Natsume's farm simulation series makes its debut on the PlayStation with Harvest Moon: Back to Nature. Starting out with a few rudimentary implements and very little money, you begin the arduous task of reviving your grandfather's farm and thereby claiming your place as its rightful heir.
The first Harvest Moon game for the PS2 takes a little deviance from all
the other games in the series. The goal this time around is to save
your town from being turned into a resort next year. The game focuses
more on relationships than making money - which is the goal in all other
Harvest Moon games to date. You still are running a farm and must
succeed in the life of a farmer, but the actual gameplay rewards those
who interact with the townspeople over those who just work the fields.
Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life is the second game in the Harvest Moon series to appear on the PS2. It is almost identical to the original GameCube version, but carries some new features, granting it the Special Edition title, as there is no regular release for this platform.
The game simulates the everyday chores of farm life. When the player's character arrives in the Forget-Me-Not-Valley, he is given a tour on his new farm and starts with some seeds and a single cow. The game is divided in different chapters that end when certain requirements are met. Tasks include raising cattle and taking care of them, fishing, cooking, sowing seeds, and trading your goods with the local merchants. The player can also explore the valley and meet its inhabitants.
New features for the PS2 version include up to four wives to marry, to have a son or a daughter with a mini career path, new farming equipment such as the fertilizer machine, and a free play mode to continue playing when all the chapters have been completed.
