The Harvest Moon series returns, this time making its way onto the Wii. In this latest instalment, the Harvest Goddess has been turned to stone and it falls to you to help out by collecting magical notes that will switch her back into living, breathing flesh (or whatever it is that Harvest Goddesses are made of these days).

If you're not familiar with Harvest Moon in its previous incarnations, you need to know that despite the wacky premise, this is predominantly a farming management game ... more >>

The Harvest Moon series returns, this time making its way onto the Wii. In this latest instalment, the Harvest Goddess has been turned to stone and it falls to you to help out by collecting magical notes that will switch her back into living, breathing flesh (or whatever it is that Harvest Goddesses are made of these days).

If you're not familiar with Harvest Moon in its previous incarnations, you need to know that despite the wacky premise, this is predominantly a farming management game and life simulator. Yup. That's what we said. Farming management and life simulation. It's both staggering and gratifying that such a niche franchise can continue to prosper in 2008's big-game, brand-driven environment.

The gameplay centres on the establishment and development of your farm coupled with interaction with your neighbouring villagers. Players are given a variety of animals and crops to work with as well as a goodly number of festivals to attend and win. It's only through winning these and shipping certain volumes of produce that players can collect magical notes in order to rescue the Harvest Goddess.

Players will also have the opportunity to get a bit more competitive and go up against a rival farmer or play against friends in mini-games for up to four players. As you'd expect, it comes adjusted from its original incarnation on the GameCube to make use of the Wii control system.

Rounding things out is the ability to play as either a boy or a girl and look for love amongst your fellow country-folk. We challenge anyone to find another game (other Harvest moon titles excluded) where you can manage a farm, save a goddess and find love all in one fell swoop. It's a rather unique package if we may say so. << less