Doraemon: Story of Seasons

If you like Doraemon, you'll probably like this tale, but as a Story of Seasons fan, I would rather not spend my farming life in Natura. [Issue #44 – January/February 2020, p. 18]

Although the title lacks some of the popular features of other farming simulators, such as dating, Doraemon: Story of Seasons is a charming game that I think is great for kids and a great starting entry for the genre. It doesn't add anything new to the genre, but if you wanted a game that is a great farming simulator along with an establishment of a popular IP, then Doraemon: Story of Seasons is worth a look at, as well as being a much better game to play for a younger demographic. But there are plenty of other competing options out there and it will probably not be your go-to title.

Doraemon: Story of Seasons is a pleasant, relaxing little game. It’s got some flaws that stop it from reaching the state of farming zen it comes so close to, but with piles of charm and some cute storytelling, it’s easy to lose hours upon hours to this lovely slice of rural life.

Story of Seasons and perhaps even most Doraemon fans will feel at home in the latest entry of the celebrated series. While the manga cat’s inclusion doesn’t exactly breathe new life into the franchise, it certainly doesn’t ruin it. And while it’s on the pricier end of the series’ spectrum, it’s perhaps also the best-looking entry to date. If you’re looking for a cozy farm simulator and are all Stardew Valley-ed out, Doraemon Story of Seasons will surely satisfy.

Doraemon: Story of Seasons is an enchanting, relaxing romp through a world that is so much simpler than ours. With gorgeous visuals and a never-ending list of things to do, it’s unlikely that you’ll get bored while playing it. While its slow-pace might turn off some, it’s incredibly welcome to play a game where the fate of the world isn’t at stake, and you can instead just sit down and decide what plants you might want to grow for the upcoming year.

Doraemon Story of Seasons is a solid farm sim that isn’t for everyone. If you’re interested in the worlds of Doraemon or Story of Seasons, be sure to check out some trailers first.

Though I could extend this article with more information and thoughts, the bottomline is that this is the type of game you’re either into or you’re not. The genre is fairly niche and from the little I have played of it in the past and from what I have read this week, there’s nothing really new here other than the crossover with Doraemon. That’s cool and all, but is it enough to get players otherwise not enamored with the gameplay loop of these type of games to buy in? That’s something you’ll obviously have to answer for yourself, but for me, I found the game to be too boring and too tedious to spend a great deal of time with.

Doraemon Story of Seasons is definitely the worst Story of Seasons game I have ever played. If you want your farming fix, you should get the Story of Seasons Friends of Mineral Town remake on Switch. Or grab Rune Factory 4 Special if you’d like well-implemented action RPG elements in your farming life.