Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town takes a fresh and engaging step forward; it is packed with varied content, adorable animals and deep customisability that will make many farming sim fans happy.

You can easily get yourself lost in the world of Olive Town - I’ve already spent more than 50 hours cultivating a farm that's entirely unique to me. Whether you want a relaxing time or a challenge, this is the game for you; Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is so malleable that it'll work for everyone.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a simulation farmer's dream game. It has everything the series is known for with a refined and streamlined system to make gameplay easier and more manageable. The list of materials to gather and things to do is vast, which makes the eyesore of the new item machines weigh on the experience so prominently.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is wholesome. It's a little naive in the way it presents the "grass is always greener on the other side" perspective on country living, but this series has been kicking around since the Super Nintendo and always gets away with it, on account of being so sweet and good-natured that it's impossible not to love.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a game that will definitely keep you busy. I was seldom ever bored while playing as there was always a task I was working towards and a lot to do. I’m pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed playing it.

A year ago Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released during the lockdown. This March 26, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town will be released on Nintendo Switch, and it may be the next game for anyone looking for a quiet, cute game. This new Story of Seasons game has all the goodies of a farm game and it's clearly hard to stop playing once you start the adventure. Story of Seasons is simply an addictive game, with deep gameplay and tons of things to do outside the farm: events, fishing, cooking, mining, decorating... All that's left to do is choose your suitor for the wedding between the irresistible Emilio, Jack, Reina or Blaire!

Marvelous and XSeed enhance the Story of Seasons saga with additions from other greats of the genre. Very addictive and with an overwhelming sense of progression.

There's so much joy in Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, with so many avenues to head down that it always feel like your story is unique. There might appear to be too much to do by yourself, however, as long as you find your own comfort zone, there's no telling just how much fun you'll have.

The game doesn't dare to make any groundbreaking innovations, but maybe that's why it can pull the player into its farming-loop. However, the loading times and the pocket UI could be improved a bit.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Pioneers of Olive Town. It may have the odd technical issue yet it makes up for that with a solid variety of items to collect and create, many rewarding skills to level up, and new gameplay elements to enjoy.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town shows that the franchise can maintain its established formula by taking risks in other ways like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing without the fear of losing its own charm. A game recommended for both fans and newcomers to the farming experience.

Despite not matching up with the best entries in the series, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a great game and one I can’t wait to keep playing daily on Nintendo Switch.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is an outstanding life sim with in-depth farming aspects, adorable romance options, and gorgeous ferrets. However, the fiddly controls and backtracking can be tedious.

Ultimately, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is exactly what you would expect from the beloved staple. The farming sim makes some bold leaps with its crafting system, but there is nothing groundbreaking in its formula. You can expect the same charming and wholesome aesthetic from this game much like all those that came before it. And even so, this routine will keep fans of the franchise coming back for more.

This Story of Seasons is the next logical step in the franchise. Cultivating the land, getting married and growing our farm while helping the people of Olive Town has been a delightful experience that, if it wasn't for some issues like its performance, would have made this game an ideal farm life simulator.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is an enjoyable little farming romp; it’s charming and calming, but doesn’t quite capture the magic of some earlier installments. While slow load times, customization restrictions, and a few quality of life issues can make parts of your play a bit of a slog, the mines have returned, you can romance any eligible bachelor or bachelorette.

What it lacks in technical prowess, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town more than makes up for in sheer fun. The gameplay loop of farm management alongside more active roles such as mining and gathering materials makes the day-to-day adventure a lot of fun, while building up bonds with the townspeople feels like an accomplishment. Anyone looking for a more action-filled life simulation will feel right at home with Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, and it’s also perfect for any lapsed fans of the genre. Players are guided along nicely, but still given tremendous freedom to make their adventure their own.

Story of Seasons Pioneers of Olive Town is a game that, despite not being round and presenting some questionable design decisions, as a whole manages to present a relaxing proposal, full of enjoyable hours of play and with enough capacity to position itself as a notable title within the genre of simulators.

While Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town has its shortcomings, they're minor frustrations in the scheme of things. For the most part, this is exactly what you'd want from the latest addition to the original farm life sim: a relaxing, cheerful game that lets you get lost in the simple joys of an idealised rural life, taking each day as it comes and working towards different goals at your own pace, with some welcome new additions to the genre's formula. A wilderness to tame, a space to call your own, some crops to grow and chickens to raise—there are far worse ways to relax and unwind.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a fulfilling and satisfying farming simulation experience perfect for those looking to grow a few virtual potatoes while also scratching an itch for exploration.

If you’re a fan of Story of Seasons, I think you’re definitely going to love all-of this game...get it?

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a farming simulator that doesn't dare much but that offers all the elements of the genre with the right expertise. Don't expect particularly deep gameplay though.

Pioneers of Olive Town is a decent Story of Seasons entry, but it’s not more than that. I still got absorbed by the core formula of bettering my farm and loved making new discoveries as I explored. I have plenty of things I enjoy about this game, but encountered just as many that didn’t hit the mark. I also can’t get away from thinking, after all this time, shouldn’t this series be making larger leaps forward and leaving a stronger impression?

Despite Pioneers of Olive Town’s blemishes, simply farming is as fun and rewarding as it’s always been. There’s no question as to why Story of Seasons has seen 25 years of success, and there’s no doubt that the series is making positive strides forward in allowing players the freedom such simulation games should offer. With the most robust customization system the series has seen to date, the freedom to marry whomever of the marriage candidates you like, and countless crops and animals to care for, Pioneers of Olive Town is a solid entry in the series. But I’m also left wondering why Pioneers of Olive Town excludes features from previous entries that could have alleviated some of its most glaring issues, such as Trio of Towns allowing you to pause time when reorganizing your farm and letting you move barns with the animals inside.

This is your typical farming game, but full of new ideas and mechanics that add depth and diversity to the classic experience.

For better or worse, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is exactly what you'd expect from the series. If you're a fan of farming games like Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley, be sure to check this one out.

Farm sims, at least the cute and casual ones like Story of Seasons, fall into a comfortable groove. You know what you’re getting into when you fire up one of these games. Pioneers of Olive Town is no exception. Yet, is that really so bad? If these kind of chop/craft/till/harvest/date cycles appeal to you, Olive Town will be just the dose you’re looking for. The game loop is well-crafted, the systems are polished to a glittering sheen, and the pace is downright swift. On the other hand, if you’re sick of the usual farm sim routine, this isn’t gonna win you over. We’re in well-trodden territory here. But of you’re anything like me, more adorable farming is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Overall, this review of Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town may sound a touch negative, and it is in some parts. I like how it deals with progression while keeping most of its addicting farming foundations intact. Most of what it adds feels nicked from other games and has often been implemented less convincingly. Combined with performance issues and a few other missed opportunities, Pioneers of Olive Town is a solid entry in the series, but it isn't the must-have experience that many had hoped for the series' 25th anniversary.

While I do have a few complaints with Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, overall I really enjoyed the time that I spent with the game. The actual meat of the gameplay is really satisfying with a lot of more modern gameplay ideas to freshen up the already well-loved franchise. The characters are very sweet and lovely and the cows are so round and adorable.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a promising start of a new chapter in the long-running farm/life simulator’s history. All the pieces are in place for an unforgettable experience, with its peaceful and serene location, endlessly customizable landscape, and an unprecedented abundance of crafts and projects to pursue. While at times unwieldy, there’s something for everyone here, especially those who are interested in the organization and production management aspect of running a farm.

Pioneers of Olive Town is its own worst enemy, tightening and unravelling in equal measure. What’s left is a farming simulation game that hasn’t yielded the best harvest just yet. More sunlight and a drop of water could do it, though.

Whilst the graphics are packed with charm, the story feels as empty as my farm on the day I arrived. Farming sims owe a lot to this series, but other games perfected it. But for newcomers to the genre, or for those who are looking for a simple life on a plot of land, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town certainly isn’t one to miss.

It was fun developing my character as a newcomer to the franchise, but, goodness, it's been a lot of work. I’ll probably play Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town for a few more seasons just to see what develops. After that though, I’ll likely be saying, “So long,” to Olive Town for at least a little while.

While I did enjoy most of my time in the wilderness, hitting walls in terms of waiting for materials to process was ultimately a downer. The mayor gradually gives you fewer and fewer tasks to complete, and the focus shifts more towards the player in finding their own fun and setting their own goals. The emphasis on crafting in this Story of Seasons title works to an extent, and there is a fair amount of content to discover; just be prepared for a game loop that can become almost frustratingly familiar just as the leaves start to fall.

Story of Seasons still comes recommended to fans of the farming genre, as it does have enough different to offer over other titles. I have my fingers crossed that the balancing issues are fixed in future patches.

The decision on this game comes down to the pros vs the cons, and whether you think you'd be happy to enjoy it as it is, or if you'd rather wait until some more updates. The load times and staggers can be mildly irritating and can amass during longer play sessions, but are by no means game-breaking or a reason entirely not to give it a go. Especially for those looking to play a little more casually, or in shorter bursts, or maybe aren't now accustomed to the world of SSD loading times, I still have to recommend this title as worth a go - just perhaps not necessarily the one to pick above the others.

Pioneers of Olive Town recognizes it does not need to reinvent the plow to present a full, relaxing, pleasant farming game. Aside from its sprawling size, there is not much novel about collecting materials, upgrading tools, clearing land, raising animals and crops, and befriending the townspeople – and there doesn't need to be. It is enough to simply have a wealth of interesting things to plan out and do, colored by ridiculously cute animals and interesting characters and fleshed out with piles of new things to unlock over 30 hours and beyond. While the struggling framerate and tedious crafting can be annoying, these are small blips in a pleasantly packed day-to-day cycle of tending to your farm, exploring interesting new areas, and flirting with Bridget...or Reina….or Blaire.

There are some areas in which Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town feels like it definitely needs a little more time and room to grow. The progress I’ve seen in the time I’ve played is encouraging, and I’m confident that it will offer plenty of opportunities down the way. People who enjoy these sorts of farming sims for the progress you can make and routines you can build will be pleased. Especially since it constantly offers new hallmarks to hit.

This game made some really strange choices, and I can't say that I agree with all of them. And, to that end, I feel like some of you out there will end up feeling that way as well. You'll still be able to find all of the traditional SoS garnishings within Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town if you're willing to dig deep enough—just be prepared to do a whole lot of crafting along the way.

Despite many possibilities and innovative new features, the technical failures are annoying in the long run. Only a comprehensive patch can help here.

It feels like the very narrow gap between Japan's release date and ours worked against it, and I would not have minded waiting a few more months for a more polished final release. [Issue #53 – July/August 2021, p. 72]

Full of good ideas, Pioneers of Olive Town had everything to succeed but comes up against choices that completely break the rhythm of the game.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a missed opportunity to make the series a recognized IP. Lots of bugs, mechanics copied from New Horizons poorly implemented, and a boring progression system. The video game is saved by its graphics and its relationship system.

This is a safe and standard Story of Seasons game.

This new iteration of Story of Seasons feels like a missed opportunity. A rough craft system joins some dull NPC to become a step back in the series. Marvelous have to dig into its own roots to deliver a game worthy of its name.

Pioneers of Olive Town is a solid agricultural adventure - despite the lack of new impulses and too much monotonous button pushing.

For anyone who prefers pure farming and enjoys the Story of Seasons franchise, this can still be a game for you. Everything that the series is well-known for is present in this game. However, it doesn't seem like the series has really taken any real steps forward since I last played a Story of Seasons game back in 2007. For now, I think I'll stick to Rune Factory.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is one of those games that has some great ideas such as building the farm from the ground up and engaging crafting as a focal point. While these risks are welcome and are great additions to this long-running series, there is no excuse for the technical issues that afflict the game, or the gameplay choices that require players to have their farm overrun by ugly makers. Those who love the farming elements will fall into the gameplay without trouble, though I wish the game had done a better job of balancing all of these elements in a way that respected the player’s time a bit better. Pioneers of Olive Town is a good game, but it is hard to recommend when Stardew Valley continues to dominate the farming sim genre.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town has the potential to be the best entry in the Story of Seasons series. Sadly, the combination of major and minor bugs, including frame rate dips on the farm itself, severely decreases gameplay enjoyment. There has been one pre-launch update and further updates are on the way. This will hopefully address some of the issues encountered and maybe even allow active participation in more of the events. It is still a fun experience so long as the noted problems can be tolerated. There is a huge variety of animals and crops to tend to, fantastic range in character customisation, and the usual aspects of a Story of Seasons title that long-time fans have come to love.

While not by any means the best Story of Seasons game on the market, Pioneers of Olive Town is promising and disappointing in equal measure. Perhaps future patches will iron out some of the issues with framerate and boring character dialogue, but for now, potential buyers should be aware that this game isn't quite in a state we can recommend.

Without the drive of something new and promising on the horizon, the daily grind just doesn’t have that one-more-go appeal that is key to the farming-sim experience. There have been big improvements to the game’s presentation and accessibility, and it remains warm, cheerful and inviting, but between the technical issues and the aimless design it’s difficult to recommend highly – even if it’s better than the newer Harvest Moon games.

As a fan of the Story of Seasons franchise and a long-time player of farming/life simulators, I would not recommend this title to fans right now, but maybe in the future with more additions and fixes it’ll be worthwhile.

Pioneers of Olive Town modernizes Story of Seasons' formula in a wilder, wider and somehow easier way, but such industrial revolution often feels heavy, then ultimately lacks life, if not charm, compared to the previous episodes.

With rudimentary characters and extremely basic tasks, it almost feels like the Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town gameplay was made for those who haven't played any farming sims in the past. But for folks familiar with the genre, they'll find that there's not much to find here and little reason to justify spending $49.99 on an unoriginal, redundant farming sim aside from being a relaxing and easy-going experience.

Technical problems can be fixed, but no amount of polish is going to instill the classic “just one more day” drive that fuels the best farming sims. Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a competent entry in the genre, and depending on how much one has played of this genre over the past few years, there’s a good chance it can still hook someone into dozens of hours cultivating the perfect farm. With that said, anyone looking for the next step forward for the genre will walk away disappointed from this one, and considering this was released to mark the 25th anniversary of the franchise, Pioneers of Olive Town doesn’t feel like the celebration it should have been.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town does have that compelling farming gameplay loop that we’ve seen time and time again in different series, but it lacks depth — much like the rest of the game — to keep farming sim veterans coming back. At a time where the likes of Stardew Valley continue to push the genre forward and provide greater longevity, it’s difficult to recommend this rough-around-the-edges excursion to Olive Town.

Story Of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is an okay farming game but if you are expecting giant changes to the already worn out formula then you should look elsewhere.

If you’re a farm-sim aficionado, there’s more titles than ever in the genre, but that doesn’t work in favour for the latest Story of Seasons entry. Compared to its competition, it lacks personality and, most importantly, heart. That’s not to say it’s a lost cause, and with a little finnese and love, Story Of Seasons could easily return as the darling of agricultural simulators, but right now, it’s nowhere near the cream of the crop.