Your favorite/the best Harvest Moon game of all time?

comcat01 · Post Posted: Jul 25, 2017 9:34 pm

Boy, it has been a long time since I've been back here!

Still, I've been following the franchise with Story of Season and RF4 because I've been enjoying handhelds more, but I feel like I can't get into the Harvest Moon spirit as much as I used to with Animal Parade and HMDSCute.

I've been looking for a new one to pick up, or maybe try again on the old games that I already have.
So, what are your favorites Harvest Moon games and why? Are they consistent overtime or do the games get better and better with each new installment? Which games do you recommend buying?

Ronin19 · Post Posted: Jul 26, 2017 4:50 am

If you're into story driven games and character development, Hero of Leaf Valley for the PSP is my favorite game in the series. I loved watching the characters grow through their endings and the story is the best there is in the series. The game is also available on the Vita if you don't have a PSP.

I also like SoS if only for the character development of Elise. I wish more Bokujou Monogatari games had character development and were story driven.

3oT (Trio of Towns) has excellent gameplay and my favorite of the 3 3DS games.

LeBurns · Post Posted: Jul 26, 2017 8:33 am

Well I've been playing the handhelds since FoMT. There are a lot of HM games and I can't say each one's gotten better with each installment. There were ups and downs for sure. Some features I really liked, others not so much. Really did like Trio of Towns and I may even replay.

Currently I prefer the SoS over the HM games by Natsume. Honestly I'm not sure I can even try any more of the Natsume games, regardless of what free plushy they give away. The whole plant mutation and minecraft features I'm not a fan of and they've seemed to double down on those. Doing so isn't wrong since I know others love that stuff. It's just not for me.

RF is one franchise I can say got better with each installment. Sad it has to stop at RF4. Loved the games and each one just kept getting better and the social interactions with potential partners got better and better. IMO RF4 still beats any HM game in that regard.

comcat01 · Post Posted: Jul 26, 2017 12:54 pm

Ronin19 wrote:If you're into story driven games and character development, Hero of Leaf Valley for the PSP is my favorite game in the series. I loved watching the characters grow through their endings and the story is the best there is in the series. The game is also available on the Vita if you don't have a PSP.

I also like SoS if only for the character development of Elise. I wish more Bokujou Monogatari games had character development and were story driven.

3oT (Trio of Towns) has excellent gameplay and my favorite of the 3 3DS games.

How does Trio of Towns compare to the original SoS?
It looks like the graphics got significantly better, but I remember not wanting to get it because none of the bachelors really caught my interest this time around whereas the guys in SoS were mostly pretty well designed and had cute personalities.

Ronin19 · Post Posted: Jul 26, 2017 1:20 pm

comcat01 wrote:
Ronin19 wrote:If you're into story driven games and character development, Hero of Leaf Valley for the PSP is my favorite game in the series. I loved watching the characters grow through their endings and the story is the best there is in the series. The game is also available on the Vita if you don't have a PSP.

I also like SoS if only for the character development of Elise. I wish more Bokujou Monogatari games had character development and were story driven.

3oT (Trio of Towns) has excellent gameplay and my favorite of the 3 3DS games.
How does Trio of Towns compare to the original SoS?
It looks like the graphics got significantly better, but I remember not wanting to get it because none of the bachelors really caught my interest this time around whereas the guys in SoS were mostly pretty well designed and had cute personalities.

It's less grindy for one thing. Things are also not locked by the year you're in, but instead unlocked by your progress. I find it a lot easier than SoS's grind session with the last two vendors. Everything is fairly doable, and if you need something, most things can be bought.

Anna_Lynn · Post Posted: Jul 26, 2017 2:44 pm

I don't think there's really a "best HM game ever" since that can be a subjective opinion to each game's pros and cons, as well as each player's gameplay preference. But I will say that my personal favorite in the series is More Friends of Mineral Town, essentially the prequel to DS cute

. All the characters just fall together so realistically in the small town community, which makes the place feel 10x more lively than what HMDS had, imo. There's a lot you can do, while at the same time, not a lot you can do. I guess the title gives away the sole purpose of the game, which is becoming friends with the villagers of MT. It is very rewarding triggering random events, getting taught new recipes, and getting to enter their rooms/upstairs area. But, there are times when I have nothing to do, so I just wake up, tend to my crops and animals, and just go straight back to bed. Above all that, it is very charming, and a big upgrade for the HM series (one of the first HM's to have many events with characters/candidates?) so I think it's worth the money. Better if you can find a physical copy, though it's cheap on the Wii U for around $6.99-7.99 iirc. If you still have HMDSC, you could play both on a DS lite, and get extra records, events, and villagers in HMDSC, which is always a nifty thing I loved doing.

Bluie · Post Posted: Jul 26, 2017 3:38 pm

For me, it's Hero of Leaf Valley. The character interactions are great, the music is beautiful, and I find the fishing and mining to be the best in the series. The only downside is that the map takes a little getting used to and the UMD version of the game has abysmal loading times. The DL version seems to have it fixed though.

Some also might find the post game a little lacking (marriage with no children) but the game is kinda made to be played over and over until you fill up the endings. You'll get progressively better with each playthrough and filling up the list is a pretty fun ride.

Man, I miss Aurelia. My most favourite bachelorette in the entire series.

Celestrian · Post Posted: Jul 26, 2017 9:13 pm

LeBurns wrote:Well I've been playing the handhelds since FoMT. There are a lot of HM games and I can't say each one's gotten better with each installment. There were ups and downs for sure. Some features I really liked, others not so much. Really did like Trio of Towns and I may even replay.

Currently I prefer the SoS over the HM games by Natsume. Honestly I'm not sure I can even try any more of the Natsume games, regardless of what free plushy they give away. The whole plant mutation and minecraft features I'm not a fan of and they've seemed to double down on those. Doing so isn't wrong since I know others love that stuff. It's just not for me.

RF is one franchise I can say got better with each installment. Sad it has to stop at RF4. Loved the games and each one just kept getting better and the social interactions with potential partners got better and better. IMO RF4 still beats any HM game in that regard.

I agree whole heartedly with this.

My personal favorite has always been AWL/AnWL because it is not only my first Harvest Moon game, it's also the one I've played the most times. I have no real reason other than nostalgia.

Sanne · Post Posted: Jul 26, 2017 10:14 pm

DS cute is probably my favorite.

FoMT is good, but I the inventory (split screen) system in DSC is really convenient. (i.e. being able to check on your cows when mining, not constantly having to change screens if you want to check something,, being able to change songs was a nice touch)

XxWizardxMollyxX14 · Post Posted: Jul 27, 2017 1:16 pm

HM: Animal Parade is my favourite console Harvets Moon. It had everything I love in harvest moon and more. Seriously can't wait for another Console SoS if past Console HM's are anything to go by.

Favourite handheld would have to be HM:DS Cute. I understand that it's way too grindy for some to play, but I liked the characters enough (and hadn't played the older games prior) and so everything was still pretty fresh for me at that point. Plus Skye. Skye made it worth it.

comcat01 · Post Posted: Jul 27, 2017 4:01 pm

XxWizardxMollyxX14 wrote:HM: Animal Parade is my favourite console Harvets Moon. It had everything I love in harvest moon and more. Seriously can't wait for another Console SoS if past Console HM's are anything to go by.

Favourite handheld would have to be HM:DS Cute. I understand that it's way too grindy for some to play, but I liked the characters enough (and hadn't played the older games prior) and so everything was still pretty fresh for me at that point. Plus Skye. Skye made it worth it.

Skye changed the game for HM bachelors forever.
He's probably the most attached I've ever been to a marriage candidate in any game ever.

Blue Rose · Post Posted: Jul 27, 2017 8:10 pm

AP/ToT, despite being slows as balls and the fact it takes practically 5 years to complete a season in-game, I love both of them to death. The gameplay, character design, aesthetic, island layout, etc. etc.

serpentine · Post Posted: Nov 05, 2017 5:19 pm

Nevermind, sorry to bump an old thread...

Post Posted: Nov 05, 2017 8:00 pm

[quote="Bluie"]For me, it's Hero of Leaf Valley. The character interactions are great, the music is beautiful, and I find the fishing and mining to be the best in the series. The only downside is that the map takes a little getting used to and the UMD version of the game has abysmal loading times. The DL version seems to have it fixed though.

Some also might find the post game a little lacking (marriage with no children) but the game is kinda made to be played over and over until you fill up the endings. You'll get progressively better with each playthrough and filling up the list is a pretty fun ride.

Man, I miss Aurelia. My most favourite bachelorette in the entire series.[/quote]

Why do you like Aurelia so much? Isn't she a gun nun?