With the likes of Stardew Valley and My Time At Portia honing in on the farm-based life simulator genre that has grown so popular over the years, it's almost difficult to remember that these games were far from the first to build on the unique and addicting idea. As many will no doubt remember, series like Harvest Moon were the first to ever innovate such a niche genre, with the first game in the series debuting all the way back in 1996.
The series has far from disappeared, however, with New Game Plus Expo recently debuting footage for the next entry in the series, Harvest Moon: One World. Showcasing some new gameplay and features, the trailer highlighted a small portion of what fans should expect from the upcoming Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 sequel.
Beginning by showcasing characters running through a number of varying 3D environments, it seems Harvest Moon: One World will boast some fairly big new maps, with the locals ranging from wide-open fields, seaside towns, and snow-covered villages. Of course, the trailer also highlights some farming gameplay, seeing players digging patches to plant flowers, vegetables, and more. Finally, the trailer shows off the protagonist tending to cattle, as they fill up a trough in a barn for cows to feed on. It seems the sequel will offer the same core gameplay loop that made Harvest Moon such an addicting franchise over the years.
Fans, however, haven't been entirely supportive of Harvest Moon: One World. In the comment section for New Game Plus Expo's YouTube release of the trailer, one viewer claimed "The game looks rushed and unfinished. I miss the HM of old," while a second stated "this quality.... really? is this a ps1 or ps2 game?" A third chimed in, claiming "If Natsume doesn't release this on Steam, I imagine their own version of Harvest Moon dying pretty soon. Story of Seasons has been releasing on Steam, and the new remake is coming to Steam. Natsume... You need to compete or your game will die."
Of course, Story of Seasons was originally Harvest Moon before Natsume claimed the name and decided to start its own version of the Harvest Moon series. Since then, fans have noticed that the franchise has steadily declined, with many deciding to follow Marvelous and the Story of Seasons franchise instead of Harvest Moon. Hopefully, this game will show that both franchises can offer fantastic experiences at the same time, but it seems many fans clearly aren't convinced that'll be the case.
Harvest Moon: One Life will be available this holiday on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
