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Hi, I'm Custard and I like to play Harvest Moon. This is my sideblog!

[theoriginoffire]

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[theoriginoffire]

I haven't posted on this sideblog for ages even though I've been keeping up with the franchise - just because I've been really busy and I kinda forgot I had a sideblog!

I just wanted to say though that I think the Grand Bazaar remake is really good and feels like a step in the right direction.

My only real problem is with the proportions of the main character, how facial hair looks kinda dumb on them - some of them look really odd next to their choice of spouse, and I think they could've added at least two more heights or face shapes into character customisation to help with that. But I know this would've also been considerably more modelling work. Constant tutorial popups on how to blow my nose are also a bit annoying, but I'm sure it's helped someone.

In the grander scheme of things though, these are small complaints!

I liked the original game because it had a very cute art style and lots of interesting characters, but I struggled with the bazaar system and just how small the map is, which I think the remake helps with immensely. They overhauled how the bazaar is handled whist keeping the core aspect the same, and it feels so much faster than it did.

The map also feels bigger. It's the same map, so I'm not sure how they managed that, but maybe because of the addition of the mountainside? Nameless NPCs passing through town is a nice touch, it makes things feel alive, especially since you can interact with them a little.

I'm not sure I like a lot of the name changes, but I think some of the design changes were a good call and they're still very true to their original iterations. Arata and Diana are excellent additions in my opinion - they actually feel like they belong in the setting, unlike - well, I'll keep my thoughts bout Jennifer and Brandon away from this post. They have a hand in the story of the game - especially Diana - which I think works well in their favour. (This is also true of Harold.)

I feel like the windmill system and farming is just way easier to do in general, but this might be more to do with menu layouts than anything-? I always love to see coat differences in animals too, so that's made me happy. I've never been a fan of freshness or quality systems, but I don't think it's as hard to manage in this one when you can give stuff to the sprites.

In conclusion - I like game? The fact that it retains so much from the original whilst being a lot more accessible to play is fantastic.

[theoriginoffire]

OH?

CRY ABOUT IT.

[theoriginoffire]

Real talk here are my personal top ten HM/SOS villagers that should’ve been marriage candidates:

10. Mako (To2T)

A lot of people think he’s hot and I guess I can kinda see it? That’s basically the only reason he wiggles his way into the lowest spot on this list. yep

He’s Reina’s uncle though so I TOTALLY understand why you can’t. 

9. Giorgio (SoS)

You can’t marry him because he has a fiancée, so good for him. But he’s also really funny and would make a great marriage candidate. The other two farm rivals are marriageable and, as a matter of fact, they’re my favourite out of the SoS candidates. I  think Giorgio would’ve made a good addition too. 

8. Perry (ToT and AP)

I can see why they didn’t make him marriageable, he’s devoted his life to the … harvest? But given that Alisa got a chance in SI and To2T, I still think it would be neat. granted teeth had to be pulled for that too after IoH like what,.,,, Perry also seems to have a thing for Mira which clearly isn’t going to go anywhere?? idk

7. Bo (ToT and AP)

In the same boat as Perry, really. He’s single, and seems like he could be a potential marriage candidate. I’m very happy with the selection the games already have, but I’d totally save a playthrough for him.

6. Lotus (3oT)

He’s just my type, I guess? I’m not entirely sure what his relationship with Mithra entails, so I can see why he isn’t a candidate. Plenty of decent ones in this game already. BUT I COULD TREAT HIM BETTER

5. Daryll (AWL and DS)

I just think it would be fun. His arc with Leia shows that he’s a good person and it might be a good way for him to develop into someone not-so-creepy regarding his obsession with Flora? 

There are certainly weirder people you can marry in these games…

4. Ayame (ToTT) and  Misaki (PoOT)

They get to share a spot because I want to marry them for the same reason. I’m sure they’re somehow related. Anyway they’re both really cool! They are both very collected people and exude coolness and I want to date them.

3. Jacopo (PoOT)

Because heaven knows I want to marry him way more than any of the marriage candidates in this game whoops!! PoOT is full of hot people and they’re all non marriageable NPCs

2. Charles (HoLV)

I’ve never played HoLV and I know you can only be a dude and straight, and that this guy is on the bad side, but I also think he’s hot. In this essay I will– 

1. Jeff (HM64, FoMT and SoS:FoMT)

OK I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO SAY ‘but Jeff is married to Sasha!!’ well he isn’t in Harvest Moon 64!! He’s your rival for Elli! I know Carl is basically his replacement in magical melody and I love Carl but do you know who I also love? Jeff. As you can see this list is very biased 

Honourable mentions: 

Harris, Cody, Carter (the priest), Eileen, Clemens, Lars and Beth who deserve better than eachother, The Spirit of the Spring, Matsuyuki annnd probably a few others that I know people would like. 

Overall I think it’d be great if SoS would stop pulling the ‘YOUR FARMER JUST TURNED 20′ card, among other things, but I understand I’ve probably outgrown their target demographic. But why does Ford get to whine about how supposedly old he is compared to you while Jacopo is single bc marvelous have pigeonholed me into a timeframe????

Anyway if you got this far thanks for reading! Maybe tell me who you’d want to marry that you can’t? :o 

[theoriginoffire]

WAIT I I FORGOT TO ADD THE OTHER CHARLES

I mean again he's married and has a daughter so that's never happening, but

[theoriginoffire]

Not me not realising there was an actual XSeed Story Of Seasons art competition despite there being multiple posts about it - Ah, it would've just stressed me out anyway. I'm not sure what the prize was, but the winning pieces do look great!

[theoriginoffire]

For the Harvest Moon ask game, 🍀 and 💍!

☘ - Which game was the most fun in your opinion?

For me personally, I think the gameplay I enjoy most is Harvest Moon DS / DS Cute. I can play that game for hours upon hours!

I think all the games are fun, of course, but I really like the way DS uses its main quest - I like collecting the sprites by doing various tasks. My only complaint is that for 100% completion, some of the requirements are a bit TOO out there! Still, I have very fond memories of this one.

Magical Melody has a similar gameplay feature, collecting notes, which I also enjoy. I think that level of collection is more manageable, but I still think DS is 'the most fun'. This is actually different to my all-time favourite, Animal Parade, because while I prefer the game's features overall I think the 'funness' of the quests could be streamlined a bit.

💍 - First bachelor/ette you married?

MARIAAAAA, I GOTTA SEE HER

OK but now that SNES has come to Nintendo Online I'm definitely going to be marrying her again. I've married Eve and Nina on other playthroughs, and I'd like to marry Ellen and Ann sometime, but I keep going back to Maria because she's my favourite. She's a bit different in Magical Melody though, I've not married her in that...

SNES must have been an early time for videogames, because never again has a character bold facedly asked me if I believed in God as a Yes/No prompt.

If I try to cast my mind back, I think the first bachelor I married was probably ... Pierre? I didn't play Mineral Town until much later, and the only way I could play DS Cute for ages was on emulator. It would've been Carl if I had the means, I still tried to propose to him as a dude :(

[theoriginoffire]

🐣 - Favorite animal in game?

🎁 - Favorite NPC?

🐣 - Favourite animal in game? Ok so while it is very tempting to go

DUCK DUCK DUCK OMG LOOK AT THE DUCKS IN AP I LOVE DUCKS SO MUCH THEY'RE MY FAVOURITE

I'm also going to give an honourable shoutout to my favourite BARN animal in that game, the Ostrich. I mean the cows are absolutely adorable and they're my favourite in the series, but Animal Parade and Tree of Tranquillity gave us the closest thing to a Chocobo I can have. (Silkworms are also a pretty cool addition.) ....I don't think I've ever actually bought one because of the barn limit, though. I should endeavour to change that.

🎁 - Favourite NPC?

This is tough. I rather controversially like Moriya (from Trio of Towns) as he has quite an interesting backstory, but I have also gone on at length about how I want to marry Jeff (various titles).

I'm going to try and exclude them this time and pick my favourite NPC from, oohhh.... Grand Bazaar.

Lauren is pretty cool--okay, I hear you, HOW DARE YOU PICK ONE TWIN AND NOT THE OTHER--I do like them both, but I relate to Lauren more than Cindy. They're a pretty typical twin trope of one being outgoing and the other being reserved, but I like it here, and they have a cute design. It's a trope for a reason, they play off eachother well.

I also think Marian is sweet (running the cafe with her grandma!!!), as well as her dynamic with Raul.

[harvestmoon-confessions]

So this blog isn't as sparse, here's a Harvest Moon ask game!

☀️ - What was your first Harvest Moon game?

💍 - First bachelor/ette you married?

🌙 - Favorite Harvest Moon game?

💕 - Favorite bachelor/ette in the series?

🐣 - Favorite animal in game?

🎁 - Favorite NPC?

💫 - Least favorite NPC?

☘ - Which game was the most fun in your opinion?

💐 - Most overrated bachelor/ette in your opinion?

🌾 - Crops or livestock?

🐟 - Fishing or mining?

🐾 - Favorite pet in the series?

[theoriginoffire]

If you haven’t heard yet, Harvest Moon SNES is now available on Nintendo Switch Online! This is very exciting! If you’ve already got online for your switch, I would absolutely recommend giving it a play. 

[theoriginoffire]

Don’t get me wrong, I’m TRYING to court Griffin, but how do I tell him that Gustafa also invited me out for a walk this morning?!?

[beautifulbabyfarmingsimulator]

Harvest Moon 64 Bacherlotte transparent icons

Artwork from the “Ranch Story 2 Happiness Strategy Book” by Michi Michiru and Shioya Teruko

[theoriginoffire]

Elli your textbox may be broken but absolutely

[theoriginoffire]

Aw, cute detail.

[theoriginoffire]

I didn’t know they had different reactions for gifting accessories 🥺

Edit: I think I've just previously been giving her gifts I thought were Loved but they're actually just Liked - EITHER WAY I've never seen this dialogue so 🥺

[theoriginoffire]

Continuing my last thought: I’d consider marrying Matthew but I don’t know how weird it’s going to be - like, that’s not Marlin. I can’t pretend that’s Marlin. It’s like his younger brother or something. With Gustafa I can still believe it and Rock hasn’t changed but . This is a different guy,

I never really vibed with how Marlin so very obviously wanted to be with Celia instead, but I’ll have to see how the remake handles it.

[theoriginoffire]

 I know I haven’t posted to this sideblog in awhile but I am definitely planning on getting the AWL remake. The original sadly didn’t capture my attention for very long because of the gameplay - I think the cutscenes and dedication to the timeline are amazing, of course, but I never got past the first year. 

How dare cows behave like real ones, am I right ? Either way, I’m looking forward to trying it out with a new coat of paint, though I’m pretty sure a few people aren’t going to like the changes (character design, particularly). 

I’m not sure who I’m going to marry. I’ve been thinking Gordy, since his content will be entirely new, but I wish they’d played more into the artist aspect than this weird sports aesthetic he’s got going on. Sporty is probably one of my least favourite styles, it was a problem I had when I married Rod ... but if it still gives you multiple save files, I suppose I won’t have to put too much thought into my choice!

...wish I had more time to play, though. I’ve been playing Harvestella for the moment and I still have a ton of other games to finish (still not married in either RF5 file, haven’t finished marrying Elise in 3DS, etc.). I have a job now too though - I guess all I can do is say ‘I’ll finish them eventually’.

pls marvellous give me the leia dlc

[llavender-prince]

harvest moon/story of seasons fans. would u like to take a survey of thoughts on the series. here is one of those.