A farming sim that brings you closer to the horror of death every day.
Scientists theorize that the current timeline releases about 17 farming sims every hour of the day. Still, we must not forget that the mother of all these simulators is Story of Seasons, or Harvest Moon as it was known at the time. Originally released for the GameCube in 2003, Wonderful Life is relatively unique compared to other games in the series, not only because it can reach a state of failure but also because it has a definite end to the genre. It’s also one of the few games. point too. The recently released remake may look very similar to other games at first, but once you get past his first year, you’ll find a more satisfying family-based experience, along with a harvest of turnips. maybe.
In Wonderful Life, you play as a young city boy who has been given a farm by his recently deceased father. They decided to move to the farm to try out country life. The farm is located in the Forgotten Valley, a small, remote country town. With the help of his father’s old friend Takakura, the player must raise livestock and grow crops to earn money, which he uses to improve his farm. On the other hand, you can befriend different people in your local town by talking to them and giving them gifts. By the end of Year 1, finding a spouse among the 8 romanceable NPCs is a clear goal. There are four female choices, such as waitress Molly and farmer Cecilia, and four male choices, such as artist Gordy and lazy rock, all available regardless of gender.
The problem with this first year is that it plays exactly like any other Story of Seasons game. A year lasts a total of 40 days, and the seasons change every ten days of him. You’ll likely fall into the routine of doing chores on the farm in the morning, then hitting the town and giving as many gifts as possible to your romantic interest. you are pursuing The problem arises when we make a final decision earlier in the year. You can have relationships with multiple people at once, but apparently only one blue feather (the item used to propose) is his, and once you’ve used it, you can focus on other people. It makes little sense to put it there. This eliminates half of your daily routine and adds significantly more time to the rest of the year. Luckily, after his first year, the focus on the social side of the game has changed.
Marrying someone in Year 1 means that the player will have a child, from which the focus of the game shifts to raising that child. The child’s appearance and initial personality depends on who he marries. You can take your child to town, introduce him to other residents, and give him various toys purchased by the Traveling Trader. These things slowly play a role in shaping a child’s future personality and interests, and ultimately determine what kind of life they will lead. They become leaders when they grow up. Will they take over the farm when you’re gone? Or will you focus on music and sports? It all depends on how and how much time you spend with them. It’s a very slow process, but overall I found it very cute and satisfying.
Ultimately, Wonderful Life still feels like a game released in 2003, but whether you consider it good or not depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a very simple farming game to kill a few hours here and there, or if you just want to travel down a nostalgic trail, you’ll enjoy it. If you want something as full-featured and engaging as the latest games to emerge from the genre’s recent indie boom, chances are you won’t find it here. Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Forgotten Valley and had the experience of building a small family. The years seem to pass slowly, but watching the village children grow and grow as new people arrive in the valley is a wonderful and satisfying experience. I look forward to spending more time in this quiet little village.
