Don't think for a second we're done yet. Aside from taking care of your farm (no matter what strategy you use), that's only the beginning. There are a ton of aspects to Harvest Moon, both new and old, that make Magical Melody both amazingly deep, and simple enough to be fun. Players can raise a variety of animals, farm over 25 different kinds of crops and fish to bring in money. Aside from the basics, however, items can be leveled up (much like the N64 and previous versions) as the quest continues. Also included is the ability to cook your own food, whether it is over a campfire in the hills, or in a stove at your kitchen. While not every aspect of the game is new, they all help in creating a great environment.
While we can say with confidence that Magical Melody is by far the better GameCube adventure, it isn't without its faults. For starters, the game is graphically weak in comparison to most any Cube title in the last year. While it still remains true to the original style, the game is technically weaker and doesn't hold up too well visually. There wasn't much attention put into effects animations, and the game does nothing to go above and beyond. In fact, during the majority of festivals and holidays, computer controlled characters won't join in the festivities. Instead, characters are often standing still, or committing to one normal motion at a time, such as feeding chickens or milking a cow. It's true that the main appeal of the game can be done on any system, and that gameplay rules over the graphical presentation but the fact remains that Magical Melody looks dated. In fact, while the style has stayed quite true to the original versions, it is starting to creep into the Animal Crossing world a bit. Animations and characters look a little too similar, and first-time fans might see this as a downfall in the game, though the two styles are truly very similar in nature.
Harvest Moon: Magical Melody 8.2 IGN
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