System: Swap
Launch Date: November 4, 2022
Developer: Marvelous
Writer: Bandai Namco
Over the previous couple of years, life and farm sims have been steadily rising in recognition and, with critically acclaimed titles equivalent to Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing: New Horizons additionally on Swap, standing out amongst the gang is a tough factor to do. If there may be any franchise geared up to do that in fashionable instances, nevertheless, it could be Story of Seasons – one of many oldest and largest farm sim sequence that has been round for the reason that SNES, and has seen a number of installments in addition to spin-offs equivalent to Rune Manufacturing facility over its lifetime. Doraemon Story of Seasons: Mates of the Nice Kingdom is one other such offshoot, taking the standard Story of Seasons gameplay and mixing it with the world of Doraemon, which is an especially iconic franchise in Japan. However is that this a match made in heaven?
Mates of the Nice Kingdom is a standalone sequel to the unique Doraemon Story of Seasons, and as soon as once more places you within the footwear of Noby Nobita who, after having an argument together with his dad and mom about not desirous to do any summer time homework, decides to run away to a different planet with Doraemon and his different mates. They meet Lumis, a younger prince who desires to revitalize an outdated farm, and Noby is fast to throw himself into the duty whereas his mates discover jobs on the town. Sadly for them, their rocket and Doraemon’s devices appeal to the eye of the queen of the land, who promptly confiscates them out of worry that they could show a risk to her kingdom. Noby now must ingratiate himself with the neighborhood to show his good intentions and get his rocket again so he can go dwelling, which he can do by serving to out round city, and by revitalizing the farm. Though the sport’s story is not at all essentially the most authentic or thrilling story, Mates of the Nice Kingdom goes all-in on its telling, and provides you loads of facet plots and character improvement for each character in the neighborhood, and it suits in properly with the gameplay loop and gives context and that means to every gadget you unlock because the story progresses and also you ingratiate your self with the neighborhood.
Anybody who has performed a life sim up to now will discover acquainted gameplay in Mates of the Nice Kingdom with actions equivalent to planting and harvesting crops in your farm, tending to livestock, mining for supplies to improve instruments, fishing, and bug catching taking on the vast majority of your time. Actions will price stamina factors represented by hearts within the prime left hand nook of the display screen, and time will go at an accelerated fee as you play, which will even decide what services are open. The sport additionally has a seasonal cycle, which impacts which crops you may domesticate, what bugs or fish will seem, and can even set off particular occasions. There’s nothing within the recreation that you’ll not discover in different, comparable title, and although this not at all a degree towards it, in case you are searching for a life sim that units itself aside by having distinctive gameplay mechanics you gained’t discover elsewhere, this isn’t the sport for you. Mates of the Nice Kingdom is a Story of Seasons title via and thru within the gameplay division, and it does the whole lot to the usual you’ll count on of the sequence.
For these unfamiliar with the style, whereas having each a restricted stamina pool and an accelerated day-to-night cycle might all sound as if the sport is trying to hurry you (and I did generally really feel as if there wasn’t sufficient time in a day or stamina to get issues finished), there isn’t any penalty for failing to perform issues inside a set timeframe, permitting you to set your personal tempo and have interaction with no matter you select to throughout every in-game day. The title means that you can loosen up and take your time. It should gently level you in the precise path to advance the story (extra on that under), nevertheless it doesn’t at any level drive you to take action, affording you a freedom not generally present in video games outdoors of the style. The one actual penalty comes from overworking – both utilizing all of your stamina or too late into the day – which causes you to break down and get up later the next day, costing you a while in that day. As the sport’s retailers and services open at set instances, you might have to rush to go to one if you wish to, however there may be nothing to cease you from sleeping till the following day, so it is a minor inconvenience at most. Some duties taken from the bulletin board will should be accomplished by a set date, however there isn’t any penalty for failing to do these both.
The place Doraemon Story of Seasons: Mates of the Nice Kingdom differs from many different life sims is in its narrative fashion, being extra targeted on telling a narrative than on leaving you to create one your self. As that is primarily based on the Doraemon franchise character creation, customization, and romance are all fully absent, as an alternative placing you within the function of Noby, who has his personal outlined character. However what the sport lacks right here it greater than makes up for in depth: even in case you are unfamiliar with the Doraemon franchise (as I used to be earlier than going into this) the sport will provide you with loads of alternatives to get to know the characters, most of whom are distinctive to the sport, that means a familiarity with the franchise will solely permit you to be aware of Noby and his mates. Within the early hours particularly there may be a variety of character dialogue, making this really feel extra akin to an Atelier sequence title than a extra conventional Story of Seasons expertise at instances, as characters go about their each day lives impartial of Noby and can work together with one another in addition to with him with out your prompting.
Though this is probably not to everybody’s style (significantly in case you are searching for a extra conventional life sim expertise) and might decelerate the gameplay at instances if you find yourself compelled into cutscenes continuously – and a few you’ll little question discover much less attention-grabbing than others – I discovered this to be a refreshing change of tempo, which helped greater than hindered immersion within the recreation’s world within the opening hours. Assets are generally frustratingly restricted, the shortage of stock house means you will want to continuously trek again to the farm to liberate house, upgrades price a major quantity of gold and sources (though it’s value noting this isn’t as grind-intensive as different video games within the style, together with the earlier Doraemon Story of Seasons title) and you will want to advance the sport’s story earlier than you may reap the benefits of Doraemon’s devices to hurry up the method.
One other manner that Mates of the Nice Kingdom bucks the standard hands-off method is by having an especially complete to-do record function, accessible via the sport’s menu at any time, which is conveniently damaged down into classes: necessary story occasions, friendship occasions, and requests which you’ll be able to take from the city bulletin board. Many life sims have very obscure necessities for narrative or character relationship development, and you may simply lose hours earlier than you lastly work out what to do to advance, so having it spelled out in a non-intrusive menu this fashion was one thing I appreciated enormously whereas enjoying the sport, and it made the sport really feel way more evenly paced. At no level throughout my playthrough did I really feel caught for one thing to do, or really feel as if I used to be losing my time ready for the following purpose or day-specific occasion. On the similar time, there isn’t any strain to work particularly in direction of targets on the to-do record.
The sport is clearly designed to be as accessible as doable to newcomers. In addition to the aforementioned to-do record, crop baggage are color-coded by season, the map shows facility opening hours, NPC areas, and markers for occasions, and as you progress you’ll unlock varied devices via Doraemon that streamline the expertise, equivalent to having the ability to warp wherever on the map, have your crops watered for you, sooner motion pace throughout the map, and the flexibility to maneuver planted crops to make it simpler to arrange your farm. These are all completely non-compulsory, so those that would like a extra conventional farming expertise can forgo utilizing them completely if they need. Noby can even nap for a time period to revive stamina, which is useful for extra time-consuming duties early within the recreation for those who don’t wish to take care of having him collapse. Later you too can recruit characters that can assist you with duties, which is a pleasant substitute for those who should not have a pal to reap the benefits of the 2 participant co-op mode with. Within the early hours the slower gameplay pacing, restricted stock house, and generally extreme quantities of dialogue and cutscenes might take a look at your endurance, however the additional you progress within the recreation, the better it turns into to handle your time and your sources.
Doraemon Story of Seasons: Mates of the Nice Kingdom is superbly offered, with vibrant watercolor fashion visuals complemented by anime-style character portraits and some cutscenes that make the sport really feel like a really prime quality anime episode in locations. The preliminary loading time is simply lengthy sufficient to be noticeable the sport runs easily on Swap, with in-game loading instances between areas being very transient. The sport has equally glorious sound high quality, with a soothing, non-intrusive soundtrack and an inexpensive quantity of Japanese voice performing that breathe life into the sport’s many interactions, though sadly not all of those are absolutely voiced.
The Verdict
Though there are arguably higher gameplay experiences within the style on the market, Doraemon Story of Seasons: Mates of the Nice Kingdom stands out amongst its friends by being a much more narrative-focused expertise, in addition to a considerably extra accessible one with options likes its to-do record and detailed menus, giving you quick access to a variety of info that different comparable video games count on you to determine and bear in mind by your self. This is not going to be to everybody’s style and can little question deter these searching for an expertise extra paying homage to a standard Story of Seasons title, however that is nonetheless a recreation I might suggest to followers of the style. For many who have been delay up to now by the slower tempo and extra hands-off method to gameplay and development taken by life sims, that is the right title to attempt for those who’re curious about selecting one up, because it gently factors you within the path of the following goal with out speeding you in direction of it.
Doraemon Story of Seasons: Mates of the Nice Kingdom copy offered by the writer for the needs of this assessment.