GearNuke has shared some interesting nuggets concerning not just one, but two titles from the Harvest Moon franchise. Harvest Moon is a farming simulator, where you run and manage a farm while having some time on the side to develop a friendship which might even end up with walking down the aisle. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has already rated both Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland and Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Special Edition for the Sony PlayStation 4, and this can only mean one thing -- both titles are being prepared for a release among the masses.
The belief that the games’ developer, Natsume, is preparing these titles for a re-release is not misplaced. Do not expect any kind of zany graphics that the Sony PS4 is able to churn out, as these are re-releases of the PS2 classics, making the idea of such games being two console generations old. However, it would be the first Sony PS4 release by Natsume, which goes to show just how much of a back seat the developer has taken over the years. The re-release of these games will also target those who missed out on the re-release on the previous generation Sony PS3, where they appeared on the PlayStation Network then.
Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland was an original title that launched on the Sony PS2 all the way back in 2001, while Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Special Edition is a 2004 title which made its debut on the Nintendo GameCube at first, before being “upgraded” in the form of a Sony PS2 port.
However, do take note that it is pure sweat on your brow and the sun beating your back in Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland since it is one of the rare titles in the series that does not allow you to tie the knot and settle down, as you focus purely on the storyline itself. As for the Special Edition release of A Wonderful Life, you would have a fair share of your harem -- er, potential life partners, in addition to having the choice of selecting your in-game child’s gender, as well as the option to continue playing indefinitely.
Have you played any Harvest Moon titles before? If you have not, then I would strongly recommend that you give either Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland or Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Special Edition a go when they arrive on the PS4. There is no word on pricing details as at press time for Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland and Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Special Edition, but they should not cost a bomb upon availability.
These are non-violent titles that will certainly appeal to both adults and the young ones alike. In fact, Harvest Moon titles basically do not have an ending, and it would also help to greatly improve your management skills as well as placing priorities over the important things in life. The lack of violence or simply being able to have a measurable metric of success might be a turnoff for some, but it is a legitimate time killer that has its benefits for sure.
