Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life - Game Review

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Veteran Game

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Published on June 23, 2023 5:00:01 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awEjRkZtPww

Game:

STORY OF SEASONS: A Wonderful Life (2023)

Category:

Review

Duration: 3:28

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Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life - Game Review

Hello, fellow gamers! Welcome back to our channel, "Veteran Game." Today, we are taking a journey back to a game that had me counting down the days until its release—Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life. In the pantheon of my favorite farming simulators, this game holds a special place.

Let me clarify something before we dive into this review. If you're wondering about the name change from Harvest Moon to Story of Seasons, well, it's a result of licensing agreements. Original developer Marvelous began publishing under its brand XSeed Games in 2014, leaving the Harvest Moon name to Natsume.

With that bit of trivia out of the way, Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is actually the third remake of the beloved original that released on the GameCube in 2004. This iteration borrows elements from past versions, adding new features and refining old ones, giving us what you might call the "ultra deluxe version" of the game.

Our adventure starts with a classic premise. You inherit a farm in Forgotten Valley from your deceased father and are tasked with making it flourish while building a family. The farming mechanics are an enjoyable blend of simplicity and hidden complexity. Growing crops might seem straightforward, but things can get tricky when you factor in multiple growing seasons, hybrid crops, and some valuable flowers that can upgrade your seeds.

When it comes to animals, the developers have tweaked things to make care simpler. No longer do goats stop producing milk or animals get sick or die. Animal care has been streamlined and made easier to handle, with more focus on the quality of the produce.

The NPCs are more than mere window dressing, with many receiving substantial reworks in this version. They've redesigned a homeless character called Murrey into a more respectful and less stereotypical depiction known as Pui. There's more ease in building relationships now, tracking friendship levels, and locating NPCs on the map.

The game offers eight marriage candidates, with marriage being a crucial progression point in the game. It's not just about the marriage, though, because A Wonderful Life has a unique feature where you raise your child and experience their growth into adulthood. The child's future career is influenced by various factors like your spouse's personality and your friends, adding another layer of replayability to the game.

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is not just about farming, though. The game is also about the passage of time, the seasons' change, the growth of the characters, and the melancholy that sometimes comes with life's ups and downs. It's about the love lost and the love unrequited, the joy of growth, and the sadness of letting go.

The game is not without its flaws. Fishing can get monotonous, there are some minor glitches, and it doesn't quite match the mechanical depth of modern farming simulators. However, it manages to recapture the original's spirit while introducing new features, creating an enchanting blend of storytelling, farming mechanics, and character interaction within a bittersweet world.

In Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life, every day on the farm is a day full of possibilities and surprises. Maybe this time around, I'll finally raise a child who takes over the farm. Until then, happy gaming, everyone!