Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is finally out now for the PC and Nintendo Switch. To those unfamiliar, the game is a remake of the 2003 Harvest Moon title of the same name, and while the remake remains faithful to the original game, there are some new features and characters included in this new version. Of course, running a farm while maintaining relationships with Mineral Town's various residents can be overwhelming at first, but it is worth pointing out that Friends of Mineral Town is a slightly easier and mostly straightforward game compared to other titles in the Story of Seasons franchise.
Now, for those who are just about to start their new lives in Mineral Town on PC or Switch, one of the first thing that players will notice are the new difficulty options. In the remake, the Simple mode will give players some money and crops to start with alongside the ability to earn more money when shipping items, and befriending villagers are much easier. However, veteran players would want to opt for the Normal mode, which only gives players 500G, items would sell for less, and villagers are harder to befriend. After picking the difficulty, players will now face the challenging task of starting their respective farms, and for those who want to do it right, here are some helpful tips.
Manage Time and Stamina Wisely
First, players should know at the very beginning that time and stamina quickly run out in Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town. Every 10 minutes in-game is only equal to five seconds in real-life (except indoors where time automatically pauses), which is why players should always manage their time in an efficient manner. At the start of the game, players may be tempted to plant as many seeds as their money can buy. However, it is worth pointing out that tilling soil, planting seeds, and watering them would take a huge chunk of their time and stamina, which is why players should only plant as many crops as their time and stamina could take.
Speaking of stamina, players will notice a line of berries on the left-hand side of their screen. This is the stamina indicator, and performing actions such as watering crops, tilling the land, splitting wood, and other chores would use up these berries. Losing all berries would result in fatigue, and although players won't pass out yet, this will an effect the next morning as players will start out with fewer berries. Another important thing to remember is when not using tools, players should select an empty slot in their tool ring to ensure that they don't accidentally use one because this would decrease their stamina. Throughout the game, players will find Power Berries either by winning them at festivals or as a present from the Harvest Goddess. Collecting Power Berries are the only way to increase the player's overall stamina.
The Hot Springs Is Your Friend
Speaking of stamina, there are ways in the game for players to rest up and fill up their stamina indicators. One way to do this is to cook or purchase food at the supermarket or Inn. However, these options are not recommended at the very beginning because cooking requires a kitchen, which is not available until players upgrade their houses (requires money and resources), and purchasing food would cost money that players don't have at the beginning.
However, one sure way to recover stamina is to use the hot spring located just outside the player's farm. This method is free to use, though players should remember that it would take some time to recover stamina, and given that time in the game is a valuable resource, they should only stay and recover the amount of stamina that they need to finish out their chores.
Take Advantage of the New Save Feature
One new thing that was introduced in the Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town remake is the save anywhere, anytime feature. In the original game, players can only save their progress before they go to sleep to end the day. However, the remake now allows players to save at any point during the day, which is beneficial when exploring the mines or attending festivals. The remake also features auto-save, which automatically saves the player's progress every morning when they wake up.
Get Help from the Harvest Sprites
Similar to the original game Harvest Moon game, Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town also allows players to befriend the Harvest Sprites. To those unfamiliar, Harvest Sprites are magical creatures in the game that could help players out in their chores once befriended. Of course, at the start of the game, players won't be able to enlist the help of the Harvest Sprites and must first develop a relationship with them. One way to do this is to give each one a gift on a daily basis to quickly level up their friendship.
There are seven Harvest Sprites in total, and while each would have their own preferred presents, giving them grass that matches their outfit color is the most accessible and affordable way to get their affection. Apart from helping out with farm work, players can also play minigames with the Harvest Sprites. These minigames would help the Harvest Sprites get better at performing chores, and will also increase their friendship with the player.
Befriend the Kappa and the Harvest Goddess
In Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town, players will encounter the Harvest Goddess, which is a divine being that looks after the small community. Although the Harvest Goddess isn't that much involved in this game, it is still a good idea for players to be on her good side. The Harvest Goddess can be located by throwing gifts by the Waterfall beside the Hot Springs. Presenting her with gifts would reward players with various gifts such as a Power Berry among many others. However, players should note that not all gifts will be well-received by the Goddess. The Harvest Goddess is also one of the hardest characters to date in the game.
Another interesting creature that players should befriend in the game is Kappa, who is the amphibious water imp who lives in the lake in the mountains. There are different ways to summon Kappa in the game, but the most surefire method to make him appear is to throw a cucumber at the lake where he resides. Similar to the Goddess, Kappa will give players a Mysterious Power Berry, after completing certain requirements first. Of course, while meeting the Harvest Goddess and Kappa may not be the most essential thing that players should do when establishing their farms, the Power Berries that both creatures would reward players are extremely helpful to increase their stamina and do more work on the farm.
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is out now for the PC and Nintendo Switch.