The Animal Crossing-like touch-screen controls (drag the stylus in the direction you want to move and pick up items by tapping the screen) are hard to get used to in their slightly imprecise implementation here -- but they're definitely a step up from Harvest Moon DS' awkward setup, even though selecting and using tools is clumsy. Upgrading your house and farm costs quite a bit of money, which takes considerable time to earn early in the game...but opening up and populating the different sections of the island as your farm's exports rejuvenate the local economy makes spending your hard-earned cash rewarding.
The paper-thin storyline (you're shipwrecked on a remote island and decide to put down roots there) may be an inconsequential excuse for you to repeat the same core game of the past 11 years, but some small lessons learned along the way manage to shine through.
Josh from Controller Crusade writes "Anyone who has followed the Harvest Moon franchise since it burst on the scene in 1997 (1996 in Japan) knows the many ups and downs it has endured. The odd thing about Harvest Moon games is that even when they’re not that great they are still incredibly addicting. Depending on what aspect of the games you like to focus on, you’ll enjoy certain titles more than others. Personally I like to mix it up and do a little bit of everything, not pigeon hole myself into one type of task or chore. Here are my personal highs and lows for the Harvest Moon series."
Russ looks at the RPGs heading to North American retailers in November.
411mania talks about this week's game releases. Highlights include Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Cursed Mountain, and Harvest Moon: Magical Melody.