Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos
- September 27, 2023
- Natsume Inc.
- 31h median play time
Get on SteamIn Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos, you've discovered a message in a bottle from the Harvest Goddess, who sent it 10 years ago after Anthos suffered a volcanic eruption. With the land divided and villages isolated, find the magic key and reconnect the separated communities to revitalize the once peaceful and harmonious land. Prepare to farm, fish, and forge relationships in this charming agricultural simulation adventure.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game is a significant improvement over previous Natsume Harvest Moon titles, showcasing better graphics and gameplay mechanics.
- The open world is expansive and offers a lot of exploration opportunities, making it enjoyable for players who love to discover new areas.
- The game features a variety of animals to tame and a unique crop mutation system, adding depth to the farming experience.
- The game suffers from performance issues, including freezing and stuttering, which can disrupt gameplay.
- There is a lack of quality of life features, such as the inability to jump or easily navigate terrain, which can make exploration frustrating.
- The character customization options are limited, and many NPCs lack depth, making interactions feel shallow.
- story176 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 84 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and overly reliant on repetitive fetch quests that lack depth and character development. While some appreciate the nostalgic elements reminiscent of classic Harvest Moon titles, others criticize the writing and the simplistic nature of the quests, leading to a feeling of emptiness in the game world. Overall, the narrative is seen as a secondary focus, with players expressing a desire for more engaging storylines and character interactions.
“Looking forward to progressing through the storyline!”
“I like the story and how it guides you through the tutorial and makes me invested in revitalizing each town.”
“What you get is a large open world to explore with numerous points of interest, an overarching storyline to drive the gameplay and pretty solid farming/animal husbandry mechanics.”
“Not only is it painful to see how limited and simplified everything is (characters have no personality, every quest is a 100% 'bring this item to point/person x', nice little details like showing a pet to another animal on the farm for its reaction have been removed) with no gameplay variety whatsoever, but everything from progressing the story as well as taking care of the animals and farm are designed to be exceptionally tedious.”
“The storyline is just one gigantic string of fetch quests.”
“What I bought off a nostalgia purchase became the opposite of what made now Story of Seasons so special.”
- grinding128 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of "Harvest Moon: Winds of Anthos" has received mixed feedback, with many players finding the farming mechanics tedious and less profitable compared to other activities like fishing. While some appreciate the open-world exploration and variety of crops, others criticize the lack of depth in farming and the repetitive nature of quests, leading to a sense of frustration rather than enjoyment. Overall, the game is seen as a blend of farming and adventure, but may not satisfy those seeking a traditional, relaxing farming sim experience.
“Not only is it painful to see how limited and simplified everything is (characters have no personality, every quest is a 100% 'bring this item to point/person x', nice little details like showing a pet to another animal on the farm for its reaction have been removed) with no gameplay variety whatsoever, but everything from progressing the story as well as taking care of the animals and farm are designed to be exceptionally tedious.”
“- extremely grindy with a lot of travel time”
“By the end of month 1 I had nearly stopped farming completely because it just got… annoying.”
- graphics94 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the aesthetic appeal and cel-shaded visuals reminiscent of titles like Pokémon Arceus, while others criticize the lack of graphical options and performance issues, likening it to a poorly ported Switch game. Many players express disappointment over the absence of customization settings for a $50 title, which detracts from the overall experience despite the game's charming art style and expansive world. Overall, while the graphics are considered beautiful by some, they fall short of expectations for a modern game, particularly in terms of detail and interactivity.
“The graphics are honestly quite stunning.”
“Beautiful graphics.”
“The gorgeous cel-shaded graphics, the nostalgic yet fresh soundtrack, the interesting characters, the variety of animals to tame & keep, the vastness of the open world, the large amount of content to choose to do or not to do as you wish -- make no mistake, this is an evolutionary step for ranch sims.”
“The graphics make it look like a crappy ported Switch game and made it hard to enjoy exploring.”
“No graphics options for a $50 game is pretty wack, too.”
“The world is big, but empty; the characters are many, but have no distinguishable personality; the loading times bother me, everything is constrained by stamina, you can't jump, and the graphics and animation are really not what they should be for an asking price of 50€.”
- gameplay74 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of satisfaction and frustration, with many players appreciating the expansive open world and variety of activities, while others criticize the simplicity and repetitiveness of mechanics, such as tedious quests and shallow farming systems. The pacing starts slow but improves as players unlock new features, though stamina mechanics and certain unexplained elements detract from the experience. Overall, the game offers an addictive loop for those who enjoy casual farming sims, but may not appeal to players seeking depth and complexity.
“So much gameplay and a huge map... no complaints!”
“Overall, I found the core gameplay loop to be extremely satisfying with a good variety of activities to do that only expands as you access and reach the new towns.”
“What you get is a large open world to explore with numerous points of interest, an overarching storyline to drive the gameplay, and pretty solid farming/animal husbandry mechanics.”
“Not only is it painful to see how limited and simplified everything is (characters have no personality, every quest is a 100% 'bring this item to point/person x', nice little details like showing a pet to another animal on the farm for its reaction have been removed) with no gameplay variety whatsoever, but everything from progressing the story as well as taking care of the animals and farm are designed to be exceptionally tedious.”
“Yes, you farm and keep livestock, but all those mechanics are as shallow as a puddle of rain.”
“The falling rocks mechanic in the mines was fine the first few times, but does it really need to trigger 5 times on one stone boulder blocking my path?”
- stability20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The game's stability is highly inconsistent, with some players experiencing frequent freezes and glitches that can lead to complete system lock-ups, necessitating a manual shutdown. Conversely, others report a smooth experience with no performance issues, particularly on the Steam Deck. Overall, while the game can be enjoyable, players are advised to save regularly due to the potential for instability.
“Runs great on my PC, no issues that I noticed and ran flawlessly on my Steam Deck when I loaded up a saved game from Steam Cloud.”
“Runs great on my PC, no issues that I noticed and ran flawlessly on my Steam Deck when I loaded up a saved game from Steam Cloud.”
“Runs great on Steam Deck too.”
“Game is fun except when it freezes randomly.”
“It completely freezes up my computer if I try to close the game or use Alt+F4.”
“Great game but is very glitchy; after a while it freezes or becomes very static. Saving regularly is a must!”
- music18 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its beauty and nostalgic quality, while others feel it lacks consistency and could be improved. Players note the absence of dedicated seasonal themes, as each area features its own seasonal music, which can feel disjointed. Overall, while the soundtrack complements the game's visuals and content, many agree that enhancements are needed for a more cohesive experience.
“Beautiful music and art.”
“The gorgeous cel-shaded graphics, the nostalgic yet fresh soundtrack, the interesting characters, the variety of animals to tame & keep, the vastness of the open world, the large amount of content to choose to do or not to do as you wish -- make no mistake, this is an evolutionary step for ranch sims.”
“The music is hit or miss.”
“There are no dedicated seasonal themes and instead each area of the map has their own season-themed music that plays.”
“Music could be better.”
- optimization18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
Optimization for the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting severe performance issues, particularly on the Switch, including character stuttering and menu navigation difficulties. While some PC users experience smooth performance with high frame rates, others have encountered distracting jitteriness and freezing during gameplay, leading to frustration over the game's overall optimization. Overall, the game's performance is seen as unacceptable for its price point, with a clear divide in user experiences.
“No game-breaking bugs, runs smoothly on PC.”
“Performance on my i5-9700k and 2070 Super is excellent and runs at 144fps with no drops or stutters at all.”
“I've had no bugs, crashes, glitches, graphical problems, or any other performance-related issues with this game.”
“Optimization is poorly done, the jittery character as you move around hurts to watch, and trying to navigate menus is a right pain.”
“Though I understand a lot of PC players are okay with games being terrible so long as mod support is good enough, I'm certainly not -- even if this mod had fixed the game's visuals and performance, which it absolutely doesn't, these are features any software absolutely ought to ship with.”
“The character stuttering and freezing with all movement as you explore the world is extremely distracting and, in my opinion, a completely unacceptable flaw in a $50 game.”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game often arises from its technical shortcomings, particularly when players attempt to adjust settings like render distance, leading to absurd visual glitches such as walls disappearing and a comically poor framerate. This unintended hilarity highlights the game's lack of optimization and design foresight, creating a unique, albeit frustrating, comedic experience.
“The game has a unique charm that makes you laugh out loud, especially when unexpected glitches lead to absurd situations.”
“The humor in the dialogue is top-notch, with witty one-liners that catch you off guard and keep the gameplay light-hearted.”
“I found myself chuckling at the quirky character interactions and the ridiculous scenarios they find themselves in.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviewers feel that the game's atmosphere could be significantly enhanced by incorporating more dynamic elements, such as non-interactive wildlife and varied scenery, to create a livelier and more immersive world. The current environment is perceived as somewhat empty, detracting from the overall experience.
“The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, with stunning visuals that draw you into the world.”
“The sound design enhances the atmosphere, making every moment feel alive and engaging.”
“The lighting and environmental details create a captivating atmosphere that keeps you exploring.”
“Visually, they could do a bit more to enhance the atmosphere by making the world feel more alive. Adding non-interactive critters, insects, birds, and additional scenery would help the world feel less empty.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the latest Harvest Moon titles is evolving, with improved graphics, gameplay, and character design contributing to a distinct identity for the series. This progression aims to establish a more meaningful experience that transcends its historical legacy.
