Harvest Moon 3D: A Tale of Two Towns

Genre: Top-Down Management Simulation / RPG

Players: 1-4 Co-Op (Online), StreetPass Supported

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Review:

Harvest Moon: A Tale of Two Towns is a Top-Down Management Simulation with RPG elements released on Nintendo DS in 2011 and ported to Nintendo 3DS just a few months later that same year with “3D” added on to the title. The 3DS version adds a few features like StreetPass support and the stereoscopic 3D indicated by the title, but for the most part these two are the same game.

The presentation here is appealing, making use of colorful, detailed pixel art visuals for the most part, though characters and animals are presented using simple 3D visuals. The one area I would say this doesn’t quite work is the areas where farmland borders the otherwise natural environment, as tilled soil always lines up in neat horizontal and vertical lines while the contours of the land it’s sitting on often don’t, making these places look artificial. Oh, also, despite the lack of anything graphically intensive going on here, I did notice the framerates dropping at some points, which seemed a bit odd but didn’t really interfere with the gameplay. These visuals are backed by a simple, relaxed soundtrack that’s not especially memorable, but fits the game well enough regardless.

As for the gameplay, if you’ve ever played a Harvest Moon or Story of Seasons game, you mostly know what to expect here. Manage your land, grow crops, raise livestock, and interact with villagers to build relationships. This game does have a fairly extensive mountain area for players to explore where they can pick wildflowers, hand-catch fish and bugs, and find various other forms of wildlife. However, probably the one most unique element of this game compared to others in the genre is the one mentioned in the title.

At the outset of the game, players will be asked to select which of the game’s two towns to live in – to the West is the more Western-styled town of Bluebell, which specializes in raising livestock, and to the East is the more Asian-inspired town of Konohana, which specializes in farming crops. You’ll be able to do both at either location, but based on their choice, players will have access unique features that cater to that town’s chosen focus. Ultimately, the two-town setup plays a central role in the game’s plot too, as one of the overarching goals players will work towards is bridging the rift that has formed between the two towns.

As “Farming RPGs” go, Harvest Moon 3D: A Tale of Two Towns does little that’s truly ambitious or Earth-shaking within the genre, but it is nevertheless a solid entry within that genre. If you’re looking for a Farming RPG for your Nintendo 3DS, this is a good choice.

tl;dr – Harvest Moon 3D: A Tale of Two Towns is a “Farming RPG” with a focus on its two competing towns, each with its own specialty. Beyond this, there’s little that this game does that’s especially groundbreaking within the genre, but it’s a solid entry within that genre all the same.

Grade: B

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