Story Of Seasons Pioneers Of Olive Town - A New Season
PS4, Nintendo Switch
In early 2021, Marvelous launched Story of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town. The game, initially a Switch title was praised by our own Nick Hudson, as well as numerous other outlets for the fantastic strides forward it had made for the franchise, while it was noted universally by critics, and then the community upon the game’s launch, that the game performed poorly, from prolonged load-times, and frame-rate drops both plaguing the initial launch. Now, a little more than a year late, Marvelous have launched Story of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town on PlayStation, but can a new SKU on a more powerful platform, elevate the standing of the game even further?
As Nick reported in his initial review, Story of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town takes the DNA of the core franchise, implements systems that we’ve seen in contemporaries like Stardew Valley, and mixes it in a pot, and all the while doesn’t lose that ability to calm the souls of players. For those looking to dial down the stress somewhat the game offers a “Sapling mode” which scales up the money you acquire from shipping produce, pairs back the cost of buying items, and fast-tracks the evolving relationships between you and the locals, as well as your pets and livestock. It’s a wonderful addition for players looking to access the joys of Story of Seasons without the daily stresses that can come with it, and without the same level of time commitment.
Since the title’s original launch the game has received several pieces of DLC which for PS4 owners who pick up the game with it’s expansion pass will include a few new islands to explore including “Windswept Falls,” “Terracotta Oasis,” and “Twilight Isle”, as well as some new outfits. Each of the islands provide a few new locals to interact with, potentially to even engage with in a romantic relationship, but while the scenery of each is aesthetically pleasing, they ultimately offer nothing to the player to engage with that is of any substance.
The performance issues of the original Switch launch are now behind us, and while the additional content is a bit lacklustre, the core experience is better than ever. The combination of sewing seeds, nurturing animals and fostering beautiful relationships in Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town is the best it’s ever been in the franchise’s enduring history, with the latest, and most advanced entry in the franchise becoming one of its best.
Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town was reviewed on PS4 with a code provided by Decibel PR
