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Does this game sound like music to your ears? (by Laura)

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: January 13, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This is a great game. I asked my mother to buy it when I heard others speak of it online, and did my own research. It's a lot of fun, but whether I recommend you get it or not, depends on who you are; or who you're getting it for. While I don't think the rating is inappropriate (and trust me, I don't even like the likes of Halo), if you are getting this game for a young child, there are several things you should know before buying this game. Parents, if you are considering this game for a child about eight or younger (depending how much you baby them) I recommend you read on and gauge the characteristics of this game with your child's heart before deciding on this purchase. If you don't have a lot of time, then just skip to the "Points for Parents" section to learn a couple of items to beware of in this game; if those points don't bug you, you can read more to be sure this game is the one for you.

Fun Facts about the game:

Basically, you're a new kid in town who is looking to buy a plot of land for farming; this also comes with a plot twist concerning the Harvest Goddess. You may pick whether your character is a boy or a girl (for this game's purposes, I recommend you pick the gender that matches yours). There are three plots of land for you to choose from depending on your playing style. While the mayor, Theodore, tells you a little information on each plot, he's a little vague on the finer details of each property. If your a first time player in the series of the Harvest Moon games (like I am) then the extra information I'm about to disclose may help. While I don't consider it a spoiler, if you're sensitive about such information, then just skip ahead to "Points for Parents".

Flower Bud plot:
This land is the smallest of the three. It has good soil for crops, and is the closest plot of land to the town square ( that's to the east, and it's where most of the festivals occur). To the south is the Junk shop (a useful place for buying kitchen utensils and other tools) and to the north is a cavern for mining (useful in obtaining much needed money at the game's start). The clinic (where you wake up when you pass out) is also to the north. There are also other things further southeast, and while they aren't exactly close, they're closer from there than anywhere else. The most major downside is there isn't room for barns and chicken coops along with your house on that land, so you can't raise animals. Also, if you want to grow huge amounts of crops, this land just won't cut it; you'll have to spend a nice chunk of money on other lands to raise animals and more crops, or risk losing crops to people moving in on public lands (land anyone can normally use).

Riverside plot:

A plot of medium size. This land is the most versatile as you can grow crops and raise animals on it. It's not as close to the action as the Flower Bud plot, so you'll need to learn how to rely on your T.V. and Calendar for news on festivals (if you want to avoid wasting time). The river right to the left of your home is perfect for anglers who enjoy river fishing. Next door on the right, is the Blue Sky Ranch (a place where they sell animals and feed, as well as other supplies for them). Further south across the bridge, you'll be closer to things like Woody's workshop (where you can build houses, buy land, and other things) and the Spring Farm (where you buy seeds for crops). This is the plot of land I chose. I recommend you use it for raising animals, and use the public land just north for crops. More points are that it's closest to your rival's farm (a good example to go by for beginners), the Echo Mountains (a good place to forage), and the Harvest Goddess Spring (a place where you'll need to venture often).

Ocean Plot:

The biggest of the three plots. The best place to raise animals even though it's not as close to the Blue Sky Ranch as the River plot. It's not a good place to raise crop although, ironically, the Spring Farm is next door on the right (do you think they're the ones who made the dirt there so infertile?) Directly north you have Woody's workshop and, if you ship some ore from the mines, later you'll have the blacksmith to the west. Other good points include that the Moon Beach is right southwest (a place where some festivals are held) and that this area is the best investment for the winter month (It's close to a lake that you can fish from in all other seasons except winter; when you can cross the frozen lake and enter a mine that's full of rare goods). A huge downside is it's an even bigger hike to the town square and anything good that's near the town square. Actually, I don't recommend this lot as your first unless your in for a real challenge during the adjustment period. If you take on this challenge and don't like it then don't worry, you can buy the lots you didn't get as your first later in Woody's workshop; so I recommend buying it as your second, or even third, lot when you obtain the finances.

Points for Parents:

Two major points you'll need to get past before deciding whether or not this game is appropriate for your child:

1. While the people of this game don't die, the animals do. Chickens live two to four years (according to the game's dating methods. It's even less time in our time), sheep live three to five, and cows and horses live about four to six. Being kind to animals won't keep them from dying, but will expand there lives. If they're left out in the rain, abused, or never fed, they will get sick; and, needless to say, die without medical treatment (they sell meds at the Blue Sky Ranch). Reguardless of this, you shouldn't be afraid to care for animals as it's fun. Just make sure your child realizes that death is part of life.

2. Marriage plays a part in the game. Watch out for this. Although there are many conditions that have to be fulfilled before this even has a chance of happening, it's possible to marry another character in the game (one of the opposite gender) and even have a baby. While they don't show you anything you really shouldn't see, this process can be a little creepy to someone who is young. Be prepared to answer questions such as "Where do babies come from?" and "I did this thing called marriage, so why is this guy/girl living in my house?"

Conclusion:

I didn't do a specific good/bad points section this time because I think they're obvious. Farming is a hard life as well as romance. This game can be repetitious, but the festivals break that up and it's not a bad type of repetition anyway. I would like to close with three tips to help get you started if you get the game.

Tip 1: The in game clock only passes time if you're outside. Take advantage of this and spend as much time indoors (your house, barns, chicken coops, and the shops) as much as possible to save time.

Tip 2: The mayor gives you a feature that's especially useful at the start. Press the Z button and the grounds will gain colors. Blue land is your land, yellow is someone else's, green is public land, and red is your rival's land. Also note that this button will show your animal's names; if the name is in green, the animal has already been fed.

Tip 3: If your stuck in the game, try reading your manual. It has a good map and shares more information than other manuals. Also, if your lost, it gets late, and you just can't find your house, hit the Y button to bring up the menu (kind of a pause menu that also has a map and other important information such as how much your animals and the neighbors like you) and hit the Z button.

It Rocx!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 8
Date: May 07, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game is the best iv'e ever heard of, Im already married and have a baby! I luv the lake cave, it gets me rich. When it came out im like "OH MY GOD,ITS FINNALY OUT!" i was so exited. DUDES GO OUT AND BUY IT!!!

cool

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: June 01, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Okay to start things off I am a harvest moon fanatic!I have alot of harvest moon games...the last one I bought was HM:AWL(harvest moon: another wonderful life)This isn't to compare with the other ones...the graphics are different and more cute! I luv the realistic graphics on the other ones but i like this one too. If you luv HM games get this one to add to your collection!

At least it's better then "A Wonderful Life"

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: July 22, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I love the Harvest Moon series, it's very fun and easy to play once you get into it. This game is really fun and has improved on the gameplay from A Wonderful Life, but the graphics and sound aren't so improved.

Graphics: 6

Ok, time for the graphics section of my review. The graphics go for a cute look, but that cute look, well doesn't look so cute. In fact it looks kind of old and ugly. The graphics are less then average in this game. With big heads and small bodies. Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life has better graphics then Harvest Moon: Magical Melody and HM:AWL came out like before this game did, so why do the graphics look worse?

Sound: 5

There is no voice acting, but at least the background music is nice and somewhat catchy. Ok, now for the worst part of the sound the sound effects. When you talk to a neighbor they'll say like "Hi" or make some groaning noise. (Which is really scary) They sound like a robot when they say a word or they sound like a deformed pokemon when they make groaning noises. It's so scary, but then again it's so funny. Me and my cousin would just talk to the neighbors to hear their scary voices. When the main character is going to water the field, he makes a sound that sounds like he has to go poop really bad. (My mom thought that someone was in restroom having a hard time and she went to check and there was no one there. So my dad told her it was my video game. XD) The background music is fine and all, but the "Hi" and the groans are really funny and annoying.

Gameplay: 10

The best gameplay in the Harvest Moon series. Period. You're a boy/girl who wants to raise a farmland. Basically it's a RPG/Life Simulator. When you start the game you can choose a male or female to be and then you choose a house to start your farming life. Then you plan your house with different furniture and barns and fences. So then you raise animals every morning to keep them healthy and to get money from their milk, eggs, wool, etc etc. You also can grow crops and there are a lot of different crops to plant. Tomatoes, Potatoes, Corn, etc etc. I think there are more then twenty five different crops. Of course you can talk to the opposite gender and give them gifts so they will like you more. And if they like you enough, you can get married to them. Awwwwwwwww. This game also has a story line which is basically get 100 magical notes in this game. You can get notes by doing different things like talking to neighbors, raising animals, fishing, participating in a festival, etc etc. There are so many things to do in Harvest Moon: Magical Melody that you'll be filled with fun.

Control/Multiplayer/Story: 9

Controls are simple and you'll probably get it on the first day or the second. It might seem complicated if this is your first Harvest Moon game, but you'll understand it soon enough. This Harvest Moon also has mini-games, so you can have fun with your friends. Unfortunately the mini-games aren't that fun and are kind of boring, but this is a huge step for a Harvest Moon game and I hope they improve on this category a lot. The story is getting married, having kids, raising animals, and a whole bunch of free stuff. It's like Animal Crossing. (If you haven't played Animal Crossing, then you should buy that too)

Lasting Appeal: 10

This game will last you for a very long time. Harvest Moon: Magical Melody has so many things for you to do and if you love it a lot, you will probably at least be playing this for like a couple of months. Lots and lots of replay value in this game, but all Harvest Moon games have good replay value.

Overall: 8.1

Harvest Moon: Magical Melody is a fun game, if you can get over the graphics and the annoying grunts and voices. Then this game is perfect for you. If you think graphics and sound are really important in a game, try a different Harvest Moon game, before you try this one.

The hardest Harvest Moon Game I've ever played!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 3 / 19
Date: July 16, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game is a little fun but it isn't like the other Harvest Moon games. I rented this game for 5 days, and I thought it would be fun the first time a played it, but I was so wrong. First of all, there is the longest movie that tells you the story of the princess and about the snotty person named Jamie. By the way, if you are a boy, Jamie is a girl. If you are a girl, Jamie is a boy, that means you can marry him/her. My first day was OK. You don't have a barn or anything! You have to buy the barns, and then buy the animals! It's to hard for me. If you like easy games, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME! If you like really, really, really hard games, you should probably buy this game.

This harvest moon fan was sorry she bought it.

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 19
Date: April 19, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Okay, if you've played lots of other harvest moon games before...maybe you should skip buying this one, and wait for the newest installment for DS coming out in June.

The controlls are confusing to figure out, and the beginning story and music you will hear during the games are VERY cheesy. Like, 'I couldn't stand it and had to turn it off' cheesy.

I liked Wonderful Life for Gamecube much better. Magical Melody tries to be kinda like Friends of Mineral Town, which I've already played, so I was looking for new imporvements in the game! The improvements weren't enough to maintain my interest in this one. Yah, you earn music notes, but you earn a music note just for FALLING DOWN. Like I said, I was unimpressed.

Good...but...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: June 04, 2006
Author: Amazon User

MM is certainitly an improvment over recent installments to the series. AWL did some things right, but the town was monotinus and the spose selection was dreadful. But it was certaintly better than Save The Homeland, which was an attempt of innovation, but in my opinion, a failure. Then of course HM64 is the benchmark of the series, the one that set the bar for all HMs to come, and a mark that so far none have reached.

But MM is admirable. The spose selection is impressive, especially when taken into account there are technically 20 options, depending on your gender. The gender option obviously adds a new dimension to the game to incorporate more players, so bravo there. The rival idea is also nifty.

But I think that the graphical quality has gotten progressivly worse since 64. I still think that 64s graphics are better then all since it, not because of the techincallity of them, but because they were so fitting. Save the homelands were good, but I've never been a huge fan of cell shading. AWL and MM, however, are just inexcusably bad graphics. Yes they're cute and adorable, but is there really where the developers want the game to be? Probably so, but I hope not. Its too the point that the characters hardley even look like people, but their own style of cartoon. The purpose of the game is simulation, and I for one think that the graphics should be less cartooney and more realistic, in the sense that they should have, I don't know, distinguishable body shapes. I believe that needs re-phrasing, I don't necessarily think that it does need to be more realistic per se, just a slightly more...mature cartoon style. I think all the children playing the game can handle that, dont you?

If the developers want a rough, easy to follow guideline on how to make a great new harvest moon, here it is. Take Harvest Moon 64 as a template. Improve the graphics technically, no cell shading or super-cartoonizing. The town should be big enough to incorporate everything it needs. Seasons, crops, animals, all that nonsense, its hard to go too wrong on that. Festivals are great, but if your going to have them, have them make some sense and purpose. Make girls/guys who look like girls/guys, not a big ball with hair and a face and a tiny body attached to it. Bring back the heart meter. Cutscenes. Lots of them. Theyre fun and rewarding. The more spose options the better, as long as theyre distincly different enough. You can kill off the sprites as far as im concerned, but whatever.

The important part of this game has, and always will be in my eyes, the wooing of a spouse and marrige. The interactions with other people in the game. The rest, farming, raising, money making, is all a part of creating the life you want your character to have, not the games purpose itself.

I can't stop playing this game!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: April 05, 2007
Author: Amazon User

You do need to do research. Growing crops make the most money but you do need the animal for the festivals and collecting notes (you need to collect 100!)
I just can't stop playing it!

Overly exciting;better than any other!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: June 04, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I love hm:magical melody because of the feeling you get when you play it.
The male suitors in the game make it hard to ask them to marry you...
so I've placed together a cheat for some of them...

Alex:
loves: herbs; try to get him the green
ones...he loves them more...
likes: milk;any kind is okay...but try
to head toward special or good
milk...
dislikes: Rocks,weeds,tomatos,junk ore,
coppre ore, etc.

Kurt:
loves: Tomatos...(if you place the seeds in
deep colored soil the tomatos will be
fresher and Kurt will REALLY love them)
likes: cheese;special cheese is the best for him
because he is really greedy! XD
dislikes: cabbage,carrots,clams,flowers,potatos,
etc.

Basil((my favorite)): Well...with him he pretty much
loves any type of plant ...
dislikes: when you abuse flowers,weeds,
and rocks...

well...thats all,really...
i hope my advise helps...XD

a little disappointed

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: December 11, 2007
Author: Amazon User

i have been wanting this game for a long time and have read a lot of reviews on how great it is, so i finally bought it. yet once i started playing, i'll admit, i was a little disappointed! it is harder to figure out than i was expecting, i'm no gamer, but still, i thought it would be pretty easy. so i get frustrated more often than i have fun with the game. hopefully this will change if i ever get the hang of it!

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