Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is more than a story that allows players to farm to their heart's content. As with any good farming simulator that follows the history of Harvest Moon, there are plenty of pleasant suitors that are readily waiting for marriage.
With five original options for bachelors and another three that were added through DLCs, there is a total of eight bachelors for the player to get to know and hopefully one day settle down with. Unlike older titles, Story of Seasons allows either gender to pursue a relationship with these men, and therefore it's just down to deciding who is the best fit.
8 Iori The Runaway Royal
Iori is a gentle soul with a lot hidden underneath, hailing from a faraway land with his retainer Dosetsu; it will take the player some time to unfold this mysterious man. He may not appeal to many players due to his past life of luxury, which has led him to leave many of his everyday chores to Dosetsu, but that doesn't stop Iori from being a kind person.
Throughout his heart events, players will begin to understand this caring nature as it urges the player to distance themselves from him for their safety. This is later uncovered that it is because he is being chased by a Ninja, though the player can eventually persuade Iori to let them in, so they can protect each other.
7 Secretive Biker Damon
Similar to the coldness of Iori, Damon starts off almost entirely ignoring the player and eventually begins to open up to them through the encouragement of his best friend Lars. Damon's outer demeanor suggests that he doesn't care much for many things, but it's actually the complete opposite, as similar to his family who owns the animal shop, he has a deep love for animals and looking after them.
Besides this, Damon really loves riding his motorbike, which the player will eventually join in on, though invited by Lars, not Damon. A big issue with his romance is the lack of effort it seems Damon puts into it, as Lars is left to persuade his friend to try harder for the player.
6 Ralph The Righteous Ranger
As a simple man to please, Ralph is quite happy for his partner to feed him bread and soup while he protects the wilderness on his patrols. Unlike many of the other romance options in Pioneers of Olive Town, it's hard to see any sort of connection between the player and Ralph, though that doesn't stop him from being a lovable character.
He takes his job very seriously, and many of his events revolve around being the best ranger he possibly can be to reawakening his love for football that he, unfortunately, had to stop because of an injury. Spending time with Ralph while he is on the job is one way for players to win him over.
5 Traveling Chef Raeger
Added to Pioneers of Olive Town during the Terracotta Oasis DLC pack that was released June 2021, gamers that played the original Story of Seasons on the 3DS will remember Raeger as one of the bachelors in it. He hasn't changed much since then, for better or for worse.
Raeger has decided to go traveling to uncover new cuisines while his restaurant is temporarily closed; this is when he will eventually meet the player. Throughout his heart events, the player encourages Raeger to take a break from cooking, something he greatly struggles to do, while also uncovering what happened to his restaurant that led to it having to close.
4 Ludus The Master Crafter
Hailing from Trio of Towns, this well-known character by fans of the franchise were finally able to meet Ludus again during the Twilight Isle Expansion Pack. Ludus hopes to experience more cultures by exploring with his apprentice Tigre, which is how he meets the player once more.
Ludus loves to fix things, and he has many skills that make him a great craftsman. A lot of his heart events during the DLC see the player meet Ludus while he is out and about putting the Twilight Isle into tip-top shape. Helping Ludus uncover the culture of Olive Town through a tour and the cuisine is a sure way for players to win his heart.
3 Sort Of A Salesman Jack
Ranking Jack so high seems quite controversial, as many players argue over his appeal. He helps his family run the general store in town, though his salesman skills leave a lot to be desired, and he does admit this himself. Eventually, as the town expands, Jack gets his own little stall where he displays his wooden carvings, but even then, he isn't very good at selling them.
Besides his lacking people skills and many players' desire for him to mature a little, Jack is quite a sweet person with heart events that can be either funny or warming. He may not be everyone's desired romance, but Jack certainly tries, even if it doesn't look like it.
2 Animal Lover Neil
Another DLC added character, Neil, was added to the game from the 3DS title A New Beginning during the Windswept Falls Expansion. This gave players another broody bachelor with a soft spot for fluffy sheep or feathery chickens to romance during their playthrough.
Neil may seem like a tough egg to crack as he is known to act very stubbornly or cold to those he doesn't know, but as seen during his heart events, this facade disappears to show a good-natured man that absolutely adores chickens. Neil is by far one of the best-added bachelors out of the DLCs, with plenty for players to learn and love about him.
1 Emilio The Romantic Fisherman
Players looking for a man that values his family, has a cheerful personality, and a musical skill need to look no further than Emilio. He has a lot of love for life, especially the ocean, and still enough room to love the player too. It's hard to find any faults in him.
Many of his heart events are incredibly heart-warming to watch, as, from the start, he is a kind and sharing person, allowing the player to have the final slice of cheesecake available. This progresses into the player becoming almost a part of Emilio's family and spending an afternoon on the beach while he plays his guitar.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is available now on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC.