Harvestella Is Final Fantasy Meets Stardew Valley And It Looks Amazing
It was only a matter of time until Square Enix jumped aboard the Stardew Valley bandwagon. Harvestella is quite clearly riffing on the likes of Harvest Moon and Rune Factory to create a life simulator that fits squarely within its established mould of JRPGs, except it seems to include a healthy dose of anime melodrama amidst the apocalypse to shake things up.
While some might be turning their noses up at such an obvious copycat, I’m completely onboard to see how the publisher handles the genre and seeks to innovate upon it with new ideas, since there certainly seems to be a bunch of them here. The changing seasons are given narrative justification, while the fixed character designs and greater attention to world building hint at a wider story that will be a far cry from its contemporaries.
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The trailer is unintentionally hilarious. It opens with a sombre narration, introducing its sprawling town alongside the protagonist who will spend their days toiling away at the soil as they plant crops, harvest fruit, and make a living off the land before them. Seasons shift in accordance to ancient crystals known as ‘Seaslight’ which maintain the land’s harmonious appearance. One day this balance falls away, ushering in the season of death that kills crops, summons evil creatures, and seemingly kills anyone who dares step outside.
Harvestella introduces this twist with such blunt honesty that I couldn’t help but laugh, watching as this once peaceful town becomes drenched in crimson red and screaming citizens instead of the otherwise wholesome picture it had painted up until that point. JRPGs have never been masters at balancing tone, but this is something else and I
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