Story of Seasons, formerly known as Harvest Moon, is one of the most consistent simulation franchises in gaming. As we see more and more farming and community-centric games flood the shelves, it’s hard to say that Story of Seasons isn’t still one of the most well-known as well as well-executed. First released in 2010, a new version of Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar is out now for PC and Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, and I can’t express enough how much cozy, casual gamers, as well as task-oriented player,s need to set up space in Zephyr Town.

In Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, you arrive in Zephyr Town at a time that sees its bazaar and residents a little past their heyday. Starting with your own stall, you work to revive this marketplace by selling your own crops, rare finds, and products raised and developed on the farm you now own. This idyllic setup is framed by a cast of townsfolk whom you can befriend and, yes, romance, as you work to restore this town to its former glory.

After approximately 3 hours of tutorials that don’t feel tedious, you’re set loose to work on a calendar system for growing crops and raising animals before the weekend bazaar takes place. With seasons that prioritize certain veggies or items as more valuable, you’re utilizing a strategy in your every move, which is governed by a stamina bar. In short, you have a lot to do and only so much time in the day, much like a real farmer. With 12 romance options, you also have to manage your social life, which adds another fun wrinkle to the challenge.

It’s an excellent setup that many will recognize if you like the farming and life sim genre, but this game in particular gets so much correct. Firstly, the characters you interact with are really wonderful, including the two new romance options added to the DS roster. It’s also clear that titles like this inspired the best of what games like Stardew Valley offer. From the loop of farming to selling, and even the array of options in the character customizer, it’s easy to lose yourself in this world in the best way.

There is always a line in games like this where the pattern is clear and you decide how long it serves you. Some get bored sooner than others, but I clocked over 40 hours easily into this game before even feeling like I was getting started. It’s likely that, apart from Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, this is a front-runner for the cozy game of the year. While the many systems do require you to prioritize your time, it never feels overwhelming or tedious.

While elements like raising animals were more fun to me than things like mining, there’s something to do around every corner in this game. Due to certain items being hotter than others on the market, the game does reward diversifying your priorities. I feel confident that people who love these games would enjoy Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar. From the bazaar minigames to every bit of farm life you could imagine, there’s joy in the simple life, and it’s rarely ever this fun.

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar is available for PC. Nintendo Switch 2, and Nintendo Switch. Let us know in the comments if you’re planning to check this game out!

A PC review copy of Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar was provided by Marvelous Entertainment for this review.

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Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar

49.99

9.5

Score

9.5/10

Pros

• Incredible remaster of a classic Story of Seasons game
• So much to do and great variation in gameplay
• Really fun world to lose yourself in
• Cozy and cute as can be

Cons

• It can feel stressful doing everything, so take your time!