Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town

What’s the Story?

As in other Harvest Moon titles, kids playing HARVEST MOON: MORE FRIENDS OF MINERAL TOWN start with a run-down, abandoned farm and attempt to build it into a thriving family farm. A frazzled businesswoman, tired of the stress from her city job, sees an ad in the paper for a farm. After she buys it, she's surprised to find the farm far from being operational and even further from being profitable. A lot of hard work is going to be required to make this a successful venture.

There is a lot to be done, much of it every day. Fields need to be cleared, seeds planted, and crops watered, and all of the animals require feeding, brushing, and a friendly chat to keep them happy. There is also an entire town to explore, where players can talk to townspeople, buy things, give gifts -- and even woo a future husband. As the seasons progress, the tasks change, and inevitably players end up with even more animals, crops, and challenges.

Is It Any Good?

This is a tough game to play, and some players may tire of the repetitive tasks. At some point, watering every single plant in the field (with a watering can of all things) seems more like real work than real fun.

But the farming premise feels fresh, as does the focus on time and relationship management. Gameplay reinforces positive social behaviors like honesty, loyalty, and friendship. Finally, the game offers a challenge to even the most dedicated of role-playing gamers. With so much to do -- and so many different paths to take -- the game has a lot of replay potential.