Celebrating 20 years of Unique Farming Simulator RPGs
Natsume, Inc., the leading publisher and developer of farming simulation is celebrating 20 years of their Harvest Moon franchise. That is why, today, they announced their latest project, Light of Hope. And they will deliver their new title in partnership with European Publisher Rising Star Games.
Over the years, Harvest Moon branched out into the international title Story of Seasons, both of which have earned praise for their mix of simulation and RPG-style gameplay. Apparently, the next title will expand on everything we’ve seen thus far.
“Harvest Moon: Light of Hope will set itself apart from other Harvest Moon titles with its depth, including a robust story and clear-cut goals,” said Hiro Maekawa, President & CEO of Natsume. Â “We set out to create an SNES-style nostalgic game with deep and meaningful characters and events, and we are excited to have our fans play it at E3 and tell us what they think!”
By encompassing 20 years of a franchise into one game, we imagine Harvest Moon: Light of Hope could prove Natsume’s best farming simulator yet. Their games are known for being family-friendly and goal-oriented; moreover, they include some great narratives, better than what you find in other games in the same genre.
In Harvest Moon: Light of Hope, players begin the game as they set out looking for a fresh start and new surroundings. During their voyage, their ship is hit by a monsoon and goes down. As they drift into a small harbor town, now in a shambles from the storm, it will be up to the player to help rebuild the town and save the lighthouse…but it won’t be easy! Nevertheless, with some hard work growing crops, tending livestock, and gathering materials for repairs, players will be able to make new friends, start a family, revive the lighthouse, and save the town!
Harvest Moon: Light of Hope will release for Steam, PS4, and the Nintendo Switch. While there’s been no release date announced, we know the game will appear at E3. There, it will be playable on Nintendo Switch and PC.
Furthermore, alongside Light of Hope, Natsume is happy to re-release Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Special Edition and Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland for the PlayStation 4. At the same time, the Nintendo Wii U gets the re-release of Harvest Moon 64.  Anyone with a PS4 or Wii U will soon be able to experience past titles. For more information on the franchise, you can visit www.natsume.com.
With all these announcements, we’ll have a flurry of release dates incoming. So stick around for more updates as they come. But before then, feel free to comment your thoughts on the 20th anniversary of Harvest Moon. Are you a long-time fan or a newcomer? Let us know.
SOURCE: Press Release