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[Avallon]

Game Info

Title - Hometown Story
Platform - 3DS
Genre - Simulation
Price - $39.99
Publisher - Natsume
Developer - ToyBox Games
Release Date - October 22, 2013

Box Art

Preorder Bonuses

GameStop - Emerald Green Ember
Amazon - Ruby Red Ember
Natsume Online Store - Sunny Yellow Ember

Natsume Premium Edition ($49.99, Coming Soon) - 11" Pochica

Description

In a lush, green village tucked away in the countryside, you'll reunite with old friends, meet new ones, and rediscover yourself. This is where you grew up, your hometown.

You've been tasked with reviving your grandmother's old shop, and have your work cut out for you. However, the more items you sell, the more customers will come to your shop. And as you manage your shop better, you can expand, and the village will prosper!

As your shop begins to grow by selling more expensive and rare items, you'll be able give these items to the different villagers that populate the town. Therefore, not only will running a successful shop net you gold, but it will also help reveal the unique stories each villager has. Something insignificant to most people might be the most important thing in the world to someone else!

In addition, all the villagers in your hometown have their own unique stories. Which villagers' stories will move you the most? And what will you do to help them? At times, you will be faced with some very important decisions.

You'll be free to run your shop the way you want to. Your experiences will be completely different from anyone else's. By the end, you'll have experienced so many unforgettable memories.

• Create your own character to reflect your personality!
• Lots of unique villagers you can befriend and help!
• Many different endings!
• Play the game however you like!

Screenshots

Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KECC3WBo7ws

 

[Flarin]

Dang, between this and Rune Factory 4 I'll have enough farm life sim games to keep busy until next year! Love it. Can't wait to try this one out.

 

[Lumyst]

I'll be getting this game even though I have barely any idea about what it is. After Rune Factory I want to try out all kinds of these "sim" games like Harvest Moon and this one. So this one is about running a shop?

 

[Avallon]

I'll be getting this game even though I have barely any idea about what it is. After Rune Factory I want to try out all kinds of these "sim" games like Harvest Moon and this one. So this one is about running a shop?

Yeah, no combat AFAIK.

 

[vareon]

Whoa, this is October!?
Is this available on the eShop? I'm interested, but it might be hard to find a copy a few months later.

 

[zroid]

even by Natsume standards, this game seems to have gone really un-hyped

 

[HawthorneKitty]

Stop it, I love Recettear, but have no plans to get this game.

 

[Vandole]

Looking forward to this. After 15 years I'm burned out on Harvest Moon. Really curious to see if this ends up being more than just exchanging a farm for a shop.

 

[graywolf323]

thread title made me think this was somehow connected to Recettear

 

[Luigi87]

Nice OP.
Pre-ordered this the other day and am looking forward to it, though the fact that apparently the game does end at a point rather than continue endlessly seems a bit disappointing to me (not that I know how long it would take to get to that point)

 

[Otakumegane]

I'm torn between this,RF4 and HM:ANB.

Whos gonna be my Pokemon companion.

 

[Avallon]

thread title made me think this was somehow connected to Recettear

The concept is very similar. Think Recettear without combat.

 

[BronsonLee]

Oh SHIT.

Damndamndamn. Recettear esque...

But does it also have the dumbest protagonist in the history of video games like Recettear did

 

[Lumyst]

even by Natsume standards, this game seems to have gone really un-hyped

Maybe it's an experiment to see how the Harvest Moon fandom responds to a game like this. Oh and I think I'm ready to try one of these sim games even if there's no JRPG combat, it'll be a good experience to try something on the other side of the spectrum.

 

[Avallon]

Stop it, I love Recettear, but have no plans to get this game.

So I'll see you in the Pick-Up-and-Post thread then?

 

[chrominance]

Oh geez, somehow I got this mixed up with the Citizens of Earth Kickstarter and so dismissed it as not for me. But Recettear-esque? Oh god oh god oh god.

EDIT: Are any Canadian stores getting pre-order plushies at all? EBGames doesn't even have a listing on their site and Amazon.ca says nothing about extras.

 

[TrickRoom]

I already got an Ember plushie, I want that giant Pochika plushie! It can sit right next my collection of other Pokemon plushies. (Not a coincidence; the person that designed Pikachu did all the concept art for this game apparently)

Between this, Animal Crossing, and Rune Factory, I'll be in sim-game mode for a long, long time...

 

[Kojirospath]

I'm suddenly reminded of some life and hometown quote.. Ot: if this is anything like recettear it'll be nice to have.

 

[FluxWaveZ]

My interest in this game is directly proportional to how much it resembles Recettear.

 

[Avallon]

EDIT: Are any Canadian stores getting pre-order plushies at all? EBGames doesn't even have a listing on their site and Amazon.ca says nothing about extras.

From their forums:

"Natsume, y u no love Canada?!"
We expected both EBGames (GameStop Canada) as well as Amazon.ca to offer both pre order bonuses; we have noted that amazon's .com link will ship to Canada. Unfortunately, EBG has elected not to carry smaller niche titles from several publishers this holiday season, including Natsume.

 

[Meier]

Never heard of this. Was it well regarded when it was released in Japan (I'm sure it must have been released there previously)? My wife might enjoy this.. she likes these kinds of games typically but was really disappointed by the last Harvest Moon game on the DS.

 

[L~A]

even by Natsume standards, this game seems to have gone really un-hyped

True, but then again, a life sim game on 3DS that's all about happiness and helping people and being happy and spread love around you with little hears and everything + a brand new IP, no wonder the hype isn't there. I always expected this to be a sleeper hit, instead of something that'll set the gaming world aflame.

Never heard of this. Was it well regarded when it was released in Japan (I'm sure it must have been released there previously)? My wife might enjoy this.. she likes these kinds of games typically but was really disappointed by the last Harvest Moon game on the DS.

Believe it or not, but it's coming in the US first. Japanese release is Dec. 12th.

 

[dakkumauji]

I have no idea which pre-order plushie do I want to get. ._.

Kinda wished the premium edition came with one of the small ones too.

 

[Brick]

Came to this thread expecting a StarCraft 2 Tournament. Left disappointed.

 

[RPG_Fanatic]

From their forums:

So Canada gets the short end of the stick. Anyone know if this is also available digitally.

 

[Wynnebeck]

Stop it, I love Recettear, but have no plans to get this game.

Thank you. Recettear this is not.

 

[Accoun]

Was this Called "Project Happiness" at some point in the past, or is it something else?

 

[chrominance]

Was this Called "Project Happiness" at some point in the past, or is it something else?

Apparently, yes.

 

[Takao]

even by Natsume standards, this game seems to have gone really un-hyped

if they only localized a medarot game ...

 

[Lumyst]

Thank you. Recettear this is not.

Hmmm, you're right, I just looked up Recettear and there's some similarities between the two games (I know, I know, shame on me for not knowing about Recettear even though I've heard the name before). But no fighting in this one.

 

[WhereAreMahDragonz]

Those characters look awful.


I'm still getting this though.

 

[Busaiku]

Why the heck is the Natsume $50 bundle not up yet.
The game's 10 days away!

Not settling for an inferior Ember!

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

thread title made me think this was somehow connected to Recettear

as did everyone else.

 

[Hero of Legend]

I'm torn between this,RF4 and HM:ANB.

Whos gonna be my Pokemon companion.

This, the characters were designed by the creator of Pikachu, after all.

 

[Hero of Legend]

Those characters look awful.


I'm still getting this though.

That's exactly the same as saying Pikachu, Minccino, etc are awful, same designer/creator.

 

[kurahador]

Those characters look awful.

Only the main character, everyone else seems fine.

I thought this one will be eshop game, glad it'll be full retail.

 

[GayForMaster]

Damn, these are the guys that did Lufia 2 on SNES! I'll check it out.

 

[WhereAreMahDragonz]

That's exactly the same as saying Pikachu, Minccino, etc are awful, same designer/creator.

I meant the human designs, not the cute little creatures.

 

[Lumyst]

Damn, these are the guys that did Lufia 2 on SNES! I'll check it out.

Rune Factory's the one that Neverland made (I've never played Lufia though, maybe I'll check out that game on the DS.) Actually, maybe I'm wrong, I've never heard of ToyBox Games, did they have something to do with Lufia 2 as well?

 

[Amir0x]

This sounds friggin cool i think I want this

 

[Hours Left]

Not a fan of the artstyle at all, but the gameplay sounds fun. I'll most likely pick this up eventually.

 

[lunch]

Is the iOS release at a later date or has it been canceled altogether?

 

[Cherubae]

So Canada gets the short end of the stick. Anyone know if this is also available digitally.

Natsume is planning on releasing it on the eShop, but the date hasn't been finalized yet according to their Facebook page. The community rep anticipates it to be available sometime after the game's retail release.

Is the iOS release at a later date or has it been canceled altogether?

The iOS version won't be the full retail version of the game. It'll be a slimmed-down version.

 

[daffy]

You know what? This actually looks pretty nice.

 

[firehawk12]

I just found out about the game and then discovered that you basically can't buy it in Canada physically. I had no idea that the Canadian arm of GameStop could just not carry games.

 

[chrominance]

For some reason I thought this was supposed to come out last week, and wondered if Natsume themselves had forgotten to ship any copies out. Turns out it was just a dumb Amazon.ca release date, not the one listed in the OP.

Random NPD comment: if Etrian Odyssey Untold couldn't even sell 10k, as rumoured, what the hell is THIS going to sell?

 

[Liferebooted]

Randomly bought this, actually looks interesting.

 

[weevles]

Any impressions from GAF folks who bought this? All I've heard so far hasn't been too good. I was going to get this game initially, but then the early impressions came in about how the game is super slow (even for a Harvest Moon type game) and how the overall quality of the game from music to the amount of items you can sell is below par.

I ended up canceling my preorder but I'd like to see more reviews and such before completely writing off this game...

 

[Liferebooted]

I did the same thing, the bugs and problems with it just aren't worth $40. Gonna pick it up when it hits $20.

 

[Skelter]

Yeah, no combat AFAIK.

Well since I get a strong Recettear vibe I'd like some confirmation if there are no dungeons. Dungeon diving was fun in Recettear as a break from all the selling.