For those of you that don’t know, I really like video games. And when you’re unemployed, playing video games all day just happens sometimes. I haven’t done many reviews on games that I’ve played. I once wrote about WoW (World of Warcraft for all you n3wbs) but I’m not a pro at that game by any means. Since I haven’t reviewed a game in 5ever (longer than 4ever), I decided that it’s about time.
I’m not super into fighting games like COD (Call of Duty) and Halo. I’m more into retro games and role playing simulation games. Let me explain. I still have my N64 fresh from the 90’s so I play a lot of games on that system. I know they aren’t the newest and don’t have the best graphics (and they definitely aren’t that challenging) but they bring back a level of nostalgia for me that is indescribable.
One of my favorite games for my N64 was called Harvest Moon. It’s a pretty basic game where you make a life for yourself by farming, wooing women, making money, and just being an all-around cool guy. It’s not that challenging. It’s kind of like a Sims game but with awful graphics. Anyway, the company that made Harvest Moon, Natsume, continued to make Harvest Moon games for other systems which had better graphics and more to do.
They branched out even further and developed Rune Factory which includes all of the challenges of making your character successful in his township, but there’s also a battle element. And the fighting is actually pretty tough. There is way more to do in this game, making it ten times more addictive than the Harvest Moon games.
The premise of Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny is that your character and his best friend (who is a girl) get trapped in the same body and they have to work together to solve the mysteries of their home island and the surrounding areas. It’s cool because you can explore the oceans by riding on this big golem. The farming element isn’t as difficult as their previous games–you don’t have to spend as much time harvesting crops and making money that way.
There are lots of potential spouses on the island too, which is good. I always make my character talk to a lot of ladies, so he’s a pretty big pimp.
Much like WoW, there are quests that townspeople ask you to go on. It helps the game move along well and also earns you money and respect from the islanders. The graphics are pretty great as well. The island that you live on looks very Mediterranean so the game also has a relaxing feel to it.
Overall I would definitely give this game two thumbs up. It offers a lot of different elements that I think would please most people–girls and guys alike. If you’re interested in this one, it’s available for PS3 and Wii (I have the Wii version).
What kind of video games do you like to play?
Lily In Canada 