Harvest Moon: Magical Melody is a farming simulation game developed for the GameCube console. The game was released in 2005 and is a part of the popular Harvest Moon series. It was developed by Marvelous Interactive and Natsume and published by Nintendo. In Harvest Moon: Magical Melody, players take on the role of a character who inherits a small farm in a rural town. The main objective of the game is to develop and manage the farm by growing crops, raising livestock, and participating in various activities. The game emphasizes the importance of time management and building relationships with the townspeople.
The book had me enamored from the very beginning. Even more so once Will went to live with Arrogan. Though the actual magic training was slow, the dialogue between Will and his grand dad was priceless.
Will ends up in the army in the latter half of the book but because I didn t have a lot of background on why the two factions were at war I had a hard time engaging. I like how they delve into the different types of mages and I like Wills learning how to use his Turyn is what will set him apart from other mages even if he doesn t know as many spells as everyone else.
The game emphasizes the importance of time management and building relationships with the townspeople. One unique aspect of Magical Melody is its focus on music. Players can collect musical notes by performing different tasks and interacting with the environment.
The Choice of Magic by Michael G Manning
I’ve been in a bad reading slump this year, this was the fifth book I finished, and I’m nine books behind my goal according to Goodreads. I picked this one specifically because of the narrator, I knew nothing about this book except for the fact it was narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds.
I finally fixed my reading slump! After I finished with this one I immediately bought two more in the series. That in an of itself is rare, I almost exclusively read first in a series and move onto the next series.
This will appeal to people who like a lot of magic, magic training, master apprentice relationships, and military training/war.
At the beginning, William lived with his mother in a small backwater village and had a fairly simple life. His mother is a healer and midwife who sells herbs and such, and although they aren’t wealthy, they get by. At the start, he doesn’t know who his father is, or why he was never around, but it doesn’t bother him much. He has an uncle and cousins who lived near by and they filled that void for him.
One thing lead to another, and Will ends up being trained by a hermit who lives nearby the village but never actually comes into town. He shows him that magic is real and will has potential… but in order to start training for magic… he’s got to learn the basics. Like how to read. Magic in this world is restricted, not necessarily forbidden. If you’re registered and the King knows about your powers it’s okay, but you’re basically the King’s lackey. If you’re off the grid and doing magic on your own the best you can hope for is prison. The mentor doesn’t want to teach Will real magic, just enough to keep him hidden and out of trouble. Once you know how to do true magic things can get complicated. Although there are Sorcerers still left in the world, his mentor is the last known Wizard. There are different types of magic users that focus on different talents and different ways to harvest and use magic. Sorcerers enslave elementals, Warlocks make pacts with supernatural beings, and Wizards harvest the latent magic present in the world.
I would say the storytelling style is straight forward without a lot of flowery language or simile/metaphors. It makes the book go by super quick despite the fact it’s nearly 700 pages long. I finished this in two days on audiobook put at 1.5x. The dialogue was a highlight of the book, the mentor is absolutely relentless with his insults… which is shitty thing to do to Will, but it’s also really funny at times. I would say it’s kind of like Dr. Cox and JD from Scrubs but with actual cursing. There were definitely a bunch of info dumps about how magic worked, the different types of magic users and things of that nature. However, the delivery was usually from Will’s mentor and the way it was explained was highly entertaining for me so I didn’t mind.
Will is an okay character, he’s pretty par for the course for a younger character who also happens to be headstrong and stubborn. He makes a lot of risky and stupid decisions where I was like “DON’T DO THAT”. He does grow throughout the book, both literally and figuratively, at the start he’s 12 and by the end he’s 17, and he does mature a bit which makes him more palatable. My favorite character was his begrudging mentor with a foul mouth, and my second favorite is a guy he meets up with in the army, Tiny. Tiny is actually huge, and most people consider him a dolt, but he’s not. I enjoyed the fact that the big guy in the army isn’t just brawn but he has some depth to his character.
The pacing was pretty good, but there was a part that I had a hard time connecting with. Will ends up in the army in the latter half of the book… but because I didn’t have a lot of background on why the two factions were at war I had a hard time engaging. The battle scenes were gripping, but afterwards I kept thinking, “why are they doing this?” There was a brief explanation given for the war, but I just found it too weak and without enough information for me to emotionally invest.
One of the things I most enjoyed was the constant flow of teasers, mysteries, and subplots that were introduced and then explained at an even pace throughout the book. An example of that was The God Damn Cat. The wizard lives in this cottage in the woods with a Cat that he talks to. The cat doesn’t talk back, or make any human like movements… but it does appear to understand. Also, Will learns later on that the Fae are genuinely scared of The God Damn Cat and won’t go near the cottage because of it… immortal beings… scared of a cat. But why? Things like that kept me interested in reading more and figuring out the mysteries of this world. Not all of them were solved in this book, and because I enjoyed it so much I picked up the next one.
Ratings:
- Plot: 13/15
- Characters: 12.5/15
- World Building: 13.5/15
- Writing: 12/15
- Pacing: 10/15
- Originality: 11/15
- Personal Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Final Score: 80.5/100 or 4/5 stars on GR
These notes can be used to unlock new features and abilities, adding an additional layer of depth to the gameplay. The game also allows players to customize their character's appearance and house, adding a personal touch to the farming experience. Additionally, there are various festivals and events throughout the year, which provide opportunities for socializing and participating in mini-games. Harvest Moon: Magical Melody received positive reviews from critics and players alike. Its charming visuals, relaxing gameplay, and addictive nature have made it a fan favorite in the Harvest Moon series. The game's emphasis on music and customization sets it apart from other farming simulation games and adds an extra level of immersion for players. Overall, Harvest Moon: Magical Melody offers a rewarding and enjoyable farming experience that appeals to both fans of the genre and newcomers alike. With its charming world, engaging gameplay mechanics, and delightful characters, it is no surprise that the game has stood the test of time and remains a beloved title in the Harvest Moon series..
Reviews for "Achieving the Perfect Balance in Harvest Moon: Magical Melody"
1. Jane - 2/5 stars
I was really disappointed with Harvest Moon Magical Melody for the Gamecube. The graphics are outdated and the gameplay is tedious. There is not a lot of variety in tasks and it quickly becomes repetitive. I also found the controls to be clunky and hard to navigate. Overall, I did not enjoy my experience with this game and would not recommend it.
2. Mark - 2/5 stars
I was excited to try Harvest Moon Magical Melody, but it did not live up to my expectations. The game lacks depth and there is not much to do besides tending to your farm. The characters are bland and lack personality. The music loop is also quite annoying and gets repetitive after a while. I found myself losing interest in the game fairly quickly and wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a more engaging farming simulation experience.
3. Sarah - 3/5 stars
Harvest Moon Magical Melody for the Gamecube was just average for me. While it is a relaxing game to play, it lacks a strong storyline or interesting goals. The gameplay mechanics are simplistic and don't offer much challenge. Additionally, the graphics are dated and could have been improved. Overall, it's an okay game if you're looking for a low-stress and mindless time waster, but don't expect anything groundbreaking.
4. Alex - 2/5 stars
I found Harvest Moon Magical Melody to be quite boring and uneventful. The game lacks excitement and progression, as it is mostly focused on monotonous farming tasks without much variety. The time system is also frustrating as you can't do much within a day, and the seasons pass too quickly. The lack of interesting characters and lackluster events make this game feel dull and unfulfilling. I would not recommend it to fans of the Harvest Moon series.