Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos

76%
Game Brain Score Based on 193 reviews
  • story
  • grinding
  • graphics
Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos Game Cover
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In 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.

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Reviews

76%
Audience ScoreBased on 193 reviews
story12 positive mentions
grinding64 negative mentions
  • The game is a significant improvement over previous Natsume titles, showcasing better graphics and gameplay mechanics.
  • The open world is expansive and offers a lot of exploration opportunities, making it engaging for players.
  • The ability to tame wild animals and the variety of crops and animals available adds depth to the farming experience.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, including freezing and stuttering, which can disrupt gameplay.
  • Many players find the stamina system frustrating, as it depletes quickly even during basic actions like walking.
  • The character customization options are limited, and NPC interactions lack depth, making the world feel less immersive.
  • story88 mentions

    The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, primarily consisting of fetch quests that lack depth and character development. While some appreciate the nostalgic elements reminiscent of classic Harvest Moon games, others criticize the limited personality of characters and the overall lack of engaging narrative. Overall, the game seems to prioritize farming mechanics over a compelling storyline, leaving some players feeling disappointed.

    • “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 the original Story of Seasons so special.”
  • grinding64 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 monotony. Overall, the game offers a blend of farming and storytelling, but may not satisfy those seeking a traditional, engaging farming 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.”
    • “Ironically, farming is the least profitable thing to do in my experience, but there are at least tons of animals to get.”
    • “By the end of month 1, I had nearly stopped farming completely because it just got… annoying.”
  • graphics47 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the aesthetic appeal and beautiful art style 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 users express disappointment over the absence of settings for resolution and frame rate, which detracts from the overall experience, despite the game's charming visuals and expansive world. Overall, while the graphics are considered a step up from previous entries, they still leave room for improvement.

    • “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.”
    • “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€.”
    • “The key point here though is the complete lack of graphics options paired with frame rate drops.”
  • gameplay37 mentions

    Gameplay in this title is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the expansive open world and variety of activities, while others criticize the simplicity and repetitiveness of tasks, such as item-fetching quests and shallow farming mechanics. The pacing starts slow but improves as players unlock new features, though some mechanics, like stamina management and certain mining challenges, are seen as frustrating. Overall, the game offers a satisfying core loop for those who enjoy laid-back farming sims, but may not appeal to players seeking depth and complexity.

    • “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.”
    • “Addictive gameplay loop and progression system.”
    • “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?”
  • stability10 mentions

    The stability of the game 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, players recommend saving regularly due to the potential for instability.

    • “Runs great on Steam Deck too.”
    • “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.”
    • “The game is fun except when it freezes randomly.”
    • “It completely freezes my computer if I try to close the game or use Alt+F4.”
    • “Great game, but it is very glitchy; after a while, it freezes or becomes very static. Saving regularly is a must!”
  • music9 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the beautiful soundtrack and its integration with the game's visuals, while others feel it lacks dedicated seasonal themes and could be improved overall. Although the music complements the game's aesthetic, there are calls for enhancements to make it more engaging and cohesive.

    • “Beautiful music and art.”
    • “The music is hit or miss.”
    • “Music could be better.”
    • “There are no dedicated seasonal themes; instead, each area of the map has its own season-themed music that plays.”
  • optimization9 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing severe performance issues, such as character stuttering and menu navigation difficulties, particularly on the Switch. However, others report smooth performance on PC with high frame rates and no significant bugs. Overall, while some users are satisfied, the inconsistent optimization across platforms has led to frustration among many players.

    • “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 movement is painful to watch, and navigating the menus is a real hassle.”
    • “The character stuttering and freezing during movement as you explore the world is extremely distracting and, in my opinion, a completely unacceptable flaw in a $50 game.”
    • “I've done some research, and it seems the game has even more severe performance issues on the Switch.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game arises from its unintended glitches, such as walls disappearing and severe frame rate drops, which create a comically chaotic experience. Players find amusement in the absurdity of these technical issues, highlighting a disconnect between the game's design and its performance.

    • “The game was never designed for any of these tweaks, so while you can adjust the render distance, it hilariously breaks the game's level of detail and culling. You can watch house walls despawn around you as the framerate plummets beyond comprehension, even though your GPU isn't being stressed at all.”
    • “The humor in this game is top-notch, with witty dialogue and absurd situations that keep you laughing throughout your playthrough.”
    • “I love how the game doesn't take itself seriously; the quirky characters and ridiculous scenarios make for some genuinely funny moments.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    Reviewers feel that the game's atmosphere could be enhanced by incorporating more dynamic elements, such as non-interactive wildlife and varied scenery, to create a livelier and more immersive world.

    • “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, with stunning visuals that draw you into the world.”
    • “The game creates a hauntingly beautiful ambiance that keeps you on edge and fully engaged.”
    • “The sound design complements the visuals perfectly, enhancing the overall atmosphere and making every moment feel significant.”
    • “Visually, they could do more to enhance the atmosphere by adding non-interactive critters, insects, and birds, as well as additional scenery, to make the world feel less empty.”
    • “The atmosphere feels lacking; it would benefit from more dynamic elements to create a sense of life and immersion.”
    • “The world feels too sterile and lifeless, missing the small details that could make the environment feel vibrant and engaging.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviewers note that the character development in the latest Harvest Moon titles is evolving, with improved graphics and gameplay contributing to a more distinct identity for the series. This evolution suggests a shift towards deeper and more engaging character experiences, moving beyond the franchise's historical roots.

    • “The graphics, gameplay, and character design are finally coming together to give Harvest Moon its own identity and a reason to exist beyond its storied past.”
    • “The character development in this game is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with the characters and truly feel their growth throughout the story.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve based on the choices I make; it adds a personal touch to the gameplay and makes every decision feel significant.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

31hMedian play time
21hAverage play time
2-40hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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