Welcome back to the world of Harvest Moon (Bokujo Monogatari), a game that combines farming with RPG to create a rather interesting mixture of growing crops and solving quests.

In this "new" instalment of Harvest Moon, players must once again engage in simulation farming, however there are other things at stake such as the feud between two towns and once again the Harvest Goddess requires a hero.

Before you start your farm, you must first decide where to build and choose between one of two "warring" towns, that of Bluebell and Konohana. Originally both towns were friendly, so you need to decide which town you would like to call home by listening to the stories of each mayor.

To compound the situation between both towns, both towns were torn asunder by the Harvest Gods who was extremely annoyed at them. The only time the two towns can ever come together is through the cooking festival which is of course where you come into play.

Compared to the previous games, not much has really changed since the last instalment of Harvest Moon but the game does boast some new features that include new characters, new animals such as the Alpacas or the Honey Bees and the ability to create and implement new farming tools such as waterwheels to move the water around your farms.

The game does support Street Pass, however in Australia, it's very hard to get someone to find who has this game at the same time and place. If you do which we did not, you can trade items between the players. It's a very cool premise.

Depending on which town you select, both are quite different. Bluebell seems is like those quaint old English towns, whereas Konohana is like the traditional Japanese town, both with their pros and cons. This also allows you to play the game again from a slightly different perspective, even though eventually you get access to all animals, plants and equipment.

Apart from managing the farm you need to engage in quests for both towns which are found on the bulletin board. Nothing is more fun than exploring the rigid mountains, searching for clues. These generally involve fetch quests and help break up the gameplay of farming but create strong friendships for your character and there are some powerful items to be found. I also love how you need to buy presents to the villagers for their birthday which creates this almost interactive experience that is quite fun.

Add in mini-games for the cooking events and even romance and this game is oozing with Harvest Moon love. Another cool aspect of the game are pets which are extremely handy in managing your farm. This can be dogs for rounding up cattle or owls from flying you from Bluebell to Konohana in no time. However with all this fun, expect some frustrations. The save mechanism is quite horrible in the game which prevents you from saving anywhere but rather, you can only save when you go to sleep in the game. There are also some translation bugs but apart from this, it works well.

Graphically, the game is a visual treat on the 3DS with its unique and stylised graphics. One downside to the gaming environment is that the world is a little too small, especially when you're exploring around the villages. The 3D does work well, especially with the background environment which helps make everything "pop" out and there is the occasional buggy graphics. Sound works well, although nothing too special. All in all, these departments help create a sturdy game.

Final Level

In conclusion, Harvest Moon Tale of Two Towns is a game that takes the previous gaming premise and reintroduces it to a new audience. If you're a regular to this series, there are a few new additions to draw you in but it definitely doesn't have that wow factor. Thankfully the story and graphics do update the franchise slightly and if you're looking for something a little different, you should check out this title as it can be quite addictive and more importantly... fun!