DESCRIPTION

Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland marks a significant shift in focus for the series, becoming more of a "life simulation" than the "farm simulation" it once was. Unlike previous incarnations where the main objective was to resurrect a dying farm and ultimately turn a profit, this PS2 title presents players with a slightly more desperate predicament: The land upon which the village is built has been earmarked for the development of a new resort complex. Construction begins in exactly one year and in that time you'll have to find a way to save the village. Incidentally, there are nine different ways that this can be achieved, providing nine different game endings.

Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland is also the first title in the series to make use of 3D environments, and has included a user-definable camera that can be manipulated as needed with the aid of the right analog stick. The game also makes use of "cel-shading" — a technique that has become synonymous with cartoon-style games.

Among the most significant changes are that annual events are no longer celebrated; the axe and hammer have been removed from your inventory; the variety of crops has been reduced, and land no longer needs to be cleared before crops can be planted. Also, the shipping bin has been eradicated, requiring that you take your crops to town yourself. With the emphasis no longer on your farm, relationships now become more important than ever; though, you can now only court the local ladies and not marry them. Cooking and the collection of recipes remain an integral part of the gameplay.

A standard day on the farm still revolves around checking the weather report and then tending to the animals and crops, but days now elapse significantly faster. Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland also features 20 new characters with which to interact, each with their own unique personalities, likes and dislikes, and birthdays which must be remembered at all costs. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide