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Harvest moon: tree of tranquility reviewSep 07, 2010 I really love this game. I played a much older version of harvest moon before and am glad to have a more updated game now! I really like how the seasons progress, one minute its fall with leaves of every shade, then the next its all white! I really like that the music changes with every new season. I love so much about this game! I am very happy with my purchase!
My favorite Harvest Moon title!Aug 24, 2010 Just so that you are aware of my experience with Harvest Moon before I begin, I have been playing since the PS2 releases (AWL and StH), and since, I have played MM on Gamecube, Harvest Moon DS (and Cute), and this title. I've been familiar with the series and enjoying it immensely for about 5 years.
When this title came out, I was honestly expecting the monotony that seemed to accompany a lot of the non-Nintendo system releases of HM. I was disappointed with game releases on Wii as a whole, but decided to pick this up when it was on sale anyway.
How wrong I was! This game has so much depth and activity that I can get lost in the days for hours and hours! The progression through your life has so much variety - in the beginning, it's difficult to make money (as it should be!) and you have to primarily forage and work part-time jobs to get going. Once you have a decent stock of money, you can really start with your crops and animals. There is always something more to achieve! Building onto your house, clearing the rainbow events which can require rare items that take planning to obtain, finding your power berries, and growing your relationships!
From the beginning of my play time, I've developed interesting stories through the events with others that I can relay to those who don't find me to be too incredibly geeky. For example, during the Harvest Festival, I had been planning the dish I would make for an entire season (I don't like using guides when I'm playing through HMs the first couple of times) and decided to go with the 'Shark Fin Soup'! I just knew that it would be a great hit since it was rather difficult to fish sharks evidently, but I only got a bronze medal! I was trying to court the gourmet bachelor, Chase, at the time, and was disappointed that I couldn't impress him with my culinary skill. :(
So, now that I've expressed how much fun I have with this game, on to the technical stuff: the graphics are, obviously, quite lackluster, but it's Wii (and it's also Harvest Moon... what kind of graphics do you expect?) HM:ToT is a prime example of how looks matter way less than the gameplay. Some of the sound effects are quite annoying (during storms, it sounds like someone is flushing a particularly large toilet repeatedly) and a few of the controls are shaky; it's VERY easy to mess up your throws if you aren't careful, so be prepared to waste a bag or two of seeds and some stamina in the beginning. Due to the complexity of some of the controls and the story, I wouldn't recommend this title for most kids under 10 years of age. Load times between small areas are a bit disconcerting since the world isn't really that big, but it's not a huge turnoff for me.
I could rave a lot more about how fun this game is, but I think everyone should at least rent and play it for a bit themselves - you won't be able to resist!
Pretty GoodJun 18, 2010 I love Harvest Moon, I've been playing since Harvest Moon 64 came out. I bought this game because I just got a Wii and I wanted to get a game for it. It's not a bad Harvest Moon game. Not as good as the original, but still pretty fun.
I feel like the day goes by quickly in game, which is good for those who want to get on with their lives and don't want to spend too much time playing each day. So to me I wouldn't necessarily say that's a bad thing. But, compared to Animal Parade it could seem very rushed. (I've only read about AP.)
One thing I don't like is how it lags sometimes in certain areas, I'm not sure if that's just my Wii or if that's the game. Other than that and a few glitches, this game is very addicting! It could be better though.
Edit: I've been playing this for almost 2 years (in the game), which means I'm almost on my third year and I just noticed something else they could try to improve on...the lines of the characters. I'm married in the game and the guy always says the same thing, even when it's suppose to be a special day. It's just repetitive and kind of annoying. It would be nice if, like in HM64, they would say something different for different times of the day.
I know it seems like I have a lot of cons, but I still really enjoy playing this game.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Beautiful graphics, charming characters, and thoroughly addictiveJun 06, 2010 So this review is coming in late as I purchased the game over a year now... and I'm still playing regularly. "Tree of Tranquility" is as solid a "Harvest Moon" game as one could ask for and lends itself quite well to the Wii system.
Like others of the recent installments, this one allows you to pick your gender. The scenario is that you are a newcomer to an island that is rather falling back on its glory. Seems there once was a great tree of the Harvest Goddesses, harvest elves, and beautiful rainbows that connected the less accessible bits of the island. The tree is gone and life just isn't as nice as it was.
Of course, you're expected to fix everything, and I enjoyed this little overarching plot mixed in with all the usual farming and flirtation. So if the bigger story bothers you, don't worry, you're not pressed, but playing along certainly opens up lots of new opportunities.
The characters are great, quite the little cast, bachelor/bacherolettes and civilians alike, all with distinct personalities.
And, oh, it's such a pretty game. Brightly colored, different fashions for the seasons, it just looks great.
Then there's the fun stuff. If you are completionist, this is a dream. Recipes, fish, gems... there are all sorts of intricate little things to get involved with.
Personally, I play the game for the slower pace--probably why so many others enjoy the game series. This is a game of farming, of life, and it's fun and relaxing. And while the game certainly gives you options for a "reboot" using your character's kid, it also so far seems to have that "play for potential eternity" quality as well.
It's been over a year and I still enjoy pulling out the game. Thank-you, Harvest Moon.
my kids love love love itApr 23, 2010 I ordered this for my son after trying to let him play farmville on facebook, that game is BORING! plus I needed to monitor him on facebook something I don't think a child should have access to (I was letting him play on my account) He really wants a John Deere farming game, but this settles his farming video game desires for now. He is having a blast with it. My daughter also likes to play it and gets more into the girl boy aspect of it rather than the farming. My kids are 11 and 9. My 8 year old is not a good enough reader yet to play, so that would be my only recommendation is to make sure you only buy this for kids who are good readers.
based on 64 reviews
