I had a desire to go back and play Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life on the Gamecube lately. I had played the game growing up, but never really completed it. I liked it fine, but noticed it was pretty slow going; with the game focusing on farming and growing produce, this is only natural, right?

I noticed that there’s a lot to do in the game itself, but it still feels like you’re trapped in a box with the same people you see day in and day out, with the same kind of interactions and very little variety involved. Hang on…

…Does any of this sound familiar? Like…real life?

Think about what a typical day looks like for you. You wake up, you get out of bed, (hopefully) you make and eat breakfast, wash up and dress yourself, and prepare for your day. At your workplace, you greet the same people with the same typical interactions, and perform the same duties that are assigned to you, before clocking out when the day is done, and you can finally relax in the evening. 

If your day is like mine, you may find that it repeats quite often. You may even experience bouts of déjà vu (which I find to be incredibly annoying).

Routine is fine – we need some sort of structure in our lives. I don’t think I could live my life without knowing ahead what I need to do for that day. If I didn’t and lived life without that structure, I don’t think I would really get anything done. 

Getting things done is the name of the game in Harvest Moon…your goal is really to create the best farm you can build, marry and raise a family to pass on your hard work to, and keep doing so until the game ends.

This all comes almost too close to home. Just like real life, we are expected early on to go to school as we grow, then on to college or learn a trade, get a job, marry, and raise a family. 

So, why the attraction to this game? It seems too mundane to hold any interest for more than a couple of days. Yet, I’m determined to go farther than I did in my previous playthrough more than ten years ago. 

I want to reach the conclusion and see the fruits of my hard work, and bond with my fellow residents of Forget-Me-Not Valley. I want to see them grow and change throughout the years, just as I see myself grow and change in my own life. 

As of this writing, I have not reached that goal quite yet. I’m still working towards it, though. Looking on it now, I see Harvest Moon as being a reflection on life in general. Is it mundane? Yes, definitely so. Your tasks are virtually the same day in and day out, no matter the change in season. 

At least in real life you have a bit more freedom in that you can travel to different places and meet new people throughout life. In Harvest Moon, you are perpetually stuck in Forget-Me-Not Valley, for better or for worse, with most of the residents being the same ones you’ll interact throughout the game. There may be some newcomers that come as the story progresses, but they are few and far between.

There’s a kind of peace and serenity that’s present here in the game, though, that’s often lost in real life. The people you can interact with are a bit generic, yes, but they add color and vibrancy to the little town you call home. More than that, they are kind people and are more than happy to chat with you and even receive gifts from you. If you work on developing a relationship with them long enough, they may even give you something in return!

In a lot of ways, Harvest Moon is a simplified look at life and what it is. It’s not something you can end your time on and think “Well, that was riveting!” like with many other games. But because it is simple, it helps you relax for a while, like a kind friend who’s made you a warm cup of your favorite tea, and a cozy blanket for you to wrap yourself under. It’s a nice, simple respite from what can often be a complicated and crazy life, where you have to make difficult decisions and choices day in and day out. 

Many video games force players to make difficult choices often as well; they can create great moments of stress and tension as you try to figure out the right timing for the right decision. 

Harvest Moon doesn’t do that. Instead, all it asks of its player is to sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. The routine may be repetitive over time, but seeing your farm grow and thrive helps you remember that this is all part of the game. 

Perhaps we should take this small element from this game and apply it to our own lives; we may find that they should not be as stressful as we so often tend to make them. When we live our lives with joy and understanding for our purpose and each other, it can add color to our routine and substance in our relationships.

---