Harvestella

While Harvestella takes a while to get going, the journey is rich, rewarding and wholesome. For a genre that is usually the province of the mid-tier developers, having something like this that doesn’t cut corners, doesn’t feel like a series of concessions and feels creatively liberating is an inherent joy. Many years ago I read a wonderful analysis of Harvest Moon that effectively argued that the series has been so popular in Japan for so long because farming is a genuinely aspirational pursuit to so many people, who feel locked into soul-crushing and exhausting work in concrete jungles. That being the case, the pure fantasy escapism of Harvestella makes a particularly potent example of its little genre indeed, and for just about anyone on the planet right now, this is exactly what we needed.

Harvestella is a solid life simulation RPG, which has its farming system and intuitive mechanics as its biggest draws. While the presence of beautiful visuals, a flawless soundtrack, fluid overall mechanics, and a charismatic set of characters and narrative manages to set the game apart as one of the most charming, although not without its flaws, RPG experiences of the year.

Harvestella is an incredible game. Everything about it just clicks, delivering a farm sim/JRPG hybrid experience that I hope never ends.

Harvestella is a fresh take on life-sims that wears many different hats well, but doesn’t always know when to wear them.

HARVESTELLA is a thoroughly enjoyable JRPG with farm management for when you want some downtime after exploring its elaborate dungeons. The fact that you can take your time going through the story and managing your farm means that the pacing is controlled by you so it never gets dull. As long as you enjoy RPGs as much as you do farming, this is a great game that you'll absolutely love.

Harvestella is the type of game that’ll just simmer in your brain the further you get from it, I’m convinced this will be a beloved cult classic for years to come. There’s so much here that feels like an experiment, and it’s surprising how much of it comes together into a great package despite its shortcomings. When your greatest sin is being maybe a tad too simple, I call that a success.I think there’s a lot of room for growth in a hypothetical follow-up with a larger budget, and, hopefully, Square Enix agrees with me.

Here’s yet another farming RPG, but one that turns the familiar setup in a philosophical, existential direction—and dares to really, really go places with it. What at first looks like another descendant of Harvest Moon ends up bearing a closer resemblance, thematically and tonally, to NieR Automata. That’s not a comparison that’s easy to live up to, but Harvestella manages to leave its mark.

Harvestella is exactly the kind of game that would theoretically get everything right in a sequel. Its mix of action and farming isn't what every sim fan wants, its combat is hacky and it was clearly made on a budget. But its seeds have now been sown, and I hope they get a chance to flourish. [Issue #63 – January/February 2023, p. 72]

While Harvestella’s combat is certainly not the strongest, its supporting elements provide such a strong base and structure that the game still readily rises up above the large crowd of titles released this year. Harvestella somehow manages to pull off some highly ambitious storytelling, accompanying with it a highly satisfying gameplay loop that is hard to put down. The game has a much stronger and widespread appeal than many may have been lead to believe heading into its release, and is an easy recommendation.

In lesser hands, Harvestella’s balance of JRPG and farming sim could’ve ended up as a bland mishmash. Instead, Live Wire and Square Enix have created a solid blend. Its effective gameplay loop and engaging story push you down surprising paths that are fun to travel.

Harvestella is the perfect game to cuddle up on the couch with, preferably in handheld mode on Nintendo Switch or on Steam Deck. While it doesn’t deliver the best JRPG or farming sim, it is the only game that delivers both experiences at the same time, delivering a unique entry in a crowded genre that manages to be a breath of fresh air.

I would definitely recommend Harvestella to fans of games such as Rune Factory or JRPGs like those in the Tales series. I would not necessarily recommend it to any fan of farming games, however. Definitely pick this game up if you are ready to focus primarily on questing and not farming. If you are used to more laid-back experiences like Stardew Valley or Story of Seasons, this game could serve as a nice introduction to JRPG elements.

Harvestella isn’t trying to innovate anything. It’s a cozy throwback JRPG that stands apart by having a heavier emphasis on life sim elements. But it’s a story driven action JRG at its core, not a farming sim. Harvest Moon fans will probably be disappointed by its lack of farming mechanic depth, but fans of classic JRPGs who don’t normally love life sim games might really love it. Anyone who really enjoyed Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, or the multi-gameplay-style of the ActRaiser games should really take note.

Harvestella takes us on an adventure of significant proportions. It is full of creativity, many mysteries, and a colorful cast. It also shows us how fun the simplicity of everyday life can be when you take care of a farm, explore diverse places, and relate to other people. It might be a complicated formula, but this game successfully manages to create, although only with a couple of hiccups.

Harvestella is hard to readily recommend to the farming simulator crowd, but for those who miss PS2-era JRPGs/dungeon-crawlers, this is not a game you’ll want to pass up. Everything here feels comfortable but fresh, like a beloved, clearly worn jacket tailored to current measurements. Its streamlined approach to farming allows players to focus on a rich story set in an even richer world, featuring exploration and combat mechanics that actually make you want to stick around in the dungeons for hours. If you’re looking for a JRPG/farming sim that doesn’t compromise on story or beauty but allows you to turn your brain “off” after a long day, Harvestella is ripe for picking.

You can’t go into Harvestella thinking, “So is Square Enix’s Rune Factory/Story of Seasons game?” It isn’t fair to the developers or the game itself. Yes, this is an action-RPG with farming and life-sim elements. But it’s also very much trying to be its own thing. It needs time to grow. A think a few patches would help to act as stakes to help bolster the game would do a world of good. If Square Enix tends to it well, I could see a successful successor spawn.

Harvestella starts with an interesting proposal, mixing a Final Fantasy story with ideas from games like Stardew Valley, but it doesn't deliver because it never gets to deep on those ideas, keeping the game a little bit simpler. Add technical flaws and you've got the classic AA game that, with more time and budget, could have been an AAA game.

Harvestella offers a unique mix of farming sim and action RPG Lee. While there are some flaws in both aspects, and the presentation, Harvestella still offers an entertaining experience thanks to the gameplay mix and story.

Harvestella is an interesting concoction of a JRPG experience merged with farming, which results in pure escapist fun. The combat and farming aspects are by no means elaborate, but their simplistic approach creates a relaxing atmosphere that is great to play in short bursts.

Harvestella feels like a farm sim made for people who like traditional RPGs, or maybe you could position it as a traditional RPG for people who like farm sims. Either way works. It’s a unique balance that is rocky at times but won me over more often than not. This is a game with a lot of heart that I kept wanting to explore even with its messier aspects. If you’re looking for a farm sim mixed with a JRPG or a JRPG mixed with a farm sim, this is perfect for you. And if you go into it with the right mindset, you’ll enjoy the relaxing stroll of this world and its gameplay.

Harvestella isn't going to remove Rune Factory from existence, but it has a lot of potential as a strong competitor. This first (and hopefully not only) outing has an extremely strong basis and manages to hit a lot of the high marks of JRPG-style farming simulation, while having enough of its own personality to avoid feeling like a clone. Only the overly stiff combat and general simplicity of the game hold it back from being as good as its obvious inspirations. It's so close to being great that it's easy to imagine a sequel hitting all of the marks. There's a lot to like here if you can get past the slow start, and by the time I finished the game, I felt almost as satisfied as I was with Rune Factory 5. Harvestella is absolutely worth a look if you're a fan of the Rune Factory franchise and want to see a different developer's take on the concept.

If Harvestella is to be the first of a new franchise for Square Enix, I think this game gets it off on the right foot. Outside of combat and the disappointment of the much-hullabalooed Quietus season, this is a pretty good take on the farm sim/RPG genre with some excellently designed dungeons and characters worth caring about. It may be a bit too simple for some, but I will gladly accept simplicity if it’s wrapped around something as delightful as Harvestella.

Harvestella is a game with a very addictive loop. With each dungeon leading you to a new plot revelation, and each season giving you new crops to grow it’s like the game is begging for “just one more day” and it can be hard to say no. While I wish that there was more depth to the characters, especially in the voice acting department, and the game doesn’t make any major strides, it is still a decently fresh take on the genre. It is important to know that Harvestella really is a JRPG before it is a farming sim; even though farming is a lot of fun, it is not the main thing you will be doing. Even though both farming and combat are simple, the combination of both manages to make Harvestella feel deeper than it actually is. So if you are on the lookout for a new RPG farming adventure to play after finishing Rune Factory 5, this might be it.

Harvestella is a game that fans of Farm Simulators will love, the game has more elaborate action mechanics. it can be slow at the beginning but as you progress you will see that under that layer there is a very deep game. If you're looking for something different this might be your game.

If you can overlook these issues, and are a fan of stuff like Rune Factory, Stardew Valley or even the slept-on Level 5 title Fantasy Life – the latter a definite kindred spirit in terms of its JRPG tropes, action, farming and jobs – then you will get a lot out of Harvestella.

It's certainly not the JRPG of the year on Nintendo Switch or PC, but it has charm, a strong art direction, and its gameplay loop is well suited to short games, something many RPGs will surely appreciate.

Thumbs up instead for the soundtrack, well packaged and inspired on the wings of a dreamy atmosphere, in line with the sentiment of Harvestella, so skillfully straddling fairy tale and reality.

Harvestella is ideal for anyone looking for a game with the peace of mind of a farm simulator and the challenge of combat. You'll likely feel a mix of relaxation and excitement as you tend to crops and fight off threats, all while trying to uncover the truth behind the mysterious "death station", Quietus.

Harvestella cultivates its characters and story, but other mechanics aren't quite as ripe.

The mixture of two popular Japanese genres brings a relaxing experience that, although it seems innovative on paper, in practice brings only mediocrity and a rather superficial approach to the idea of a JRPG with farming elements.

Our test of Harvestella took place on Nintendo Switch, but the JRPG is also available on PC. With a playful soul in constant balance between Action RPG and life-simulator, the JRPG alternates real-time battles, cultivation of the fields and socializing activities with your travel companions. A pleasant narrative, even if not excessively original, relaxed rhythms and an interesting artistic sector are combined with not too in-depth gameplay dynamics. For players looking for a relaxing adventure, which alternates between clashes and agricultural simulation without putting too many variables on fire, Harvestella still represents a valid and long-lived option.

While promoted as a mix of RPG and agricultural simulator, in reality Harvestella heavily leans toward its RPG side. While the idea of resource management dependent on the passage of time feels fresh for an RPG, the game's cheap story and presentation, a combat system that doesn’t feel tactical enough and a lack of customization on the farm make Harvestella a game with room for improvement in both genres.

If you're looking for an enjoyable title that won't require you to bend over backwards on its difficulty or mechanics, then Harvestella is the perfect candidate.

A good mix between life-sim and GdR, Harvestella seems to be a game addressed to the less experienced players, rather than the expert ones.

Harvestella stumbles before it finds a decent pace, with the biggest drawbacks being the slow start and temperamental graphics. If you can get past these shortcomings, there’s plenty to be enjoyed here and a hefty completion time to keep you busy. While it offers an enjoyable blend of RPG meets life sim, there isn’t enough substance on either side to take the game from good to great.

Harvestella is a game full of immersive environments, beautiful music, and an engaging and meaningful narrative for both its world and main characters, which is enough to redeem the game's more mediocre elements. There are several areas of Harvestella, like it farming, animations, and social simulation elements that would have greatly benefited from more depth and care put into them, but despite these flaws the game manages to be incredibly addictive. It's easier to notice these issues when comparing Harvestella to games like Rune Factory, but standing on its own Harvestella is a fairly strong title that's worth players' time. It may not be perfect, but it's very easy for players to fall into a "just one more day" loop in Harvestella nonetheless as they uncover the mysteries of its universe.

If you like farming sims and have some free time on your hands, Harvestella is worth looking into- though it's far from flawless.

So, my scoring may seem at odds with what I’ve said, but that should also demonstrate just how lackluster and dull I found the combat system, coupled with the unpolished models and environments. Still, if you can get past its faults and perhaps enjoy it, Harvestella provides a memorable, varied JRPG experience that boasts standout characters, an intriguing narrative, and one of Square Enix’s best soundtracks in years.

A flawed but beautiful JRPG with farming sim elements, Harvestella boasts a unique and emotive narrative, gorgeous art direction, and an ambitious range of mechanics to explore. It’s slow to start but, with a bit of patience, blossoms into something truly memorable.

Harvestella could be described as one of the best 'good' games you’ll play this year. Its performance issues and rather simplistic mechanics hold it back from being great, but its quest design, dungeon exploration, and successful fusion of very distinct gameplay mechanics make it quite compelling all the same. That launch day $60 price tag feels a little high for what’s on offer here, but this is absolutely a title that we’d recommend farm sim fans buy when the inevitable sales start to crop up. Harvestella may not be a challenger to Stardew Valley’s crown, but it does enough to distinguish itself as a worthwhile experience anyway.

Harvestella’s systems feed together in a way that forces you to engage with nearly everything it offers, whether you want to or not. But those slice-of-life activities are mundane and get in the way of letting you enjoy the RPG elements on your own terms. Maximizing a day’s schedule is sometimes rewarding, but the sluggish pacing makes it tough to stay engaged for the long haul. Harvestella forces you to do a whole lot to complete comparatively little. At 70-80 hours, it’s one of the biggest chores I’ve played in some time. That’s unfortunate because the combat, story, and characters are decent enough that, in a more traditional RPG framework, they’d shine brighter. As it stands, squeezing this fruit isn’t always worth its small amount of juice.

Harvestella is more than the sum of its parts, but it tries to merge some different gameplay souls into one nonetheless, resulting in a lack of depth in any of these.

At its core, Harvestella is an exciting promise of things to come for RPG lovers as Square Enix is ready to bring its own farming sim to life. From its gorgeous visuals to its side quests, there is plenty to do and look at while playing. However, players should temper their expectations should they believe Harvestella to be a straightforward sim. This ambitious project is more JRPG than a simulator, and its pacing proves as much. If you are only looking to farm and woo locals, Harvestella will prove more than you can handle. But if a JRPG with simulation traits sounds appealing to you, Harvestella is just what you've been waiting for.

Average everywhere, but good nowhere, the new license from Square Enix struggles to convince.