HARVESTELLA

Harvestella is the quintessential example of the maxim of “More than the sum of its parts.” Each specific part of the game it self leaves something to be desired. Often these issues are even easy fixes but ultimately keep every specific part of the game one of the worst within its genre. Yet, I genuinely loved it, loved playing it, even as most of what I will say here sounds like me ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ about it. Harvestella is sold on the idea that its Stardew valley with final fantasy like elements. This is totally untrue, the farming sim aspect is really secondary to the JRPG core. The farming itself can be astifying, the games crops are beautiful as is their meals and I will say if you invest time into any of the farm sim system it will pay dividens. This is no stardew in the sense of there being money traps like animals early on. If you invest in your farm it will pay back. However, strictly none of it is needed. A friend of mine barely farmed outside of paying for upgrades to their own player and the materials to make healing serums. No instead this is a JRPG with a farming system really loosely tacked on. The story barely addresses it, the story vibe and side quests feel less about meeting your community and relaxing on at the farm, instead it feels more like Nier Replicant but if the farming in that game was more expansive. This has its positives, it does something with its side quests that only really Nier and the Witcher I trust to really do, almost all of them follow evolving story lines with the same characters in problems related to your previous. Sometimes the writing is boring, sometimes its surprisingly meaningful, but usually it will invest you when you're on side quest 3 on a side quest chain. Honestly the Nier Replicant comparison is so apt it hurts. Both in its main story which is much more concerned with the secret scifi elements, which to be fair is the strong part of the narrative, than the low key farming world. Frustrating part is, the real time combat just isn’t good either. The game is in desperate need of a dedicated dodge button and mechanic, there is something like it for specific jobs, but it barely works and is super finicky. As is the hit boxes for enemy attacks, many are just, if they preform the animation, the damage is dealt. The mechanics are decided by smartly switching jobs, who your team mates are, and slamming juice when needed. All of that is decided at the start of the dungeon crawl, within it, its mindless. It reminds me of old mmo combat, but without the multiplayer aspect to keep its life going. Then there is the Cozy Town elements key to games like stardew valley are sadly stripped down. You get your party members whose stories can be really compelling (Dainthus, Aria, Emo) to horrendous (Istania, Brakka, Unicorn) and sadly the romance elements while the characters are compelling feels like an afterthought. The Town never gets to really be a character like in the genres cousins, and could do with tighter focus. Not to mention bugs, like despite trying for days never catching a single legendary fish, the weird AI bugs on the FEARS especially, whom seem to only notice, you and reset if you manage to have your companions tank for a few seconds. (Rendering my favorite class, Avenger, useless in the end game) Despite all of this, it comes together to be addictive and compelling in weird ways. Maybe its the beautiful look of the game, the compelling scifi elements. The Omen who are just kinda awesome in concept and execution, the whole second act of the game. It all just comes together and makes me smile. More than anything I wish this game could get a sequel to just tighten up things with small changes. Maybe set on Lost Gaia trying to recolonize it. Focus on the one town your making, add a dodge button to the combat. Have building up the town with your farm actually part of the point of getting up each day. Harvestella is good despite each part separated out failing, but failing in such redeemable ways it begs for a second try. Tragically, seems like this game is bound to be a forgotten game in its genre.