Harvest Moon DS Cute

"Harvest Moon - A challenge?"

This game is great! Unlike the previous titles before it, this game proves more of a challenge in the HM universe, refreshing for a title that was beginning to grow stale for some players.

This game combines two older titles together. Another Wonderful Life and More Friends of Mineral Town. At the beginning of the game you are to answer a few questions to determine which character you will play as: the pig-tail brunette from Another Wonderful Life or the blonde farmer from More Friends of Mineral Town. The choice of character has no effect on the story of the game.

With 6 bachelors in the Valley and 5 more with a connection to Friends of Mineral Town or More Friends of Mineral Town, there are definitely more options. Marriage in DS Cute is more difficult than in some other titles. Not only do you have to have the correct upgrades, but you must rescue the Harvest Goddess, a surprising easy yet grueling process. Each sprite has its own methods of rescue - creating guesswork and some frustration.

After marriage, many options become available to the player that weren't previously in the game. It keeps the role of farming -and new mother- fresh and doesn't dull the game after completing the ultimate quest of marrying your man of choice.

But even with the perks of more bachelors everyday life on the farm becomes more difficult, making the life of a farmer seem more realistic to players. There are even times when you find yourself on the farm more than in town. This is why the aid of harvest sprites are central to this game.

The new style of attaining help from sprites is both useful and bothersome. Unlike other versions help is not free, but they actually give it. In DS Cute, you are required to pay "medals", a special type of currency that can be bought or won in mini games, for those that don't have any gold, to obtain the sprite's service.

In addition to this new system - there are additions from Harvest Moon: DS, such as the ability to change outfits and the addition of having a "Best Friend".

All of these elements combine to give a game that is both entertaining and gives enough of a challenge that can keep the player in their seat for much longer. Definitely a worthwhile buy for a HM fan and new faces alike.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/06/08

Game Release: Harvest Moon DS Cute (US, 03/25/08)