Harvestella: Square Enix's Take on a Farming Sim

System: PC/Switch

Year: 11/4/2022

ESRB Rating: TEEN

Genre: JRPG/Farming Sim

So by now everyone is trying their hand in the world of the Farming Sim type of game it seems. Some of them are failing at it and some are wildly succeeding at it like Stardew Valley did when it first came out. We all know about what used to be Harvest Moon, but now most of those that used to play that now play Story of Seasons and I will probably do a review later on about each of those to explain the reasons why that is. Some play Rune Factory to have the added factor of combat in an Farming sim game. While others still play Stardew Valley, and there are others that I'm sure that I have forgotten to name here.

This review here isn't looking at any of those, although I'm sure that I will do a review one day on them so don't worry about that because I do love me some Farming Sim games. This review here is to look at Square Enix's take on the beloved Farming Sim genre and to see just how well they did with it. So let's get to that, and I will let you know right off the bat I'm currently on my 3rd playthrough of the game and I own it on both Steam and my Switch so I'm playing it on both.

First off, making your character or picking your character as you generally do in these games. You get to pick what your gender is in the game, which is how people in the game will refer to your character as. The options are male, female or nonbinary; I think having the nonbinary option is a nice option that is added for those that don't want to play as male or female as they don't identity as either. Next you choose from two character models, one looking slightly more female and the other looking slightly more male, and I do mean slightly. After that you choose from a range of hair and eye colors before putting in the name that you want your character to be called.

Then the game will officially start where you will meet what we will call this world's version of the Harvest Goddess. As you play through the game you will of course get your own farm that you will slowly or rather fast, depending on just how quickly you want to advance things in the story and such expand farm. The best way to earn money which is called Grilla in the game, is to do side-quests that appear in the town while you are trying to conquer the main dungeons for each of the chapters to advance the story. The game never feels rushed because you can take your time doing the side-quests and companion quests before advancing the story and completing the dungeon, but that also means that you might be slightly overpowered for the boss, although it never felt that way to me.

There are also what is called F.E.A.R.s in ever dungeon that are majorly over-leveled, so to take them on you will need to grind or just come back later. After completing a dungeon you will head back to your farm only to have a fairy appear that is aligned with one of the following elements; fire, wind, water, or earth; each of them will help on the farm by letting you level up your farming skills in different ways along with some of them expanding your farm like giving you a water biome or cave biome for different seeds.

After getting the first fairy, which is the fire fairy you get to name her and then a book will appear in your home with quests that the fairies want you to complete. Upon completing a number of quests you will get a reward that will either improving your farm, improving your farming skill, or even unlock a crafting recipe for a maker. It is suggested to do them and for the most part you will be doing them anyways, you will just need to check the book every so often to see which ones you have completed.

There are plenty of different people to meet in the game, most of them end up being party member with a few excepts to that being Cres the doctor and Unicorn, along with a few others you meet along the way. Those that do become party members unlock the different classes in the game. Mind you, that you can only ever have 3 classes equip at a time and can only change them out at a save spot or at your farm, so do be careful with which classes you have equip.

This is the same for rings that you equip to your character. I will give you a helpful hint here that the rings you will need for each of the elemental dungeons for the first couple of chapters are sold an the general store in each of the town and run around 500 Grilla a piece. Another helpful hint is to not spend too much on seeds as you will get them from side-quests.

Also early on in the game you will unlock the food side quest for the inns, try to turn those in as quickly as possible as it is quick money as well. Also make sure to by all of the recipes at the general stores along with at least 1 of each of the trees as they will net you money in their season once they grow to full size. Make the makers, at least one of each and having them making stuff each day. Keep bombs, repair kits, and return bells on you at all times; 3 of each at a minimum.

So those are all just some helpful hints that I have learned while playing the game. Now to tell you about some of the story of the game. Most of the time the story is to save the fairies/sprites and the Harvest Goddess then get married = happy ending. This game is a lot darker that than. I will start off by saying that if Square set off to make a darker and more depressing game, they achieved it by a mile. Most of the characters in this game end of having a depressing backstory or having something depressing or dark happen to them. Spoiler ahead, I'm not going to say which character, but a character's whole race sacrifice themselves to save others leaving her by herself and making it to where the party has to fight a version of what is left that is the sorrow and pain of that race. It is sad and depressing. So please don't go into this game thinking that it is going to be a happy game because it isn't going to be at all. Yes, this game will have a happy ending, but to get there the game is very dark and depressing and that is because this game is made for a more mature audience.

I will say that some of the topics that it deals with are definitely not suited for children unless they are playing with an adult near-by or present. At the end of the day, this is a very good game that tackles at lot over all. I will say I didn't have a problem with it not being voiced at all, but there are the parts that are voiced like when you leave or enter your farm and the fairies greet or say goodbye to you that can feel a little weird since the rest of the game isn't voiced. It is the same with the characters talking during fighting, but I'm not really sure why the game wasn't voiced overall.

Overall I would say that Square did a pretty good job for their first try at a Farming Sim game along with deciding to go for the darker and more depressing topics in it. So I rate this game a 4.5/5. Mainly because of the slightly jarring of the not voicing and then all the sudden voices can have on someone.