Harvest Moon GB

"If you have patience, take a look at this game"

The surprisingly popular Harvest Moon series has its second game take place on Game Boy. It’s a worthy addition to the family that now includes an SNES game, two Game Boy (and GBC) games, an N64 game, and (I think) a PSX game. This version is definitely not the best, and it has several flaws, but if you liked any of the other games, you’re almost sure to like this one too. However, you cannot get a wife in this game, which is a serious drawback, as it was a very fun aspect of the SNES version. However, as usual, there are plenty of crops to grow, and many, many tools that you can earn.

Graphics: 70/100
This game displays very good graphics for the old Game Boy. You, the farmer, are big enough, and the details, such as the crops, and the inside of your house, are excellent. While it seems too dark at night, it’s not unbearable, and the superior details definitely make up for that shortcoming. You can tell the difference between most of the crops, and grass and weeds, the rocks and wood stumps don’t look bad, and the inside of the tool shed, the underground, and the cow barn look very, very good. A very nice job by the game developers.

Play control: 60/100
The farmer moves fast enough, when you run with the B button. Too bad the horse doesn’t move any faster than when you run. Anyway, problems arise when you’re switching tools, which can be confusing, when you’re shipping crops on your saddlebags on your horse, when you “accidentally” miss, and when you try to plant crops, when the seeds don’t go in the places you plowed. But using the tools is easy, your movements are fine, and everything else is okay. Another minor complaint is that you can hold only two tools at one time. It would have been easier to extend this to three or four so that your repetitive trips to the tool shed are cut down, but again, you have to be patient here. So, the controls score is above average, because the good points outweigh the bad, but not by that much.

Sound/Music: 45/100
The sound is kind of helpful, but it’s very simple, and you can live without it. The music though, might want to make you pull your hair out. For all of spring, there is one song, unless you go into town, which has the same song all year! For each season, there is just one song, with the only exceptions as the underground, and the town. Some of the music isn’t bad, but listening to it over and over is too annoying.

Gameplay: 55/100
In this game, you are a farmer, determined to turn your ruined farm into a success for the ghost of your grandfather, who checks in at the end of each year. At the beginning, it’s really good, as you start to clear the land, plow it, and finally plant crops and pick them to earn some cash. Soon, you’ll buy a sprinkler that will help you water the grass in half the time. Then, you’ll get a horse, and eventually be able to buy saddlebags, so that you can ship crops on your horse, instead of running to the bin every day. You can also buy and raise chickens and cows. Chickens lay eggs that give you a little money, but cows give milk, which will help your profits much more. Yet, this gets so repetitive and boring after a while, you might lose the desire to play it. In fall and winter, almost every day is the same, and the seasons feel like they’re so much longer, which is why gameplay/enjoyment gets a slightly above average score. Repetition and lack of variety seriously hurt this game. What should have been included is the finding a wife part of the game which would add the fun and variety this game so badly needs. Luckily, if you do well, eventually you can get some really cool tools like an umbrella that makes it rain whenever you want, so you don’t have to water plants, a pick axe so that you can get to new areas in the Underground, and a Fishing Rod so that you can catch some fish! So patience is rewarded with some really cool tools, but the key word here is patience. If you aren’t patient with this game, you’ll never get anything at all out of it.

Replay Value: Average
If you manage to stay with the game, and have your grandfather make you a harvest master, you just might want to replay the game. This is especially so because you will also get new tools that will make the gameplay much more interesting. Otherwise, I seriously doubt you’d want to try again.

Challenge: High
The challenge in this game is becoming a harvest master, which isn’t easy. You’ll have to clear land, ship tons of crops, make tons of money, and still remain happy. What adds to the challenge is that you have to be extremely patient in order to get the most out of this game. If you lack patience, I warn you, do not pick up this game.

Good Points:
Lots of crops and tools.
Chickens and Cows add some variety.
Excellent graphics.

Bad Points:
Lack of variety and repetition.
Annoying, repetitive music.
You can’t find a wife.

Overall: 58/100
While the repetition bogs Harvest Moon down, it can be fun if you really liked the first game, (and the others). But if you’re an action fan, definitely skip it because you’ll literally fall asleep. And if you have little to no patience, don’t pick this up. RPG fans with patience should take a look, but be careful of the lack of variety later in the game.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 02/24/01, Updated 02/24/01