Friday, January 30, 2015

Five things I actually like about Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley

Despite what I wrote in this post earlier in the week (and on Twitter over the last number of weeks), I don't hate Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley.

In fact, there are quite a few things I like about this decidedly and unfortunately controversial 3DS title. Among them are its:


* art style--I'm sure a lot of people absolutely loathe how this game looks, but I'm not one of them. In fact, I'm quite fond of its low-poly aesthetics, which harken back to the days of the original PlayStation and the Nintendo 64. I especially like the bobblehead-esque human characters, and the animals are pretty darn cute, too.


* soundtrack--The Lost Valley's soundtrack isn't going to outright wow anyone or make them think it was produced by Nobuo Uematsu or someone like that. (Instead, it was composed by Tsukasa Tawada, who previously worked on the Keio Flying Squadron title and a bunch of Pokémon spinoffs.) Still, it's enjoyably subtle, if a bit repetitive. I haven't yet gotten sick of any of its tunes, though, which I'd say is a pretty good sign, all things considered.


* characters--By this, I don't mean character designs, especially as I mentioned them earlier. No, I'm talking about the characterizations featured in The Lost Valley. Each of the non-player characters you encounter in this game have unique and appealing (for the most part, at least) personalities. I wouldn't call them amazing, mind you, but I'd definitely say they're more pleasant than they have any right to be.


* story--In a way, at least. I mean, in a way, I hate this game's story with the heat of a thousand suns--mainly because it's responsible for the first, in-game year taking place in a nearly constant winter--but aside from that, I like its overall arc about returning the seasons to this desolate land by enlisting the aid of its handful of denizens.


* developer's daring (some may call it bat-shit crazy) decision to put and leave players in a completely uncomfortable situation for long periods of time--This one's another odd choice (just like the last bullet point), I have to admit, as it's the aspect of this game that is sure to piss off nearly everyone who plays it. Still, you've got to give it to the folks at Natsume (and Tabot, Inc.) for having the balls to take such a route. If only it had resulted in something that were more artistic and less ... annoying.

See also: previous posts about Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley

14 comments:

CeeCee said...

It's a recurring piece of feedback we've heard.

thegaygamer.com said...

In a way, it still works as-is, Justin, but I get what you're saying.


Also, even if this game's devs had done something other than the perma-winter, the game still would have some issues, IMO, although with the worst one out of the way, the others likely would be a lot easier to deal with.

CeeCee said...

Oddly, not as much as you'd think. Most people actually point out the longer they play the more addictive/driven they become, so the winter becomes less and less of an issue, since if you stick with it, it's gone after the first year.

thegaygamer.com said...

Yes, I have to imagine this is the main complaint for most folks.

TheGameroomBlitz said...

A farming sim that exists only in winter! What a concept! Maybe the next one will take place in Arizona, leaving you to harvest tumbleweeds and cacti.

thegaygamer.com said...

That's about it, Jess, and it's just as weird as I'm sure you're imagining it to be. What a *weird* decision on the part of the devs, if you ask me.

thegaygamer.com said...

I can see that. I've yet to finish my first year, but I can see how once I get past that threshold, I'm sure to get a lot more enjoyment out of the game. That said, I'm really not sure I'll want to play it anymore, which is too bad, as I barely have any animals at this point, I've yet to even get a whiff of marriage, etc. :|

TheGameroomBlitz said...

From what I've heard, you're getting a whiff of SOMETHING from this game, but it ain't nuptial bliss.

CeeCee said...

Unlocking the seasons is about 1/3 to 1/2 of the game content -- once that's done you're let loose to do a LOT more, including numerous additional requests (and romance events), marriage, having a kid, and...I don't want to spoil the rest of the story, but it's tied into all of that :)

thegaygamer.com said...

Oh, you! :P

CeeCee said...

You're welcome! Looking forward to reading more if you stick with it :)

thegaygamer.com said...

Oh, I'll definitely stick with it. I'm determined to get through the first year and then get a bit past that, too. After that, though, it's anyone's guess!

thegaygamer.com said...

Thanks for letting me know that, CeeCee. It's nice to hear, of course, but also unfortunate--mainly because I'm just not sure how many others are going to be willing to put up with the first 1/3 or 1/2 of the game to get to the rest of it :|

TroliusMaximus said...

Is this manual downloadable as a PDF file?