Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland

Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland
Developer(s)	Victor Interactive Software
Publisher(s)	Natsume Co., Ltd
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2
Release	JPN: July 5 2001 USA: November 22 2001
Genre(s)	Simulation/Role-playing
Mode(s)	Single player

Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland, published in the U.S. by Natsume in 2001, is a farm simulation game, part of the popular Harvest Moon series of video games. It was the first PlayStation 2 Harvest Moon game released, and the second to be released in the U.S. on a non-Nintendo console.

Overview

The player takes on the role of a 21-year-old man whose grandfather, Tony, recently died and left him his farm. Upon arriving at the farm, nominally to pick up his grandfather's belongings, the player's character encounters three "Harvest Sprites" and the Harvest Goddess, who ask him to stay on the farm and help them.

The area is slated to be demolished within a year to make way for a resort and amusement park. The goal of the game is to find a way to save the town before the year's end.

Gameplay

Like other Harvest Moon games, the player makes money by the following activities:

• Growing and selling crops - potato, tomato, corn, or a domesticated (and fictional) version of breadfruit.
• Gathering eggs and milk from cows and chickens kept on the farm.
• Gathering herbs and other items from the wild, then selling them.

As in other Harvest Moon games, the player can also adopt a dog and a horse. The horse can be used to get around the village faster, while the dog can be trained for useful tasks, such as herding cows into the barn. If the player finds and eats "Power Berries", he or she is able to work longer hours.

Winning is dependent on interaction with NPCs in the surrounding village. After certain actions are taken, a full motion video will start and start pointing the player towards steps needed for a winning ending.

Differences from other Harvest Moon games

HM:STH differs considerably from other Harvest Moon games. To name some changes:

• Limitation on crops. The only space where crops are allowed to be grown are on eight two-by-four plots, a much smaller area than in most other HM games. The player cannot cultivate more land, nor can he or she find more efficient ways to water the crops on dry days.
• Materials not needed. The only resource the player needs to gain additional items is money. Unlike other HM games, the player does not have to gather wood for buildings. While the player can dig up rocks and other minerals, their main use is to raise extra money.
• Odd jobs. The player can make extra money daily by working at a local horse ranch.
• Expansion limitation. Aside from building a kitchen (which allows the player to cook) and a doghouse (which makes owning a dog more convenient), there are no improvements the player can make to his or her farmhouse.
• Replayability. The game has nine possible endings; if the player wins, he or she can continue playing with the same character in an attempt to win a different way.
• Inheritability. If the player takes the above option, upon the game starting over, he or she retains all livestock, planted crops, and possessions built up in earlier games. The only things that doesn't carry over are relationships with townspeople, which must begin from scratch.
• Marriages. While some plotlines allow the character to form romantic bonds with female characters, there isn't a way to marry any of them, and they remain independent characters. For example, one of the plotlines allows the player to form a bond with Dia; another will hook the player up with Gwen. Katie forms a romance with the player during one plotline, but dates Joe in another, it is unknown why the game lacks marriage.
• No festivals. Unless one wins the game with the "treasure hunt", there are no seasonal festivals that, in other HM games, allow more varied interaction with the NPCs, it is unknown why the game lacks the festivals.

The above changes may reflect the overall goal of the game. Unlike other HM games, the goal is not to make money and enlarge the farm, but to find a way to save the area. While money is needed and often helps obtain this goal, it is only a minor factor - one way the player cannot save the town is by making lots of money. Additionally, the longest any one game can last is one year, a sharp contrast to the multi-year gameplays of other HM games.

However, the game can get repetitive and confusing - even the most minor steps (such as befriending a certain character) will trigger a cut scene on a particular plotline. This can become a hassle if a person is trying to gain a different ending.

Despite being a PS2 game, the cut scenes are the most elaborate innovation within the game. The characters have no vocals, nor is there much variation in the game's dialogue. This, combined with the significant departures STH makes from other HM games, has turned away some fans of the series.

Characters

• Player character. A 21-year-old man with a boyish appearance and demeanor, he wears a baseball cap with the word "Toy" written on it throughout the game. He is the game's silent protagonist and owner of the farm.
• The Harvest Sprites. Named "Nic", "Nak", and "Flak", they live behind the barn and work with the Harvest Goddess.
• The Harvest Goddess. Lives at the lake bearing her name. She responds to player requests if an "offering" is thrown into the lake, and is instrumental in winning the game. She likes veggies like corn or a tomato then a flower.
• Ronald. Owner of a supermarket near the farm.
• Wallace and Katie. The residents of the local cafe/bar. Wallace owns it; Katie is his unusually talkative and headstrong granddaughter.
• Louis. Owner of the tool shop and an eccentric inventor.
• Lyla'. Owner of the local flower shop. She is considered one of the area's best cooks, and is always smiling.
• Parsley. A botanist who lives with Ronald.
• Bob and Tim. Bob is the muscular, intimidating owner of the local ranch, while Tim, still a young boy, is his adventurous and curious little brother.
• Woody. The local carpenter. An older man, he has Joe and Kurt as his apprentices.
• Joe and Kurt. Two orphaned brothers who work for Woody. Joe, the older brother, is happy-go-lucky and aspires to be a fisherman. Kurt, the younger of the two, is quiet and sometimes rude; he enjoys woodcarving. Kurt often appears to be the older of the two because of his serious demeanor
• Gwen. A beautiful environmentalist and promoter of animal rights. She is the granddaughter of Woody.
• Dia. A spoiled girl. She lives alone in "Clove's Villa" with her two servants, Martha and Gina. She could possibly be based on Maria, a bachelorette in Harvest Moon 64. As the player manages to get her trust, she tells about her problems in her family.
• Martha and Gina. Dia's servants. Martha is Gina's grandmother. Gina is an extremely shy but kind maid.

Plotlines

The plot of the game depends on which ending the player pursues. Overall, there are eight different ways to win the game, with nine different endings (the "treasure hunt" plotline has two variations). They are:

• Endangered butterfly. If the player can attract this butterfly (which requires a rare flower), the area won't be developed because of its endangered status.
• Endangered weasel. As with the previous ending, proving the presence of this animal will stop development.
• Endangered bluebird. Same as above; the area may host a species of bird long thought extinct.
• Fishing. The lake is home to a legendary and rare fish; this will save the area like the previous three.
• Horse racing. If the player trains his or her horse well enough, it can be entered in a horse race. If the horse wins, next year's race must be held in the hometown of the winning horse; this will stop the area from being destroyed.
• Baking contest. The player's grandmother has a secret recipe for cake that is capable of winning a national contest, but which requires extremely rare ingredients. If the cake wins the contest, the area will be saved because of the publicity it receives.
• The dress contest. For an upcoming festival, there is a contest based on who appears in the best "Harvest Goddess" dress. Since the player has seen the Harvest Goddess in person (and can gain access to the rare fabrics used in that real dress), it is possible to reconstruct this dress and win the contest, which will also save the area based on publicity.
• The "treasure hunt". By following clues and solving puzzles, the player may be able to find a long-hidden treasure. The treasure turns out to be the "golden potato", a genetic strain of potato native to the area that is able to thrive even in the most inhospitable climates. Because of the potential for this plant to grow in otherwise-unfarmable areas, the town and its environment will be preserved for future study.

All the plotlines require the work and assistance of NPCs.

External links

• Harvest Moon:Save the Homeland at GameSpot
• Ranch Story - The leading Harvest Moon fan website.