Harvest Moon: House Candy House has been a really fascinating recreation to comply with pre-release. I say this not solely as a result of it’s a premium mobile-first Harvest Moon recreation, but additionally as a result of the reactions from my buddies who’re longtime followers of the sequence have gone from apathy to curiosity with each little bit of gameplay proven. Harvest Moon: House Candy House launched just lately on iOS and Android as a mobile-exclusive entry in Natsume’s Harvest Moon sequence, and I’ve been enjoying it for a few week and a half now on iPhone 15 Professional and iPad Professional for assessment. Harvest Moon: House Candy House is an excellent farming simulation recreation, however one that’s held again by just a few points proper now.
Plenty of followers of the Harvest Moon sequence of video games from Marvelous have been round because the SNES or N64 days, however I solely received into it on 3DS with Story of Season. Again then, I had no concept in regards to the identify change and that Marvelous’ releases could be known as Story of Seasons whereas Harvest Moon could be the identify utilized by Natsume going ahead. I’m making that clear now as a result of I don’t need individuals confused about what Harvest Moon: House Candy House is and in addition to provide you my historical past with the sequence earlier than moving into how I really feel about Harvest Moon: House Candy House ($17.99).
In case you’re new to farming and life simulation video games, Harvest Moon: House Candy House takes you again from the town to a relaxing village the place you fish, farm, work together with many NPCs, partake in festivals (that have to be unlocked), and even discover a companion. The village of Alba, your new dwelling, is dense and comfy (sorry however I needed to), and I’m glad it isn’t a giant open location as a result of these often lead to plenty of empty areas in the case of life simulation video games. In case you’ve performed many within the style, consider Harvest Moon: House Candy House as one which focuses extra on the characters with a bit much less depth in the case of farming.
After a brief tutorial explaining the fundamentals of motion and a little bit of farming, you unlock the map and foremost menu letting you save nearly wherever (this is essential for a cellular recreation), and that is the place you get into the stream of Harvest Moon: House Candy House the place you try to end quests for NPCs, improve your instruments, collect, mine (this unlocks a bit later), and naturally farm by means of the sport’s foremost chapters.
The extra I performed Harvest Moon: House Candy House, the extra I noticed that the builders understood what makes life and farming simulation video games nice, however fell brief in some methods. These might or might not have an effect on newcomers to the style, however those that have performed many latest video games will discover them missing. The potential companions are seemingly the weakest facet of Harvest Moon: House Candy House. They only aren’t as fascinating as different video games within the style. In case you don’t care about that facet, Harvest Moon: House Candy House is sort of a cultured entry within the style.
Approaching Harvest Moon: House Candy House from a basic life simulation recreation fanatic’s perspective feels totally different although. Whereas different platforms are spoiled for selection with tons of video games from large and small builders, we don’t actually see very similar to that on cellular, however that doesn’t make up for a number of the flaws right here, particularly at a a lot greater value level. I feel it is a very stable base that the builders can construct on to the purpose the place it might even be a terrific match for PC and consoles. The one “cellular” facet of Harvest Moon: House Candy House proper now could be the contact management possibility.
Visually, other than the efficiency and cargo occasions that I’ll cowl under, Harvest Moon: House Candy House appears superb. Some characters look generic, however the interface, farm, constructing structure, and every little thing appears good. I additionally respect that Harvest Moon: House Candy House helps fullscreen on iPhone 15 Professional and iPad Professional. It actually appears like a recreation correctly tailor-made to cellular with its visuals and controls.
Whereas Harvest Moon: House Candy House does look good visually for probably the most half, it’s missing in the case of the character designs. This is applicable to your individual character with customization choices that ought to’ve been extra detailed and in addition the principle NPCs within the city. Plenty of them really feel lifeless even throughout cut-scenes. Barring that, I just like the aesthetic quite a bit, and Harvest Moon: House Candy House appears glorious on my iPhone and iPad. The one disappointment is in efficiency. Proper now, Harvest Moon: House Candy House is capped at 30fps on my iPhone 15 Professional and iPad Professional. I used to be anticipating above 60fps not to mention 60fps, but it surely isn’t potential to play at the next body charge now. The load occasions are additionally not as quick as they need to be.
On the audio aspect, I used to be happy with the music and sounds in Harvest Moon: House Candy House. Nothing stood out to the purpose the place I’d hearken to it exterior the sport, but it surely sounded good and the music adjustments have been applicable to the gameplay.
When Harvest Moon: House Candy House was introduced as a mobile-exclusive recreation, I used to be curious how it might management. The builders have carried out a unbelievable job with the contact controls right here letting you play by tapping to maneuver, dragging to maneuver, and extra. Interacting with objects or characters, farming, and navigating menus all really feel good. Some textual content and contact targets really feel a bit too small on iPhone, however they’re high-quality on iPad. I’d’ve beloved some haptic suggestions on iPhone although for utilizing instruments and even fishing. Perhaps this may be added in a future replace.
In case you’ve performed the 2 greatest life simulation video games on cellular: Stardew Valley and My Time at Portia, Harvest Moon: House Candy House feels nearer to the previous, but it surely isn’t as polished. I dislike citing different video games in the identical style to match, however I’m doing it right here particularly for the cellular port. These two video games have been constructed for PC/console and introduced over to cellular whereas Harvest Moon: House Candy House was constructed for cellular and but it doesn’t really feel as tailor-made to the platform in its options.
Harvest Moon: House Candy House is a mobile-exclusive recreation, and whereas I respect the contact management scheme, it has just a few points proper now in the case of options. The dearth of cloud saves is past disappointing. After I first downloaded Harvest Moon: House Candy House on my iPhone, I performed it for about three hours earlier than selecting up my iPad to see the way it feels there. I discovered no method to get the save throughout, and nonetheless haven’t been capable of transfer saves throughout gadgets. The dearth of controller help can be disappointing for a recreation like this. The builders did a terrific job with contact controls, however it might be good to have controller help for once I play on iPad. I’d additionally like some high quality of life options for motion, like we’ve seen in latest video games within the style.
As a newcomer to Natsume’s new Harvest Moon video games however a fan of all of the latest Story of Seasons and different life simulation video games, Harvest Moon: House Candy House ended up being value enjoying, but it surely wants just a few updates and options to be really important at full value. I’ve no points with builders desirous to cost premium costs on cellular, however Harvest Moon: House Candy House missing fundamental options like cloud saves and controller help positively makes it tougher to suggest alongside just a few different design points. If the builders proceed engaged on this, it will likely be top-of-the-line within the style on cellular, and I’m glad to see them take an opportunity on a premium cellular life simulation recreation as a result of that could be very uncommon.
