With the fall season finally hitting in earnest here in Michigan, I have found myself cozied under several layers of blankets with a candle burning at my side at every spare opportunity. As someone who spends a sizable chunk of their free-time gaming, it is only natural that I sought out to find a fittingly tranquil video game to work my way through while nestled within my mountain of comfort. With that in mind and having also just acquired a Nintendo Switch 2, I quickly stumbled upon Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar which released back on August 27.
For those unaware, Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar is a ground-up remake of Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar, which originally released in 2008. As you’d expect, the primary gameplay loop consists of growing crops, chatting up locals, tending to animals, and all other sorts of tasks that are meticulously designed to provide small hits of dopamine whenever completed. The unique feature of this particular entry is (shockingly) the Bazaar, a weekly event at which you try to sell as many items as possible for as much money as you can in an auction-like fashion. The Bazaar serves as the main progression system of the game as reaching certain thresholds of money made during these events result in the Bazaar being upgraded which means more customers, more space to sell items, and more unique NPC-ran stalls at which you can buy a handful of different items including cosmetics, house decorations, or even animals for your farm.
With the Bazaar occurring every Saturday, your weekly schedule naturally revolves around amassing as many items to sell as possible so you can try to turn a huge profit. With the in-game days only lasting about 15-20 minutes, you will nearly always be occupied with the process of cultivating your crops, managing your animals, foraging for materials, crafting items, and fostering relationships. There are consistently multiple tasks begging for your attention at any given time and you will never feel at a loss for what you should be doing which often feels simultaneously overwhelming and exhilarating.
The whole experience is irresponsibly addictive and invites perhaps the most egregious case of the “I’ll just play one more in-game day before bed” syndrome that I have experienced; seriously, my sleep schedule is in jeopardy here. While I’m no stranger to the genre, having sunk hundreds of hours into Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, and Story of Seasons over the years, there is just something about having this large spectacle of an event at the end of each in-game week that has absolutely kept me hooked. I’m genuinely surprised that more genre contemporaries haven’t dabbled with gamifying the item selling process, as it feels so much more exciting than just depositing the items into a box and receiving your funds the next day. The pacing of Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar also just feels welcomingly brisk, due in no small part to the breezy movement system that allows you to move across the town incredibly efficiently. This complemented by the compact size of the town means you never need to feel as though you have to miss out on a particular activity or event simply because it would take too long to move to the proper location.
Needless to say, I’m having a blast with Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar. I would highly recommend it to just about anyone, but would especially do so to those who feel that farming sims are generally paced a bit too slowly as Grand Bazaar has done an excellent job ensuring that I always feel occupied and have something to work toward.
What do you think about Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar or farming sims in general? Will you be giving this game a shot? Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord.
Featured Image: MARVELOUS (via Maxi-Geek)
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