Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon

"Innocent Life - Change of Pace for the PSP"

With a lineup of popular action-packed games like Killzone:Liberation, Metal Gear Solid:Portable Ops and the GTA Stories series, not to mention seemingly hundreds of generic racers, the PSP has the fast-paced department covered. But Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon provides a great alternative to those looking for something different. Its peaceful yet addictive gameplay will have dust sitting on your other games for months.

Story - 6/10
Basically you play as a robotic adolescent who strives to turn a sealed-off plain of rocks into a thriving, happy farm. You have been created by a local scientist, 'Dr Hope', on a generic South Pacific island. You are a young robot, and have much to learn of human life! The story jarringly ekes its way along, with such gaps as why the land was sealed off from human use simply left out. By no means no modern masterpiece, but at least there's no total lack of story like many PSP titles (Need For Speed Most Wanted 5-1-0).

Graphics - 8/10
The graphics of Innocent Life are serene and believable. Character motions are seamless and you'll find yourself still enjoying them even after you've pulled up your thousandth weed or tilled yet another piece of earth. Colours are vibrant; backgrounds are low-detail but set the scene very well. Plant and animal life is somehow cutesy and entertaining.

Controls - 10/10
The controls are extremely simple and make good use of the PSP's button layout. Movement is easy and there are no 'invisible walls'. You'll never find yourself accidentally watering the wrong piece of vegetation due to bad controls in this game.

Sound - 10/10
The sound in Innocent Life is excellent. The music illustrates the setting and mood well without being overbearing. It is laid-back and usually contains a homey, acoustic sound which pairs well with the game's farm-life setting. Sound effects are smooth and plentiful.

Gameplay - 9/10
Innocent Life could very well make you seriously think about farming for a living - that's how good it makes it look. The game is very open with a loose objective. You can choose whether to stay inside all day watching the Cooking Channel on your HDTV (provided by the Banks corporation), to work in the fields until your robot back is sweating and sore, or to go into town and mingle with the townsfolk (including anyone from a Mayor to a school-child). There are constant hazards to your precious farm, including pests, rocks, weeds and weather. The day-by-day system is well-thought-out and works well. You can skillup various fields of your character (ie Love, Intelligence, Cooking) by sleeping each night, depending on what you do during the day.

Overall - 9/10
Innocent Life is a totally different game for most players. Fans of the Harvest Moon series will drool over the PSP's graphics and control system. Innocent Life stays true to its series; Natsume adheres to the mantra 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'. I recommend this as a definite buy - it is a great game with lots of playtime.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/06/07