RPG Site has reviewed the farming sim Harvestella:

Harvestella Review

I’ve tried to get into farming simulator games for most of my life, and I think the filter for me has always been the “sim” part. I have spent years hearing praise and enthusiasm for games like Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons, but I found myself bouncing off immediately when I gave them a try myself. Evenfarming sims that lean more into RPG elements like Rune Factory just have not been able to grab me as much as I wish they did. The closest I’ve gotten would still not even be considered as living in the same county, and that would be the Atelier series and its item-crafting focus. Despite this apprehension, something about Harvestella just sang to me when it was revealed. 

Harvestella is the gateway farming sim for the RPG crowd that I’ve been craving for years. Granted, it achieves this by largely pointing the focus away from the farming sim aspects, but it achieves it all the same. Harvestella is story-driven RPG first, an action-adventure game second, and a farming sim third. It tackles all of these things well. I don’t think I can point to a game ruining flaw in Harvestella’s formula, but I do have a couple issues.

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Harvestella is the type of game that’ll just simmer in your brain the further you get from it, I’m convinced this will be a beloved cult classic for years to come. There’s so much here that feels like an experiment, and it’s surprising how much of it comes together into a great package despite its shortcomings. When your greatest sin is being maybe a tad too simple, I call that a success.I think there’s a lot of room for growth in a hypothetical follow-up with a larger budget, and, hopefully, Square Enix agrees with me.

Score: 8/10

TechRaptor checked out Harvestella:

Harvestella Review

When Harvestella was announced, I was somewhat skeptical. It was revealed along with a few other Square Enix titles that would be released within close proximity of each other, as if they were just wanting to get everything pushed before the holiday. It was hard not to wonder just what we’d be in for with so much out at once from one company. The other point of skepticism stemmed from the first trailer. Is Harvestella a Harvest Moon or a farming simulation clone? Or it is more in the same vein as something like Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles? At first glance, it seemed like a mixture of both, however, the more I got into Harvestella, it was clear that it’s really its own unique experience.

When we get down to it, Harvestella opens with some typical RPG fare. That is, you’ve got a character creation tool where you can design your avatar and choose their name, and you play the role of the silent protagonist who conveniently is suffering from amnesia. Sounds familiar, right? Right. Despite this tried and true formula, Harvestella does attempt to mix it up a bit. While the story, including your amnesia-ridden protagonist, eases out the gate at a slow pace, things do eventually pick up as they lean heavily on RPG tropes mixed with some unique themes that round out an overall compelling experience. Add in the copious side quests and you’ve got the perfect mix of character stories to go along with the main narrative.

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Harvestella Review | Final Thoughts
There’s a lot to say about Harvestella but my biggest takeaway is that it’s an underrated gem that’s sort of been pushed out at the end of the year with little fanfare. Its solid RPG foundations are packed into a simple, yet charming game that doesn’t let its simplicity hold it back. The story and especially the character writing make up for the vanilla silent protagonist, and the art direction and music are especially a delight. Hopefully, once the holiday dust settles, more people will be willing to give this one a look.

Score: 9/10

RPGFan checked out Harvestella:

Harvestella Review

Square Enix is releasing an absolute deluge of games this holiday season, so it’s no surprise to see some games fall short of the spotlight, rightfully or wrongfully. Thus, while unsurprising, it is unfortunate that an absolute gem like Harvestella is missing its chance to gleam. Harvestella finds itself in a strange spot. Its place in the RPG and farming sim genres is hard to define and wasn’t cleared up by marketing. It was released surrounded by other Square Enix games and more popular titles like God of War Ragnarök and Sonic Frontiers. Also, as of this review, it is only available on PC and console-exclusive to Nintendo Switch. However, despite some blemishes, Harvestella is the perfect game for the right sort, and hopefully, I can give you an idea of whether you are such a player.

First, I would like to clarify what Harvestella is and is not. Harvestella is primarily a JRPG. It has farming elements, but it is not truly a farming sim. It is a game about managing resources, including time. It is not an action game. Romance exists as a possibility within the post-game but is not a focus. There are many games I could compare it to, and Harvest Moon or Rune Factory are not even the first that come to mind. Instead, it is games like Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Final Fantasy XIV, Dark Cloud, and the Atelier series that I find myself placing Harvestella alongside.

Pros
Ambitious scope, a compelling narrative, powerful side stories, great characters you won't forget, enjoyable and nostalgic dungeon crawling, a neat combat system with cool jobs.

Cons
Not as much of a farming sim as some might like, the stakes of the story are not always felt in the moment-to-moment gameplay, the use of in-game time does not put enough pressure on the player.

Bottom Line
For the right players, Harvestella is a game of the year (or even generation) contender. Everyone else might be left wondering what they are missing.

Score: 85/100

Meg Sullivan checked out Harvestella:

Harvestella Review (GotY Contender???)

Gamerbraves reviewed Harvestella:

Harvestella Review: A Stellar Casual Farming Game

Harvestella is a unique title. Being a farming game with a twist of adding in JRPG elements, which can be compared to the Rune Factory seires. Developed by Live Wire Inc and published by Squre Enix, I dove in head first into the world of Harvestella, and I thoroughly enjoyed  it.

Harvestella starts off with your usual case of the JRPG trope, meaning that the main character has amnesia. The story progresses where you and your party members need to get to the bottom of the phenomenon known as the Quietus, a one day season where the air is filled with deadly dust, and that all living things that come into contact with will die. Except you of course.

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All in all, I enjoyed my time playing through Harvestella, the combat while lacking depth offers a nice gameplay loop with distinct Jobs and playstyles which is perfect for those who look for a more casual time.

But those who look for a purely farming game wouldn’t particularly enjoy Harvestella since it’s pretty simplified and honestly you’re spending your time mostly fighting off monsters and exploring dungeons rather than tending your crops. But I still find the farming satisfying regardless of its simplicity.

Though my main gripe with the game is how fast the time passes for each in-game day. It feels like your main currency in the game is time and how you spend it. It can get rather frustrating at certain times where you’re just a few steps away from reaching a certain checkpoint in a dungeon only for you to get booted back home.

But despite all of that, Harvestella is a noteworthy title for fans to pick up if they’re looking for a casual game with beautiful art direction and unique twists to the farming genre.

Score: 8/10

Capsule Computers checked out Harvestella:

Harvestella Review

Overview

When it comes to farming life sims there are certain series that immediately spring to mind that have been around for decades and when you combine them with fantasy action, there are even more that have combined RPG elements with farming to relatively great success. In recent years many new entries in this once small genre have appeared and now it is time for Square Enix to take a crack at things with Harvestella. Offering a new take on the fantasy farming RPG genre, is Harvestella worth checking out for fans of the genre?  

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Overall

Harvestella feels like a solid first entry for a company not entirely familiar with the farming/action RPG genre mix. The title offers perhaps some exceptional storytelling once things finally get going and has some absolutely wonderful characters to interact with but both its farming mechanics are a bit too simple for those who prefer that side of things. Even then, while the combat is more interesting and offers some strategic elements, especially when it comes to diving into Harvestella’s massive dungeons, it too has a number of poorly thought out elements that stop it from really standing out. As such, Harvestella does its best to create an enticing world for players to get lost in all while offering simpler than expected gameplay elements.

Score: 7/10

GamingBolt checked out the farming sim Harvestella:

Harvestella Review - The Final Verdict

The RPG/Life Sim Harvestella will be released today:

Harvestella

HARVESTELLA, an all-new life-simulation RPG from SQUARE ENIX!
Our protagonist awakens during the height of Quietus, a disaster that visits with the changing of each season – and a threat to all life.Lead a life of self-sufficiency with your vibrant house as a base and cooperate with allies to overcome various threats, all as you draw ever closer to the truth behind the disasters and the very world’s creation!

Quietus
The season of death that visits with the changing of the seasons. Plants wither. People cannot even walk around outside, due to the dust of death that fills the air. And each year, Quietus persists for longer and longer…

World
Nemea Town, where cherry trees bloom all year round. Shatolla, a seaside town home to a bustling tavern. Lethe Village, resplendent in the vibrant colours of the four seasons. The Holy Capital of Argene, cloaked in snow. Use the world map to travel to all these settlements and their respective dungeons. You will have to traverse beautiful, treacherous paths to reach the Seaslights – four giant crystals that govern the seasons.

Daily Life
Grow fruit, vegetables and crops in your fields to either sell or use as crafting materials. If you use the produce you’ve grown in your cooking, the food will grant extremely helpful effects for your adventures, such as HP recovery or temporary stat boosts! It might also be a good idea to take care of some plump cluffowl birds, dignified goat-like woolum, and a pet totokaku.

Allies
Shrika, a missionary searching for a new form of faith. Heine, a pompous gentleman mechanic.Asyl, descendent of the Wind poem people. And Aria, a mysterious girl who claims to have come from the future. Cooperate with – and sometimes clash with – your allies, including these characters among others. Reach a deeper mutual understanding by facing their worries and their way of life head on.

Combat
Overcome battles by switching seamlessly between jobs during combat – including the Fighter, adept with swift sword techniques, the Shadow Walker, which deals critical wounds with twin blades, or the Mage, specialising in magic attacks. When faced with a mighty foe, skilfully target their weak points to inflict the Double Break state and take them down in an instant! 

Arekkz Gaming checked out the upcoming Life Sim / RPG Harvestella:

Harvestella - New Final Fantasy RPG Life Simulator Like Animal Crossing & Rune Factory?

The life sim RPG Harvestella will be released on November 4:

HARVESTELLA – Announce Trailer

Introducing a brand-new fantasy x life simulation RPG from Square Enix! Through the changing seasons, explore an imaginative world, tend your crops, make new friends, face enemies in dynamic combat, and unravel the mystery of the season of death, Quietus.
HARVESTELLA is set to launch for Nintendo Switch and Steam on November 4th, 2022