w_alchemist_jen (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
w_alchemist_jen) wrote2008-09-18 03:02 pm
w_alchemist_jen) wrote2008-09-18 03:02 pm
Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness
lol, don't get used to multiple posts in one day from me. XD
Anyway, here's my mini-review for Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness for the DS. ^^;
For the story, you and a few other people have been shipwrecked on an abandoned island. So, it's kinda like "Gilligan's Island Meets Harvest Moon". Except, instead of trying to get off the island like most people would, your group decides to revitalize the island and make it prosperous...basically, starting your own society on the island. There's no time limit, so you can take as much time as you want. As the game progresses and you build up the town as well as your farm, people move in and some start their own businesses.
Difficulty wise, everything in this game is much harder. The touchscreen controls(you have to use the touchscreen to move your character, interact with people/animals, and pick things up, but you can use the buttons to use tools) are awkward at first, but you get used to them.
The new crop system is a bit more involved and you have to do actual work because each crop takes a certain amount of sun and water. Water them too little and they never grow, water them too much and they die. So, it's more realistic. The work comes in the form of going to sites, like GameFAQs to find out how much water and sun each crop needs and how much various conditions(rainy, sunny, fair, etc. weather, or just simply watering)affect the growth(cloudy days give no sun, for instance). Then, you pretty much have to keep a notebook or something just to keep track of how much sun and water you're giving the crops.
Mining isn't available in the beginning of the game because you have to build a bridge to the forest and mountain area. Festivals are held in a meadow that you have to build another bridge to.
On your farm, you start out with just your house, horse/dog barn, a supply shed, and a Harvest Sprite's house. Every other building, you have to have built(in my game, I'm nearly at the end of Fall of Year 1 and I just got my chicken coop and one of the villagers gave me a free chick as a gift).
The game also has built in tutorials that show you how to do everything, so, it's not like the game just tosses you on the farm without guidance(though the crop tutorial still wants you to use a 3x3 grid. Most HM vets use a "U" shaped plot so you can water the middle crop).
So, yeah, if you like Harvest Moon and thought the previous games were too easy, and you don't mind having to move your character with the touchscreen, then this game is a good buy.
Anyway, here's my mini-review for Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness for the DS. ^^;
For the story, you and a few other people have been shipwrecked on an abandoned island. So, it's kinda like "Gilligan's Island Meets Harvest Moon". Except, instead of trying to get off the island like most people would, your group decides to revitalize the island and make it prosperous...basically, starting your own society on the island. There's no time limit, so you can take as much time as you want. As the game progresses and you build up the town as well as your farm, people move in and some start their own businesses.
Difficulty wise, everything in this game is much harder. The touchscreen controls(you have to use the touchscreen to move your character, interact with people/animals, and pick things up, but you can use the buttons to use tools) are awkward at first, but you get used to them.
The new crop system is a bit more involved and you have to do actual work because each crop takes a certain amount of sun and water. Water them too little and they never grow, water them too much and they die. So, it's more realistic. The work comes in the form of going to sites, like GameFAQs to find out how much water and sun each crop needs and how much various conditions(rainy, sunny, fair, etc. weather, or just simply watering)affect the growth(cloudy days give no sun, for instance). Then, you pretty much have to keep a notebook or something just to keep track of how much sun and water you're giving the crops.
Mining isn't available in the beginning of the game because you have to build a bridge to the forest and mountain area. Festivals are held in a meadow that you have to build another bridge to.
On your farm, you start out with just your house, horse/dog barn, a supply shed, and a Harvest Sprite's house. Every other building, you have to have built(in my game, I'm nearly at the end of Fall of Year 1 and I just got my chicken coop and one of the villagers gave me a free chick as a gift).
The game also has built in tutorials that show you how to do everything, so, it's not like the game just tosses you on the farm without guidance(though the crop tutorial still wants you to use a 3x3 grid. Most HM vets use a "U" shaped plot so you can water the middle crop).
So, yeah, if you like Harvest Moon and thought the previous games were too easy, and you don't mind having to move your character with the touchscreen, then this game is a good buy.