Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town Critic Reviews

Overall, the game very much feels like the very best of the original Harvest Moon title mixed with the newer mechanics and ideas that have been developed in the Story of Seasons franchise. It's a perfect mesh of old and new that feels well pitched for both veterans and newcomers to enjoy. If you're looking for a relaxing game to calm your mind at the end of the day, then Story Of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is here to fill that gap.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town, I’m happy to report, strips away the fat, leaving behind the sort of lean mean farming title fans crave. The new additions and streamlining made an already fantastic experience on the GBA into a near-perfect one on the Switch.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a remake that builds on the original in all the right ways, and is recommended for anyone looking for a quaint, charming farm story to sink some time into. In some ways it may be shallow and a little outdated, but overall it makes for a lovely experience.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is the most charmingly twee thing on the Nintendo Switch. It is bright, colourful, wholesome, sweet, and, for people that remember the original on the Game Boy Advance, nostalgic. Story of Seasons encapsulates the desire that many have to retreat to a "simpler life" of wholesome work and earned reward. It's also a magnificent parallel - in an industry that is so drenched in extreme, unquestioned violence, sex, anger, terror, drugs and "serious themes", this game is a rare retreat and opportunity to reset. It's a reminder that it's okay for games to be warm-spirited... and that's a sadly rare thing these days.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is the perfect farming simulation for Switch. It eases you into the genre but provides tons of special events and milestones to hit for those who invest the most time into it. There are more than enough reasons to make this your first entry in the series or revisit Mineral Town again.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is simple and charming, but beneath the rather basic gameplay loop hides some surprisingly deep secrets. It brings back elements of farming games past, including marriage rivals and transient characters, while providing some major quality of life updates as well as a more freedom, such as limited character customization and a truly bizarre variety of farmyard pets. It’s a cozy, welcoming little village, sure to charm any farming fan.

A relaxing game, a brilliant remake, and if you like farming games you’ll be happy as a pig in mud.

For someone who generally shies away from more casual games such as Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town, it really did a lot to win me over. I was surprised by just how much there is to do in Mineral Town, and as a result, I often found myself mapping out a to-do list for the following day. There’s always something to work towards, be it growing crops, improving tools, or starting a relationship, and this really helped things from getting too stale. Between the laid-back gameplay and cutesy art style, Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town has renewed my appreciation of more casual games. It is definitely a game I will return to time and time again when I need to de-stress.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is the ideal Story of Seasons experience. It may lack some of the unique ideas from later games in the franchise, but it captures the fun of farming simulators. It can be repetitive and too easy to earn money, but you'll hours spending hours exploring mines and perfecting your crops. Additionally, the Switch version retains the portability of the original GBA title, so FoMT is an excellent Story of Seasons experience for newcomers and long-term fans alike.

Despite its simple appearance in how it looks and the game mechanics, Story of Seasons Friends of Mineral Town is a superb remake, filled with many tasks to do that help the farm grow in all areas. Farming games are much beloved for what they offer, the wide variety of crops and handful of animals mean there is rarely a dull moment, unless it's a season like Winter, due to the absence of crops. There is no doubt that this remake delivers an enjoyable farming experience that provides countless hours of game play. It is a joy to relax with and be immersed by a simpler life compared to reality, with various town events throughout the year providing extra entertainment, sometimes with a trophy to be won, and the addictive tasks necessary on a farm.

The gameplay feels well-polished and each character will have you wanting to learn more about them. The very few hiccups I encountered as far as gameplay goes were nothing to keep me from enjoying the game immensely. It would be great to have just a few more quality of life changes, sure, but as far as what’s already in Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town, you can expect on the most enjoyable RPGs I’ve ever encountered. If ever there were a time to get away to a farm and lost in the mines, it’s now, and with a game like Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town you might just find exactly the escape you need.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town might not re-invent the wheel, but it's an excellent reminder why the formula the original helped create is so beloved and long-lasting.

Who says you can never go home again? Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral town takes an already great game in the storied franchise and throws it into HD, with a hefty bushel of new content along for the ride. Whether you're a nostalgic veteran like me or a greenhorn just starting out, Mineral Town is a worthy addition to your Switch library.

Story of Seasons Friends of Mineral Town is a wonderful return to the past that gives a good facelift to the original Game Boy Advance game. Despite not taking risks, its formula is very successful and delighted to all lovers of farm simulators, management and RPGs.

This remake of a Gameboy Advance classic will hopefully find some new followers on this newer system. The easy-going, laid back, open-world style might not be the perfect fit for everyone. The game's tried-and-true formula, with short calendar days, seems to be a prime fit for short gameplay stints, especially for people who have busy lives.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is as perfect a remake of the Gameboy Advance classic as you can imagine.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town takes a while to reveal its charms. The pace may put players not familiar with the rhythm of farming and relationship sims off, but for those invested they will be treated to a lovely, relaxing slice of idyllic rural life.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a 3D remake of a game from a former generation and it's fair to say it picks up everything that made the original enjoyable and builds up on it, making this a work that's thoroughly recommended for all tastes. Whether it's doing menial seeding and plowing tasks or bonding with other villagers, Friends of Mineral Town is filled with lovely moments that make even the most routine actions feel like something to look forward to.

Friends of Mineral Town remains an engaging, warm and homey experience.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a must-play for both fans of the franchise, and gamers in love with farming oriented life-sims. It doesn't opt to break new ground, but instead play to its strengths, leaning on what made the experience great 17 years ago.