dealing with rivals and new ways of farming mixed with classic gameplay make this game worth while.

Story of Seasons is a solid entry into the Bokujou Monogatari franchise. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it's full of content, and almost all of it is fun.

It’s not the game you turn to when you’re looking for a challenge or in-depth narrative, but there’s something so comforting about the routine of it all.

The real successor of Harvest Moon. It manages to keep the classic formula, and at the same time it displays evolution and simplifies activities that were already aging, such as harvesting.

For fans of games like Harvest Moon, spending some time on the farm is an entertaining getaway from the world of high-octane blockbusters. Unfortunately, the pastoral scenes feel too similar and mechanical day after day. Once the thrill of starting a new life wears off, all you have left is your chores.

Story Of Seasons can be laboriously repetitive at times, but it somehow manages to keep you playing anyway through a combination of charming dialogue and the eventual satisfaction of a farm you’ve sweated buckets to bring up to scratch.

Story of Seasons feels like a new chapter of Harvest Moon but it goes further than its inspiration. Its gameplay mechanics are very well executed, despite a rather slow start and its trade system, as well as the romance story, work like a charm. Where Story of Seasons disappoints is in its visual interface, which falls behind the benchmarks that the 3DS has set.

Story of Seasons is a right entry into the Harvest Moon franchise, but obviously not the best.

There’s some initial monotony to get past initially, but it’s followed by a rewarding, content-rich game to be explored here and one that will warrant your attention whenever you get a spare few minutes to visit the farm.

An inoffensive yet unspectacular game that pleases through being something different and relaxing.

It is a fun, relaxing experience – just remember that it is anything but perfect.

A wildly addictive, bizarrely rewarding adventure constrained by tight restrictions that only loosen after a significant time investment.

It may not be the most polished game, with its finicky frame rate and an underwhelming 3D display, but the charming characters and satisfying gameplay make this a game worth any Harvest Moon fan's time.

A change of name isn't enough. It's still Harvest Moon for the most part, and it unexpectedly, and disappointingly, takes even some steps back in the gameplay mechanics.

For better and worse this is Harvest Moon in all but name, with a few useful new ideas but still the same old crop of problems.