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Harvest Moon DS Cute Review for the Nintendo DS (NDS)

Harvest Moon DS Cute Review for the Nintendo DS (NDS)

Can’t…Stop…Farming!

The Harvest Moon series is addictive. It ranks up with Animal Crossing and the Sims in terms of sucking you into its world and not letting you go. Every time I pick up a Harvest Moon Title, I know that I’m going to have to seriously clear my schedule because it is time to farm. But the magic of the Harvest Moon series does not lie in the tedium of taking care of livestock or growing crops, but in its intricacy of gameplay. There’s just so much to do!

Harvest Moon DS Cute screenshot

In addition to the essentials concerning your plants and livestock, you have to go out and participate in community events, hire people to help you with your farm, and of course, find a suitable partner and have a family. There is so much to the Harvest Moon games that it is almost overwhelming at first, but this has largely been a good thing for the series.

Harvest Moon DS Cute largely follows this trend of engaging and lengthy gameplay. For those who have already played Harvest Moon DS, Harvest Moon DS Cute is essentially the same. The only real difference here is that you play as a girl instead of a boy. And of course all the trappings of being a girl are developed in this title: finding a boyfriend, becoming a wife, and even having children are all a part of this title. And while all these female-centric features enhance the gameplay, it really isn’t that different from Harvest Moon DS.

Harvest Moon DS Cute screenshot

The story in Harvest Moon DS Cute, however, is quite different. The game begins with the Harvest Goddess looking after your character’s sleeping body and remarking about how lazy and useless you are. The Harvest Goddess resolves to give up on you completely, even though she made a promise to your late father to oversee your agricultural development. But then the Harvest King pops his head in and hears this and casts a spell on the Harvest Goddess and all her little Harvest Sprites. The Harvest King seals them away for their insolence, and the only way to free them is by proving the Harvest Goddess wrong and succeeding at farm life.

The graphics in Harvest Moon DS Cute are pretty good and feature sprite-based people and a very bright and vibrant color palate. It definitely isn’t the best game in the visual department, but the graphics get the job done and are mainly inoffensive. Sound in this title is also very mediocre and doesn’t really excel above the average level. There are a few tunes that loop as you play, but the voiceovers are nonexistent, and the sound effects are minimal. These two technical areas are definitely a disappointment, but I can’t say I really expected all that much from these two technical facets of the game.

Harvest Moon DS Cute screenshot

One aspect of Harvest Moon DS Cute that I definitely take issue with, and definitely did expect more from, is the control. When developers make great games for the Nintendo DS, there are generally two ways they configure the control: either with only the stylus or only buttons. There are a few games that break these control schemes effectively, but I find that these are the exception rather than the rule.

Harvest Moon DS Cute screenshot

Generally it has been my experience that the button-stylus jiggle never really works, and Harvest Moon DS Cute relies on this. Almost any action you take in the game relies on you pressing buttons AND using the stylus. This gets really agitating after a while because actions end up taking much longer than they have to, and anyone who plays the Harvest Moon series knows that time is extremely valuable. The flawed control scheme is probably the most aggravating aspect of the game, and I believe that this title would be improved exponentially if the control scheme were fixed.

One aspect of Harvest Moon DS Cute that I definitely take issue with, and definitely did expect more from, is the control. When developers make great games for the Nintendo DS, there are generally two ways they configure the control: either with only the stylus or only buttons. There are a few games that break these control schemes effectively, but I find that these are the exception rather than the rule. Generally it has been my experience that the button-stylus jiggle never really works, and Harvest Moon DS Cute relies on this. Almost any action you take in the game relies on you pressing buttons AND using the stylus. This gets really agitating after a while because actions end up taking much longer than they have to, and anyone who plays the Harvest Moon series knows that time is extremely valuable. The flawed control scheme is probably the most aggravating aspect of the game, and I believe that this title would be improved exponentially if the control scheme were fixed.

Although it has more than a few snags in the technical department, Harvest Moon DS Cute still has a good amount of appeal, especially for die-hard fans of the series. In addition to the gameplay, which favors a pre-existing knowledge of all things Harvest Moon, longtime fans of the series will also be privy to several extras that are unlocked if you still own either of the GameBoy Advance Harvest Moon titles. In addition to more challenges, popping in the vintage game carts will also open up new suitors in the game, which is definitely a good thing if you’re like me and like to keep your suitor options as wide open as possible!

Harvest Moon DS Cute definitely doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It still retains the same farming-type gameplay that nearly every Harvest Moon title has, but if you’re expecting something other than farming from a Harvest Moon title, then you have been misinformed. Harvest Moon DS Cute is a simple but engaging title that will pull you right back in to the farming lifestyle, and if you’re like me you’ll find yourself addicted all over again in no time!

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 3.0 Graphics
Pretty standard sprite graphics don’t really look bad, but they are far from outstanding. 2.5 Control
The stylus and button fumble get a little confusing, and the controls definitely could have been streamlined. 3.0 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Music is largely generic and non-descript. No voiceovers are present, and sound effects are minimal. 4.0

Play Value
If you can’t get enough of Harvest Moon or this is your first Harvest Moon title, you will have loads of fun. But if you’re looking for something different, Harvest Moon Cute does little to switch up the formula.

3.5 Overall Rating – Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • Raise Cows, Sheep, Chickens, and Ducks!
  • Plant and grow a variety of crops and trees!
  • Change you clothes and decorate the interior of your house!

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