Harvest Moon: Back to Nature

Harvest Moon: Back to Nature is the next installment of the popular series of unusual representatives jRPGs, in which the player takes on the role of a young farmer, trying to turn a neglected farm into a well-developed and profitable farm. This installment was the first to be published on PS1.

Story

As in most Harvest Moon games, in Back to Nature the player takes on the role of a young man who inherits from his grandfather a dilapidated homestead and decides to transform it into a prosperous farm. This time, however, the mayor of Mineral Town, where the action takes place, puts an ultimatum - in order to be able to stay in the area, the farm must be fully renovated within three years, otherwise the protagonist will have to leave it. An additional aim for the young man is to find his childhood friend whom he promised to meet again years ago.

Mechanics

Harvest Moon: Back to Natureis a typical representative of the franchise. The main tasks of the player include gradual expansion of the farm and gaining the friendship of the local residents, among which you can even find wife of your choice for the protagonist and start a family with her. As far as farm development is concerned, the main way to obtain the funds required for this purpose is agriculture - planting seeds, watering plants and finally harvesting crops for sale. With time, it is also possible to breed animals or work in a mine.

An important factor influencing gameplay is the day and night cycle. In order for the farm to prosper, the player has to take care of animals and plants every day, but this consumes limited energy resources - these can be regenerated through sleep. The fun is also hindered by seasonal changes and various events such as snowstorms and hurricanes.

Last updated on March 14, 2020