Natsume has released new information and screenshots for the upcoming Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos farming simulator classic! This 25th-anniversary celebration title plans to release in Summer 2023 with no specifics on which platform as of yet.
The new entry in the series was first teased last December with a series of crossword puzzles that spelled out the title and the logo of the game, the developers have kept silent since the end of last year, only breaking the silence now with more details on the game alongside shots of the game in action.
The title should not be mistaken for Marvelous XSEED’s Story of Seasons series, which split off from Natsume, thus continuing to make farming simulator titles under the name Story of Seasons, while Natsume kept the original localized moniker of Harvest Moon.
The new screenshots give fans a look at the new 3D art style being employed, along with previewing some elements such as the player Hud and key characters featured in the latest installment in the beloved Harvest Moon franchise.
In Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos, you’ll explore a land known as Anthos, which is home to the Harvest Sprites, spirits that protect people and nature, as well as the goddess of nature known as the Harvest Goddess.
About 20 years ago, an unprecedented eruption in Anthos’s volcanic region forced the Harvest Goddess and her Harvest Sprites to use all of their powers to protect the people. The people were saved, but the eruption left the villages cut off from each other. Believing that the separated villages and people would one day be reconnected, the Harvest Goddess sent a bottle into the ocean with a letter, and a magic key then fell into a deep sleep.
▍ Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos Gameplay
■ Discover the World of Anthos
Discover five unique towns with their seasons, terrain, and villagers! Explore the world of Anthos while searching for Harvest Wisps, wild animals, mines, and more. Screenshots show the open-world areas of Anthos along with noticeable landmarks such as booming volcanoes off in the distance.
■ Care and Nurture your Animal Friends
Care for livestock such as cows, sheep, chickens, and more, and earn bonuses on your farm for keeping a variety of animals. Outside of livestock, players can also take in other forms of wild animals found throughout Anthos and keep them as pets. These include cats, dogs, parakeets, wolves, and more.
■ Interact with the Denizens of the Villages
Harvest Moon: Winds of Anthos, of course, features countless characters in each of the five towns strewn about the world. Of the residents found in these settlements are five bachelors and five different bachelorettes that can be romanced by the player! Doc Jr. makes a return from Harvest Moon: One World, this time with a new machine named the Expando-Farm. The invention seems to allow players to easily relocate their plots of farms anywhere.
