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Ports Do Not Equal "Just Switching Over the Game"

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 10 / 16
Date: November 13, 2005
Author: Amazon User

When I heard about the SE edition getting ready to be released, I loved some of the new features mentioned. Your child could be either a boy or a girl and you could continue playing after the main story mode.
With features I wanted from the GC original, I decided to trade in my GC version for this one.
I was horrified by the color and textures in this game. What was done so beautifully on the gamecube is blocky, far too bright in some places and far too dark in others. The character moves very slow in some spots, particularly where rendering for other things/objects is needed and insanely fast in open areas, such as the beachside.
Likewise, there is a delay in ALL movements with the main character. Jump a fence? 2-3 second delay before you can begin moving again. Pull something out of your backpack? Another delay. Put something IN your backpack? Another delay. Basically what it amounts to is you spend more of your gameplay waiting to be able to MOVE or do anything else than actually play.

Now, to be a little more professional in this, allow me to say that there is no excuse for these problems.
Not only was the PS2 version delayed several times before initial release but, despite the fact that the GC may be more advanced than the PS2 now, this should make no difference. When a game is ported from one system to another, it should be common sense that you can't just rip the game off the other system and slap it verbatim onto another one. Systems do not render music, sound or texture in the same way. Thus ALL ports require a bit of tinkering and retooling to have them work from one system to another.
Do /not/ buy this game. If you have a PS2 only and want a Harvest Moon game, buy Back to Nature. Or heck, even Save the Homeland. All this game will do is cause you to be vaguely angry over speed issues, texture and color issues.

yea boy , this is a shout out to all my hommeys at my cribb

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 29
Date: November 11, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I love this game it is the best i have one thing to say DONT BUY IT IT IS A BAD GAME

Disappointed at Christmas

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: December 26, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I was so happy to get this game for Christmas. I have played countless Harvest Moons on countless systems (yes SNES I'm looking at you), and well I was very unhappy with this version. The coding within the game is awful. There is a ton of clipping (one image cutting into another) and many awkward movements. I watched my cow float across the pasture without every moving a leg. Worst of all was the slow movement, it was a chore to do anything (even chores!). I raged everytime my little guy struggled to shove something into his knapsack. The contols were boggy, and having a loading screen for entering ANY BUILDING is unacceptable. I was so, so disappointed with this game. I wanted to like it...I love this genre...but I can't bring myself to like this game, even a little. No fun!

What were they thinking?

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 7
Date: December 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Okay, I bought this game brand new, not opened or touched or any of that.I took it home, expecting to be amazed again by natsume's marvelous video games, since I am an harvest moon fan. I ran to my room popped the harvest moon game into my playstation2 and waited to be left in awe. At first, nothing really bad popped out in my face, but then, I saw it. The graphics were horrible, and it took so long to load just to walk in your house!!! I do give natsume a bit of credit for making the dating scenes more exciting, but that's only one star now is't it? To make a long story short, it was a total waste of money and time!!

Harrrrvvesstt Moo... ... ...LOADING... .... ...ooon.

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: June 10, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I've been an avid fan of the HM series ever since I first played the first SNES one, what, ten years ago? They're all very addicting, except this one. I thought this would be an excellent game, but I simply cannot get into it. Because, during the time that the game isn't LOADING, all movement is soooo sloooooooowwwwwwww. The scenery is at least.. slightly pretty? Not really. Everything looks so dingy, the colours have barely any saturation.
Gameplay, apart from being so very slow, as far as I can tell is also confusing, because it confused me and I'm usually a fast learner. Initially I thought the "special edition" would be the girl's version, where you play the girl and marry one of the guys in town... but I honestly can't find what's special about this 'edition.' Judging by how slow it is, maybe they just meant.. "special."

ps2 should be a shamed

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 1 / 4
Date: June 12, 2007
Author: Amazon User

well it looks like ps2 messed this game up bigtime... the reviews here dont lie... all the game does everytime you "open a door" is load...
i got the verry same game on gamecube and it is waaay better than this peace of junk! dont waste your money!

A GameCube RPG comes to the Playstation 2

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 21 / 21
Date: January 01, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Like others, being a Harvest Moon fan, I couldn't resist buying a copy of this Special Edition version and playing it. My main reason for buying it was that I was curious to the new features -- what parts of the GameCube games (A Wonderful Life and Another Wonderful Life) made it and what didn't.

After some time with it, I can say that while a number of things have been incorporated and improved from the GameCube version of A Wonderful Life, there were other things that are disappointing -- but, at least it's much better than Natsume's Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland.

Being a PS2 owner, I was rather disappointed in Save the Homeland. The game was very linear and time-oriented, not even offering enough of the open-endedness of the preceding Playstation game, Back To Nature (which has since been revamped into the Gameboy Advance game Friends of Mineral Town). If I only owned a PS2, I probably would be ecstatic to see this game and not really worry about the slowdowns and loading times -- I'd be more used to it.

The Special Edition, in comparison to the GameCube games, incorporates many elements from both. The Dog Training mode from Another Wonderful Life makes it into this game, although the useful mirror accessory does not. The minigames and other enhancements of Another Wonderful Life seem to be missing, which is too bad since Another Wonderful Life's additions were a great tweak of the original game's system in a good way.

The best reason for Harvest Moon fans to get this game is to finally get a chance at marrying the bride that wasn't, Lumina. She acted a lot like a potential bride, even saying that "if I were older, I'd probably marry you". Well, now you can get the chance, as she is now made the appropriate age for you to court her properly. Lumina was my favorite AWL character, so it is a very nice change they brought into the game.

Another standout in this game is the wonderful CD-quality music that has been added. I've never heard a better Harvest Moon version, with wonderful orchestral music throughout. The sound itself remains the same as the GC version - no surprises there.

For all the improvements, there were a few disappointments.

One of the worst problems noted was constant slowdown, especially around 5pm when there are around 5-7 characters walking through the intersections at one time. Without anyone around, though, your character still moves like he's jogging through town and not rushing through as in the GameCube version. Picking up items and ploping them into your backpack is also slow. Whether this is a coding issue or just the speed optimization differences bettwen PS2 and GameCube, Natsume should have spent a bit more time streamlining the code.

The loading times were the second thing I've become annoyed with .. but, as I mentioned before, I have played the GameCube versions and was used to speedy load times. Loading time was always the one thing GameCube had over PS2, so the slow loading times were sad to see but definitely expected.

In summary, while not perfect, this is out of the three the best Playstation Harvest Moon game. There is a lot to see, a lot to do, and many people to talk with. Other than the timing issues, the game did not have many other serious problems. My only observation is that they should have worked to put in some of the elements of Another Wonderful Life that enhanced the gameplay.

Different ,Worthwhile and Nice but...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 24 / 26
Date: May 16, 2006
Author: Amazon User

After looking at screenshots and the marvelous revious for the same game in the Gamecube I was thrilled that its company Marvelous Interactive released a PS2 version of it in Japan, hence it would be imported to the US.
Unfortunately due to some misclaculation from the programmers at some point the American version falls short of dazzling the players unlike its original Japanese PS2 counterpart.

The Cons:
1-The main character you play as moves too slow, hence the control buttons of some of his actions when tending to animals, giving presents to the other charcters, talking, harvesting, etc.
All the other characters move too slow, as in a slow motion sports replay.When he runs/walks he tends to slow down according to the terrain's surface and if he is going up or downhill; this adds realism but still way too slow.

2-Loading time takes from 5 to almost 15 full seconds everytime the characters enters or exits a building, or checks the contents of his backpack. Your TV goes blank and a tiny "now loading" message appears on the bottom right corner of the screeen. This is extremely annoying, as the Gamecube version (which I also own) does not work that way.

3-Save for the indoors scenery all outdoors environments look too grainy,colors are pale (adjusts your TVs) and without much datail on them. Again I must compare to the original PS2 version of Japan and the Gamecube where the graphics are gorgeous, and I must ask what happened?!

The Pros:
1-Aside from the farmwork the character must marry, raise a baby and make friends and archeological discoveries.A new bride character is available that wasn't so in the Gamecube. The ability to have a daughther instead of a boy too. One must visit the Sprites home and talk to the pot many many many times(keep pressing the X button) until he grants you a child of the sex you choose. New events include a number of scenes with the new would be wife and the child you'll have with her.

2-The main player character changes his clothes (is a color change; same outfit, but still a welcomed change) in accordance to the seasons (fall, winter, spring, summer), as well as his wife.

3-During the very first period of the game you're able to make better profits. The color of your horse can be white, a sandy beige or even a dark brown (almost black).

4-It's a life simulation rather than just a farming simulation. The main character you play as has the highs and lows of work and making friends and raising a child.Eventually all characters age, as your child grows, and makes a life of his/her own later on. Theres even a (warning spoiler ahead)

death scene, you die, but once your "life" is completed you can restart with all acquired goodies from the farm you have made.
For players of Save The Homeland, who don't have a Gamecube I do recommend this Harvest Moon game as it will be quite the gaming experience, and different from the Save the Homeland premise. One just have to get used to the grainy outdoors and slow loading.

Slow on the PS2 - But you get used to it

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 15 / 17
Date: January 20, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I played this game for the first time on my roommate's Gamecube. I was a bit skeptical when she told me how awesome the game was, as it looked extremely boring to me. However, she left the apartment for the day and I popped the game in to see what all the fuss was about. Next thing I knew I had been playing the game for FOUR HOURS. I was elated to learn they made a version for the PS2, and I picked it up right away.

Be warned that when going right from the Gamecube version to the PS2, you will be a bit appalled. The PS2 version was definately a rush job. The loading times are ridiculous, and the graphics not nearly as crisp and clean. I was dissapointed at first, but eventually, you get into a groove.

I hardly notice it anymore. For those who have never played Harvest Moon and only have a PS2, I strongly suggest picking it up. It's a very unique, almost relaxing game, and it's strangely addicting. For those who have it on the Gamecube, don't bother.

But for all you PS2 users, don't let the negative reviews deter you. I agree that compared to the Gamecube version its crap, but if you've never played a Harvest Moon game before, you are in for a treat. Slow Harvest Moon is better than no Harvest Moon at all. Believe me. I know.

GameCube version is better....

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 9 / 12
Date: June 02, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I have been sucked into the Harvest Moon world thanks to Harvest Moon:AWL for the GC. Ever since then, I have been frantically trying to play ever single one that has come out. I was quite excited when I saw this one for the PS2 (dragging my son's GC down to my TV is kinda a pain). However, I was very disappointed. The game is nowhere near as good as the GC version. Everything is slower, talking to people and trying to handle your animals is a HUGE pain and it just didn't seem as vivid as the GC version. I'm relieved that I just rented this game.
Bottom line, this game is okay if you don't have a Game Cube and you just want a Harvest Moon game. But if you have a GameCube, don't bother with this version.

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