Doraemon Story of Seasons (PlayStation 4) Review

Doraemon Story of Seasons follows the story of Noby. While trying to find ideas for his summer holiday project, Noby and his friend Doraemon stumble across a mysterious seed that they decide to plant and grow for the project. When they excitedly show their friends the mysterious tree that sprouted immediately after planting the seed, a giant storm brews and sucks all of them away into a different world from what they know. The group ends up in a little village called Natura, and due to a lack of alternatives, they decide to stay until they can figure out a way back home.

The rules in Natura state that children have to help the adults to their jobs, so each friend manages to find a place to stay and work at. Only Noby seems to be unlucky, until one of the villagers gives him an old farm with a small house to use. This is where the game starts.

The introduction is incredibly long, and somewhat tedious. This is disappointing, especially since once through the introduction and tutorials, the reward is truly well-designed gameplay. Planting and harvesting crops, raising livestock, upgrading farm buildings, searching for materials, all while always having an eye on the time and season can be challenging and is only a small part of the opportunities this title offers.

The gameplay does not get boring, although it may take a while before you get used to observing stamina while working and planning. While this sounds challenging (and it can most certainly be so), there is also a relaxed atmosphere to everything. The music changes according to season, so there is always some variety there. The different areas are beautifully designed and drawn, and all characters have their own look and peculiarities.

Some actions require stamina, while others do not, which leaves room to fill out the whole day with things to do, and errands to run. All of this can take a while to get used to, especially for players unfamiliar with the series. Then there's the overarching story. Of course, it is easy to get carried away trying to build the perfect farm. On the other hand, players waiting to see the story being played out will have to spend a good chunk of time waiting, as it is necessary to bond with villagers and animals in order to progress the story - and this takes time.

Focusing on the farm only will not advance the story much. It is also important to remember that bonding with villagers offers new opportunities, such as access to helpful gadgets that make farm live a lot easier. Then again, there are times when, in order to advance the relationship, a specific action is required that is mostly only hinted at. As such, it can be tricky to figure out some of the actions involved.

Concentrating on the farming and raising livestock feels truly rewarding. The set button prompts are really nicely organized, and make sense, which makes this a joy to play. There is not a prouder moment than standing on the farm, surrounded by chicken, sheep and cows, and seeing how well the crops are growing. Since the reward system in this game is simple and straight forward, it is possible to work towards certain goals and discover new opportunities upon achieving them. As such, this title is perfect to relax for a couple of hours after a stressful day.