Harvest Island

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Harvest Island is a story-rich adventure game with horror elements, featuring farming, collecting animal produce, and exploring hidden locations. As you progress, the mystery of the island deepens with supernatural occurrences and divine interactions. The game offers a unique blend of peacefulness and eeriness, with the protagonist seeking a way back home.

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 118 reviews

story34 positive mentions

grinding75 negative mentions

The game beautifully combines farming sim elements with a gripping horror story, creating a unique and engaging experience.
The character development and sibling dynamics between Will and Samantha are well-written and relatable, enhancing the emotional depth of the narrative.
The developer is highly responsive to community feedback, quickly addressing bugs and implementing fixes, which shows a strong commitment to improving the game.

The user interface and inventory management are clunky and can be frustrating, making navigation and item management cumbersome.
The pacing can be slow, with some players feeling that the horror elements take too long to develop, leading to moments of tedium.
There are occasional bugs and technical issues, including crashes and soft locks, which can disrupt gameplay and hinder progress.

story
165 mentions
21 % positive mentions
78 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely praised for its intriguing and immersive narrative, with many players expressing a strong investment in the characters and plot twists. While some find the pacing slow and the farming mechanics occasionally detracting from the storytelling, the overall consensus is that the story is engaging and well-crafted, with a mix of horror elements that enhance the experience. However, players note that the game can be frustrating due to bugs and a lack of clear direction in quests, which may hinder progress for those focused on the narrative.
- “The story is gripping and tense, and even as a veteran of horror, I felt uneasy at times.”
- “The developer used so many different elements of the game to tell the story: the music, the farming aspects, the weather changes, subtle dialog... this story is masterfully told.”
- “The story is fantastic.”
- “Some of the story bits feel a little boring or irritating at times, but well... the main characters are kids, and are written like kids.”
- “However, in good faith I must say the game is almost unplayable for the curious folks that like exploring everything because there are too many soft locking bugs in the game that prevent you from progressing the storyline if you don't take the path set for you.”
- “The game feels excessively grindy and the story seems gate-kept by those grindy mechanics because it knows it's the only thing keeping you playing.”
grinding
75 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players noting that while the farming mechanics are simplistic and often feel like a means to an end, they can enhance the overall atmosphere and tension of the horror elements. Some players appreciate the optional nature of farming, suggesting that it can be minimized in story mode to focus on the narrative, while others find the grind excessive and detracting from the experience. Overall, the game is seen as more of a horror story with farming elements rather than a traditional farming sim, which may not meet the expectations of players looking for depth in farming gameplay.
- “This game advertises itself as a 'horror farming sim' and manages to be lacking in all alleged aspects.”
- “The game feels excessively grindy and the story seems gate-kept by those grindy mechanics because it knows it's the only thing keeping you playing.”
- “Starts off strong, but gets far too grindy to be fun.”
gameplay
26 mentions
27 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mixed bag, with some players finding it simplistic and grindy, particularly in the farming mechanics, which lack depth compared to other farming sims. While the story and character interactions are engaging, many feel that the game leans too heavily on resource gathering, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the game offers a unique blend of horror and narrative elements that some players appreciate, especially when approached as a story-driven experience rather than a traditional farming simulator.
- “A charming experience with a good story, good gameplay, and good exploration.”
- “The characters are super interesting, the gameplay is really fun, and the story left me hanging on the edge of my seat.”
- “In terms of gameplay, there's a lot of areas where it is well polished and also a few areas where it isn't, the most likely issue someone may have is with the grindy nature of it, but that is something the dev has been trying to resolve and is a hard thing to figure out how to balance even for games with bigger teams.”
- “After Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon, having only a few spots to plant something and no extended farm mechanics like machinery or increased plant levels meant there just wasn't enough farm to the farm sim.”
- “This game has bare bones farming mechanics, terrible UI for those mechanics, and an empty island.”
- “The game feels excessively grindy and the story seems gate-kept by those grindy mechanics because it knows it's the only thing keeping you playing.”
music
20 mentions
40 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been widely praised for its ability to create a captivating atmosphere, with many players noting its expressiveness and effectiveness in enhancing the storytelling. While some found it repetitive, the intentional design of the soundtrack to shift moods and evoke tension was appreciated, contributing to both relaxation and suspense throughout the gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that significantly enriches the gaming experience.
- “Love the spooky vibes and the music; my partner was constantly humming to the game songs.”
- “The developer used so many different elements of the game to tell the story: the music, the farming aspects, the weather changes, subtle dialog... this story is masterfully told.”
- “More than anything else, it's the music and the sound effects that create a killer atmosphere that fit the story to a tee.”
- “The soundtrack is seriously lacking.”
- “Music is basic, but fits the theme very well.”
- “It's intentionally made that way as there are music cues within the music itself to make the game more unsettling depending on what's happening.”
graphics
16 mentions
38 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are described as charming and nostalgic, with a classic pixel art style that resonates well with many players. However, there are mixed opinions regarding the consistency of the art, particularly with a noticeable shift in style towards the endings and some graphic depictions that some players found excessive. Overall, while the visuals may not meet the high standards set by titles like Stardew Valley, they are appreciated for their artistic intent and the emotional connection they foster with the story.
- “The graphics and sounds are amazing!”
- “The art - the pixel graphics are always a classic and I have no issue with them.”
- “The story is just heart-melting; the art style that was chosen is to die for.”
- “For the most part, it stays consistent (though the depictions of fresh blood are really bad) up until the endings, where the sprite work just completely shifts in art style.”
- “The UI can be clunky, the farming mechanics are pretty simplistic, and the visuals definitely look lackluster if you were going in expecting Stardew Valley (but again, you shouldn't).”
- “Now it's just graphic for graphics' sake.”
emotional
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the well-crafted interactions between the characters Sam and Will, which are described as endearing and wholesome, enhancing the tension of their exploration. Players report feeling deeply invested in the characters, with several moments eliciting tears due to the touching dialogue. The game's progression system is noted to impact the emotional tone, suggesting a need for better management of earlier conversations to maintain the overall emotional experience.
- “I think the interactions between Sam and Will are well-written, endearing, and wholesome, which makes the slow buildup of discoveries as they explore the island all the more terrifying.”
- “There are multiple moments where I teared up with how touching the dialogue between just these two is!”
- “The game genuinely drew me in and made me feel invested in the characters and their fate.”
stability
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits some minor visual glitches and text bugs, which do not significantly detract from the experience. However, players have noted that it is quite buggy and lack of an autosave feature necessitates frequent manual saving. The developers are actively addressing these issues with ongoing fixes.
- “The game is quite buggy.”
- “The game is kind of buggy and it has no autosave, so save often.”
- “There are some minor visual glitches and text bugs, but nothing that ruins your experience, and the dev is actively releasing fixes.”
atmosphere
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive qualities, driven primarily by exceptional music and sound effects that enhance the storytelling. Reviewers note that the tense ambiance significantly elevates the overall experience, making it a standout in the farm/craft genre.
- “Go in with an open mind and immerse yourself in the atmosphere, and you just might find a surprising new sleeper favorite!”
- “More than anything else, it's the music and the sound effects that create a killer atmosphere that fits the story to a tee.”
- “Incredible how atmosphere and storytelling can elevate the basic farm/craft genre.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to engage players fully.”
- “Despite the potential, the environment feels lifeless and fails to draw you into the experience.”
- “The overall ambiance is disappointing, making it hard to feel connected to the game's world.”
character development
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its immersive storytelling and balance with gameplay elements, though some users note a significant jump in character progression that is acknowledged within the narrative itself. Additionally, the character designs and art contribute positively to the overall experience.
- “Very immersive, a good story, good character development, good balance between exploration and farming simulation.”
- “I do feel like there is a severe jump in character development, and the older brother does actually point this out, so you can take it whichever way you want in the storyline.”
- “Character designs and art are beautiful.”
- “I feel like there is a severe jump in character development, and the older brother points this out, allowing you to interpret it in various ways within the storyline.”
- “The character development feels rushed and inconsistent, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
- “I was disappointed by the lack of depth in character arcs; they seemed to follow predictable paths without any real growth.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of lighthearted moments, such as children playfully interacting with animals and quirky references to other video games, alongside unintentional comedic elements like a startled cat reacting to a crying animal. While some intended scares fall flat, the overall tone remains playful and whimsical, contributing to a unique comedic experience.
- “Children laughing and dancing and teasing each other while tending to animals, with moments that are probably supposed to be intense and scary (they're mostly just jumpscares). You can also make a keyblade, collect the dragon balls, and give nicknames to every random animal you meet, all of which are references to other, better video games.”
- “An animal ran away while crying at one point, and my cat was also startled by the cry, which was kind of funny, but that could not have been predicted by the dev.”