First Impressions Doraemon Story of Seasons (Switch)

Doraemon Story of Seasons is the newest entry in the Story of Seasons series, whilst simultaneously being the first Doraemon title to be released to a western audience. This charming and highly addictive farming simulation role-playing game is characterised by its pleasant watercolour art style and classic gameplay elements from past Story of Seasons games.

I picked up the game at release on October 11 2019, and I felt it time to put my first thoughts about the game to “paper” If you are playing too, you might want to check out our mini guide Doraemon Story of Seasons – Store Hours Guide

Overview

Players control the character Noby, a young boy with glasses. Noby participates in numerous farming and questing activities that the Story of Season series is notable for. Things like tending to the crops on your own farm and rearing a number of animals. This game also echoes elements of the ‘Animal Crossing’ series, as players are able to capture and collect insects and fish in the many bodies of water found around Shizen Town.

If players are familiar with the Doraemon franchise, Doraemon’s weird and wacky secret gadgets become available items as you progress through the game, unlocking numerous abilities and QOL features that were not yet accessible or available.

Marriage?

Although the game does not have any romance or marriage features, it does have a solid focus on platonic and familial relationships. As the player forges stronger connections with their friends and fellow townspeople, a number of cutscenes containing sub-stories occur. These cutscenes are cute and really fleshes out the characters of Shizen Town. I am always excited when I see that the loading screen is taking an extra second or two knowing that I am about to experience an interaction between my characters.

Although the relationship system within Doraemon Story of Seasons is different from the core series, it provides a breath of fresh air for those who want to explore the different aspects of platonic relationships or want to take a break from the main series’ objective of the pursuit of marriage.

Thoughts?

When I picked the game up on release day, I did not expect to already put in over twelve hours of game play within a day and a half. The characters are charming, each with their own individual personality that make you want to go out of your way to interact with them as they move about their day.

The story is also intriguing, creating a feeling of curiosity within the player as they work towards finding out if Doraemon, Noby and co. will ever make it home. Doraemon Story of Seasons is the perfect crossover, with the best elements of each franchise perfectly combined to create a game that makes you feel cozy and causes you to say “just one more day”.

The best of feelings when you dive in a new game!