Harvest Moon 64 was a great game, but 1999 was a long time ago, and since then the series has failed to recapture the magic that made the iconic Nintendo 64 entry to special.
Now that Natsume has taken over stewardship of the Harvest Moon name, the publisher/developer seems intent on turning the series around with this retro-inspired iOS release, Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories.
“Fans have been asking for a full, console-style Harvest Moon on mobile platforms, and we are happy to satisfy that wish today for iOS users,” said Hiro Maekawa, president and CEO of Natsume, in a recent statement to MobileSyrup. “Fans will find Seeds of Memories has all of the things they love about classic Harvest Moon games, and is now easily accessible on their smartphone or tablet.”
The game seems like a return to the series roots, with a focus on revitalizing a farm, befriending villagers, catching fish and of course, raising animals.
Natsume claims this iOS entry in the series was developed with fan feedback related to the last few entries in the franchise, and that Seeds of Memories is a return to Harvest Moon’s origins.
Unfortunately for long time fans of the series, Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories’ art style is less than stellar, opting for a top-down viewpoint rather than the isometric perspective of fan favourite HM games like Harvest Moon 64 and Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
The most recent Harvest Moon game worth playing is called Story of Seasons. Marvelous Entertainment, the developer behind the series, left its original publisher, Natsume, and started its own lighthearted farming series, Story of Seasons. Natsume owns the rights to the Harvest Moon name and released the abysmal Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley, last year.
It’s unclear if Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories actually marks a positive turn for the storied Harvest Moon name. If the game’s wonky control scheme – which lacks an on-screen keyboard and requires players tap individual tiles, is any indication – Seeds of Memories might not be worth checking out.
Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories is available on iOS for $11.99. Natsume plans to release an Android version of the game at some point in the near future.
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