Game review- Harvest Moon Friends of Mineral Town for Game Boy Advance

Harvest Moon is a series of Farm-Simulation games by Natsume.

In Harvest Moon frineds of Mineral Town, you are a guy, who used to stay with his grandpa on a farm. However, now when you return to the farm after you receive a letter from the Town Mayor, you find that the farm is in a state of utter ruin. The mayor tells you taht it is now your duty to restore the farm to its former glory. So you become a farmer.

Your job is to plant crops. All seasons have different crops. You can also sell wild weeds, and other thinsg to make money. You will also have to buy and rear livestock (hens, sheep and cows) and sell their products too. Apert from that, you can make your house bigger and then have a kitchen in which you can cook and sell various recipies.

All this, is only a part of the game. Unlike many other games, you are not a lone wolf farmer restricted to your farm. Beyond your farm is a whole town! You can meet townpeople there. There is a church, an ironmonger, an inn, a placw hich sells seeds and all and many other houses. You are supposed to get along with all the townsfolk. The main objective of the game is to, however, court a girl and raise a family (that includes children). You can choose from five or six different girls and then give them things they love everyday and talk to them to court them. In the course of your relationship, you will also have many events and grow to like each other even more.

There is even a mine for you to explore which contains many ores and precious metals which can be used for making jewelery and tools for your farm. And that is not all! You can also befriends harvest sprites (smalll elf like creatures) and make them help you in watering, harvesting and selling your plants as well as caring for your animals.

This is a very unique game but action players might find it a bit sedentary. I shoudl tell you that this is a game which often has extreme views- some just hate it and some can't get enough of it. I am the latter. You can play it to see whether it is your type of game or not.

Ratings-
Story-4.3
Graphics-4
Sound-4
Gameplay-4.2

Pros
A farm and love simulation game
Unique twist to gardening theme
Lovable characters
Engaging gameplay

Cons
Might be boring for lovers of hardcore fighting
Does not have a clear objective and has no end; continues indefinately (Even when you court the girl, marry her and have children, the game doesn't end. Also, it is optional to court the girl)

For a walkthrough, you can go to Ushi no Tane at http://www.fogu.com/hm/