Home Sweet Home’ iOS Review – A Great Start, but Needs More Work – TouchArcade Leave a comment

Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence has been a really fascinating recreation to comply with pre-release. I say this not solely as a result of it’s a premium mobile-first Harvest Moon recreation, but in addition as a result of the reactions from my associates who’re longtime followers of the collection have gone from apathy to curiosity with each little bit of gameplay proven. Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence launched not too long ago on iOS and Android as a mobile-exclusive entry in Natsume’s Harvest Moon collection, and I’ve been taking part in it for a couple of week and a half now on iPhone 15 Professional and iPad Professional for evaluate. Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence is an excellent farming simulation recreation, however one that’s held again by a number of points proper now.

Plenty of followers of the Harvest Moon collection of video games from Marvelous have been round because the SNES or N64 days, however I solely acquired into it on 3DS with Story of Season. Again then, I had no thought concerning the identify change and that Marvelous’ releases can be known as Story of Seasons whereas Harvest Moon can be the identify utilized by Natsume going ahead. I’m making that clear now as a result of I don’t need folks confused about what Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence is and in addition to provide you my historical past with the collection earlier than entering into how I really feel about Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence ($17.99).

When you’re new to farming and life simulation video games, Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence takes you again from town to a relaxing village the place you fish, farm, work together with many NPCs, partake in festivals (that should be unlocked), and even discover a companion. The village of Alba, your new dwelling, is dense and comfortable (sorry however I needed to), and I’m glad it isn’t a giant open location as a result of these normally end in a whole lot of empty areas in terms of life simulation video games. When you’ve performed many within the style, consider Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence as one which focuses extra on the characters with a bit much less depth in terms of farming.

After a brief tutorial explaining the fundamentals of motion and a little bit of farming, you unlock the map and predominant menu letting you save nearly wherever (this is essential for a cell recreation), and that is the place you get into the stream of Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence the place you attempt to end quests for NPCs, improve your instruments, collect, mine (this unlocks a bit later), and naturally farm by means of the sport’s predominant chapters.

The extra I performed Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence, the extra I noticed that the builders understood what makes life and farming simulation video games nice, however fell quick in some methods. These could or could not have an effect on newcomers to the style, however those that have performed many latest video games will discover them missing. The potential companions are probably the weakest facet of Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence. They simply aren’t as fascinating as different video games within the style. When you don’t care about that facet, Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence is sort of a sophisticated entry within the style.

Approaching Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence from a normal life simulation recreation fanatic’s perspective feels completely different although. Whereas different platforms are spoiled for selection with tons of video games from massive and small builders, we don’t actually see very like that on cell, however that doesn’t make up for a number of the flaws right here, particularly at a a lot increased worth level. I feel this can be a very stable base that the builders can construct on to the purpose the place it might even be an ideal match for PC and consoles. The one “cell” facet of Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence proper now could be the contact management possibility.

Visually, apart from the efficiency and cargo occasions that I’ll cowl beneath, Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence appears to be like excellent. Some characters look generic, however the interface, farm, constructing format, and the whole lot appears to be like good. I additionally admire that Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence helps fullscreen on iPhone 15 Professional and iPad Professional. It actually appears like a recreation correctly tailor-made to cell with its visuals and controls.

Whereas Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence does look good visually for essentially the most half, it’s missing in terms of the character designs. This is applicable to your personal character with customization choices that ought to’ve been extra detailed and in addition the principle NPCs within the city. Plenty of them really feel lifeless even throughout cut-scenes. Barring that, I just like the aesthetic rather a lot, and Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence appears to be like glorious on my iPhone and iPad. The one disappointment is in efficiency. Proper now, Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence is capped at 30fps on my iPhone 15 Professional and iPad Professional. I used to be anticipating above 60fps not to mention 60fps, nevertheless it isn’t doable to play at the next body price now. The load occasions are additionally not as quick as they need to be.

On the audio facet, I used to be happy with the music and sounds in Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence. Nothing stood out to the purpose the place I’d hearken to it outdoors the sport, nevertheless it sounded good and the music adjustments had been acceptable to the gameplay.

When Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence was introduced as a mobile-exclusive recreation, I used to be curious how it might management. The builders have executed a incredible job with the contact controls right here letting you play by tapping to maneuver, dragging to maneuver, and extra. Interacting with objects or characters, farming, and navigating menus all really feel good. Some textual content and contact targets really feel a bit too small on iPhone, however they’re superb on iPad. I might’ve liked some haptic suggestions on iPhone although for utilizing instruments and even fishing. Perhaps this may be added in a future replace.

When you’ve performed the 2 finest life simulation video games on cell: Stardew Valley and My Time at Portia, Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence feels nearer to the previous, nevertheless it isn’t as polished. I dislike citing different video games in the identical style to check, however I’m doing it right here particularly for the cell port. These two video games had been constructed for PC/console and introduced over to cell whereas Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence was constructed for cell and but it doesn’t really feel as tailor-made to the platform in its options.

Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence is a mobile-exclusive recreation, and whereas I admire the contact management scheme, it has a number of points proper now in terms of options. The shortage of cloud saves is past disappointing. Once I first downloaded Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence on my iPhone, I performed it for about three hours earlier than selecting up my iPad to see the way it feels there. I discovered no technique to get the save throughout, and nonetheless haven’t been in a position to transfer saves throughout gadgets. The shortage of controller help can also be disappointing for a recreation like this. The builders did an ideal job with contact controls, however it might be good to have controller help for once I play on iPad. I might additionally like some high quality of life options for motion, like we’ve seen in latest video games within the style.

As a newcomer to Natsume’s new Harvest Moon video games however a fan of all of the latest Story of Seasons and different life simulation video games, Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence ended up being price taking part in, nevertheless it wants a number of updates and options to be really important at full worth. I’ve no points with builders desirous to cost premium costs on cell, however Harvest Moon: Residence Candy Residence missing primary options like cloud saves and controller help undoubtedly makes it more durable to advocate alongside a number of different design points. If the builders proceed engaged on this, it will likely be among the finest within the style on cell, and I’m glad to see them take an opportunity on a premium cell life simulation recreation as a result of that could be very uncommon.