Harvest Moon: Back to Nature
1999
- role-playing (rpg)
- simulator
- business
- single player
The story
Natsume's farm simulation series makes its debut on the PlayStation with Harvest Moon: Back to Nature. It is the first Harvest Moon game for a non-Nintendo console. Starting with a few rudimentary implements and very little money, players begin the arduous task of reviving their grandfather's farm and thereby claiming their place as its rightful heir. Players are given three years to achieve this goal. A year consists of four seasons, each of which lasts 30 days. Different crops can be planted each season, but before the seeds can be planted, the land must be cleared and then the soil tilled. Seeds must also be watered until the fruit or vegetable matures. Once the crops are ready for harvest, they can be placed in a shipping bin where they'll be collected and paid for. In addition to farming, players will interact with local villagers and partake in seasonal events such as the Tomato Festival and Fireworks Display. As more money is earned, players can expand their farm and begin to raise livestock such as chickens and cows.
What it’s like
Bright, storybook sprite art in a top-down view, with sunlit green fields, blue skies, and seasons that shift the whole palette from fresh spring greens to orange autumn and white winter. The soundtrack is a loop of cheerful, uncomplicated tunes that rise and fall with the day. The vibe is warm, unhurried, and low-stakes, a good fit for a lazy weekend morning, a long-haul flight, or background company while cooking. Its rhythm is methodical: each day brings a short loop of clearing, tilling, watering, and carrying crops to the shipping bin, punctuated by village visits and seasonal festivals like fireworks nights and tomato celebrations. Relationships with townsfolk build slowly through gifts and small talk, with romance and a family-life thread arriving gradually rather than dramatically. There is no combat, violence, gore, or threat, and the only pressure is the gentle clock of a three-year deadline. It suits players who enjoy patient, cozy routines, tending something over time, and watching a neglected place slowly come back to life.
More games like Harvest Moon: Back to Nature
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Harvest Moon: Back to Natureand we’ll explain which ones fit you.
