Story of Seasons, 3DS review: A remarkably charming little time-sink

Story of Seasons is literally a Harvest Moon game in everything but name (due to some international ownership rights the game is only part of the Harvest Moon series in Japan).

As you might expect by the name this is an arcadey cutesy farm simulator in which you start your own farm.

There are a variety of different types of farming you can try including crops, livestock and even a safari park.

The challenge comes from trying to keep your farm viable by providing the crops and products that sell for the best price at the right time.

This is done through the trading system in which you trade with different countries; each country prefers a different crop and each will pay a different price depending on the demand or season.

In addition to the farming that provides profit there are also chores to undertake to maintain the farm; the challenge being that you only have so much stamina and can therefore only accomplish so much within a day before you pass out.

There are other mechanics to deal with here too, if you stay up too late doing something then you wake up late and may miss a time-sensitive event.

In addition to all of the farm related activities you are also encouraged to pursue a social life and befriend and even fall in love with the other villagers. This is where the time management really becomes interesting.

Do you try and get the pretty girl to fall in love with you or do you tend the farm. There is not a huge penalty for neglecting one of the other, but it is an interesting allegory for maintaining a good work/life balance.

The game does seem to stutter in places which can be especially distracting with 3D turned on which is a bit disappointing for a game with relatively basic visuals.

For those looking for a relaxing slow burning game to enjoy regularly over a long period Story of Seasons is just that. There’s not much in the way of plot or story but this is a remarkably charming little time-sink.