March is a special month for fans of farming simulator games, given that this month will see the release of two of the genre's biggest franchises. Today, Natsume released Harvest Moon: One World, to be followed by Marvelous Interactive's Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town later this month. Of course, while both games' release is exciting for farming simulator fans, the question of which game to choose remains.
Before diving into the features of Harvest Moon: One World and Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, it is worth discussing both franchises' close history. For the uninitiated, both Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons originated from the Japanese game Bokujou Monogatari, which was translated to the west by Natsume as Harvest Moon. However, when the franchise developers split with Natsume, the company did not own the Harvest Moon name, so it was rebranded as Story of Seasons. Natsume developed its own farming simulator under the Harvest Moon brand.
One major thing that could be a deciding factor for players is the platforms where both games will be released. Harvest Moon: One World will be available for the PS4, Switch, and Xbox One, while Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town will only be released to the Switch. However, for those who are still on the fence of which game to get, here are the most important features of Harvest Moon: One World and Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town.
Harvest Moon: One World Has Exotic Animals
In a trailer released by Natsume before Harvest Moon: One World's release, the developer detailed the many animals that players can take care of in the game. Apart from the usual livestock such as cows, chickens, and sheep, Harvest Moon: One World also features exotic animals such as tigers, camels, reindeer, bears, and what appears to be a blue chicken. There will also be pets available in the game, such as dogs and cats.
Similarly, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town will also have its share of rare animals, but it won't be as diverse as Harvest Moon: One World as far as we can tell. Currently, Marvelous Interactive confirmed a unicorn and a wolf, both of which are mounts that players can use as a transportation mode. Apart from living mounts, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town will have a motorcycle, the first mount the player will obtain. As expected, Pioneers of Olive Town will have the usual livestock alongside several breeds of cats and dogs for players to enjoy.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town Has An Inclusive Marriage System
One of the biggest features in both Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons is the marriage mechanic, allowing players to woo bachelors and bachelorettes with marriage and having kids as the end goal. Unfortunately, there is no same-sex marriage in Harvest Moon: One World, which is disappointing given that Story of Seasons already incorporated an inclusive marriage system starting with 2020's remake of Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town.
A statement released by Graham Markay, vice president of Natsume Inc, revealed that there had been discussions of allowing same-sex couples to marry. However, due to COVID-19 related complications, it was one of the features that did not make it to the final build. Although the loss of an inclusive marriage system could hurt the game, Markay reassured fans that it would likely be implemented in the next Harvest Moon title. "We wanted to do it right, as opposed to just doing it for the sake of doing it, if that makes any sense. So I'm fairly confident, 99%, it'll be in the next game."
Both Games Has Plans For Post-Launch DLCs
One similarity between Harvest Moon: One World and Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is that both games will be receiving post-launch DLCs from their respective developers. For Harvest Moon: One World, Natsume is releasing four expansion packs: Interior Design & Tool Upgrade Pack (March 2), Far East Adventure Pack (March 23), Precious Pets Pack (April 13), and Mythical Wild Animals Pack (May 4). It is worth noting that the Far East Adventure Pack will cost players $12.99, while the rest of the expansion will set players back by $2.99 each. It is worth noting that a Season Pass that contains all four DLCs is also available for $14.99.
Similarly, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town will also release an Expansion Pass divided into five parts. These parts will include new costumes, new marriage candidates, sub-scenarios, and locations to explore. The first part of Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town's Expansion Pass will be available on April 2021, and succeeding parts will be released monthly until August 2021. The Expansion Pass will e available for purchase during the game's launch and is priced at $19.99.
Harvest Moon: One World is out on March 2, 2021, for the PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town will be released on March 23, 2021, on the Nintendo Switch.