This is a video game blog, right?
It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a game (My DQ3 First Impressions doesn’t really count), and I recently wrapped up my playthrough of Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life remake. What better opportunity to cover something than one of my favorite game series?
Story of Seasons (titled Bokujo Monogatari in Japan) is a beloved franchise of farming sim games that started on the Super Nintendo. The usual SoS plot aims to immerse players in a town full of lovable characters as they work to restore a neglected farm to its former glory.
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life (2023) is a remake of Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, which debuted on the Nintendo GameCube in 2003. The original was a charming experience that earned positive reviews, though some felt it offered fewer activities than expected.
I’ll admit, the original’s limited scope was always an issue for me: crops didn’t yield much profit, leaving you to spend most of your time caring for animals. While not feeling pressured to plant and harvest can be liberating, I can’t deny it took away some of the excitement. Many of us also didn’t realize that cross-breeding crops was the true way to farm profitably. In fact, when I first played, I’m not sure I even knew hybrids existed!
Mechanics
Thankfully, the remake addresses the crop concern by increasing the base profit of crops. The entire game has also been shortened and streamlined, making crossbreeding more accessible. To counter the original’s emptiness, a bulletin board now offers delivery jobs and fetch quests, filling some downtime and providing extra earnings.
Still, you might occasionally find yourself with idle in-game hours. At no point did I ever feel pressed to accomplish something rapidly. There’s little difficulty here: cows and chickens no longer get sick in the rain, and neither do pets if you neglect them. Plus, there’s no failing condition for ignoring farm upkeep, though it’s true the series has long since moved away from harsh penalties.
Mining remains a minor diversion—something BokuMono titles have never expanded deeply. But that’s arguably part of the charm: the game isn’t striving to bury you in tasks.
Where A Wonderful Life shines is in its villager interactions. You’ll find a generous number of cutscenes tied to each era of your farmer’s life, and you’ll definitely want to google gift lists to boost everyone’s affection. One slight annoyance is that some NPCs, like Gordy, won’t accept gifts while they’re busy working, meaning you’ll have to return later. It’s a mild inconvenience, but not a deal-breaker
Character designs have been tweaked, ranging from subtle changes to the complete replacement of at least one figure. While I sometimes miss the old designs, none of them drastically undermine the nostalgic feel. The marriage system returns, and this game goes a step further by letting your child grow into adulthood, choosing their future. During childhood, you can influence their interests; eventually, they settle on a path. In my playthrough, I guided my child toward the joys of farm life, and by adulthood, they were set to inherit the farm—an incredibly heartwarming twist I wish more BokuMono titles offered.
Other additions to the remake include gay marriage—a welcome trend in the more recent BokoMono games—and the ability to choose your character’s gender at creation (a feature once relegated to an entirely separate title, Harvest Moon: Another Wonderful Life). There are also helpful quality-of-life improvements, such as faster story progression (the original dragged on a bit) and a bell that automatically transports all animals in and out of the barn or coop.
Sound Design
The music is wonderfully nostalgic, though it can get repetitive. Fortunately, unlockable records allow you to swap tracks on your farm, just like in the original, helping keep the soundtrack fresh. Many menu and action sounds also return from the original—an excellent move that preserves the game’s legacy feel.
Graphics
There isn’t much to say about the visuals: they’re perfectly fine and never unpleasant, but they don’t go out of their way to wow you either. I’ll admit, a remake of a beloved classic might have been a chance to push the art style further. Still, A Wonderful Life was never about flashy visuals; it’s more about the relaxed vibe of the farm and village life.
Final Verdict
I genuinely enjoyed my time with Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life—especially the character interactions and memorable cutscenes. Watching my in-game child grow into someone ready to continue the farm remains one of my favorite gaming memories. Though less jam-packed with activities than some other farming sims, A Wonderful Life keeps the focus on a simpler, slower pace.
If you prefer farming sims bursting with endless tasks and challenges, you might find A Wonderful Life a bit too relaxed. But if you enjoy a calmer, more personal farming experience, it offers a comforting return to the series’ roots—reminding us that sometimes, less can be more.
Finally, although comparisons between Story of Seasons and Stardew Valley are inevitable, it’s best to see them as different takes on the same genre. Stardew Valley is a phenomenon born from one dedicated creator, while BokuMono developers produce a steady line of polished farming titles within a narrower scope. If you accept A Wonderful Life for the easier, more heartfelt experience it is, you’ll likely find it a warm, nostalgic journey that doesn’t try to overshadow Stardew—and that’s perfectly okay.
In the end, Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life remains a gentle reminder of what these games aim to provide: a cozy sanctuary from life’s hustle, where tending to animals and nurturing relationships can be enough. It may not reinvent the farming sim formula, but it successfully preserves the heart of the original while smoothing out a few rough edges. If you’re looking for a nostalgic, laid-back adventure that gently unfolds rather than races at full speed, this remake offers a truly wonderful life indeed.
