This game had been in my sights ever since it was released in Japan, now some 9 months ago. I gave you my first impressions back then, but now that the game is out in all regions, it’s time to make a proper review for Return to PopoloCrois, a Story of Seasons Fairytale for the 3DS. The game revolves around Prince Pietro, who’s 13th birthday party is interrupted by a diplomat from Galariland. The diplomat informs the king about black beasts that threatens the safety of the world and pollute the land everywhere they go. Pietro feels that it is his duty to try and save Galariland, so he is transported there in the blink of an eye by the diplomat. Arriving there it seems he has been duped, and can’t get back to PopoloCrois anymore. And what’s more, they apparently wanted him out of the way to take over PopoloCrois too. His first companion to battle alongside him is the blue wolf, and after that, various characters help him in his quest to first free Galariland, and then to try and find a way back home.
Every time Pietro vanquishes a barricade of the black inky cloud, a new part of Galariland is available to explore, and to farm on. He frees the farmland by shrinking down to the size of an ant and destroy the dark parasites within it, so crops can grow again. Every farm that’s freed has a distinct characteristic, which makes the seeds that grow there differ too. Every time you unlock a part, your map gets bigger. And with the random meetings with monsters I’m glad you unlock the means to travel between locations quickly. Fairy dust saves you for having to travel the land from left to right and back again. Because the game informs you in screen that your crops are ready to be harvested, or that they need water. A good thing that the crops don’t whither, because at times it feels a bit weird to be fighting and then be called back to take the watering can out of your pocket.
The story is sweet, and the companions fighting have some nice and entertaining discussions. Most conversations have English voices, though that’s not flawless. Sometimes you expect spoken text and it’s not there. The visuals are good, everything seems hand drawn and colourful. The outlines are done in black, which gives everything a quaint and nostalgic look. The farming part is done well, but without the pressures about possible withering of crops or animals getting sick like in the normal Story of Seasons. It feels less of a chore, but something you do choose to do.
The RPG part is done well, most roads you travel are detailed and vibrant, and along the way you can catch some butterflies or mine for some ore too. Your party moves on a sort of grid when in battle, and aside from their normal moves they have special moves collaborating together to take an enemy down. As there’s some grinding needed, it’s a good thing that the auto-battle mode is surprisingly effective.
If you like RPG or Harvest Moon type games, I’d say give it a try. The game certainly deserves your attention. Still, it didn’t get to be my Game of the Month, and why is that? That’s because of the way the farming and the RPG is merged. When I’m playing a Rune Factory, the combination of the two never feels strange. But in PopoloCrois, it feels awkward in some ways. There you are, hacking away at enemies, and you get a message your crops need water. It interupted the flow of the RPG for me, but that might not be a problem for you at all. So, when all is said and done, a good game, refreshingly different. 