At this years E3, I got some time to play a bit of Natsumes Harvest Moon: Another Wonderful Life, "sequel" to the previously released Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life. As the title suggests, the two games are exactly the same. The only difference is that you now play as girl, one thats apparently from the same family as the main character from the previous version of the game. The intro to the game explains that youre a city girl who finds both farm life and Forget-Me-Not valley quite interesting, so you ask to come to the valley and run a farm. Youre introduced to the same farm, buildings, characters, and dogs from the previous game.

As in the first game, you have the goal of finding a spouse in the first year on your farm. This game differs in that you must find a husband instead of a wife, choosing from the various male characters that appeared in the first game. There are no new men for you to choose from, and as far as I know, you cant marry the cute athletic kid. Another difference between the two games is that you have a different kid. The menu and backpack also have had little changes made to them while the action buttons are exactly the same.

The main character, I found, gets very annoying very fast. When she walks and runs her split pony tail bobs, and its really, really hard to ignore. Various booth babes and I thought that the game should have been changed up a little more. While a little disappointing in that regard, however, the game still holds true to its nature; plant, harvest, milk, shave, grow relationships, marry, sell, dig, fish, play mini games, improve your farm, and make money while doing it.

So if you really liked the first Wonderful Life and the only change you wanted was to play as a girl, then youve got your wish on a silver platter. If you wanted another Harvest moon with a different story, new characters, new animals, and new scenery... youre out of luck for now. At least, until whenever Harvest Moon: Poem of Happiness is released.

Freelance by Amanda Schaldach