The best Harvest Moon title to date combines all the elements that make previous titles fun into one worthy package.
Then Magical Melody came along. Like AWL, it had a whole arsenal of new features and improvements--and all the while maintaining the traditional Harvest Moon formula that made the series so absolutely enjoyable. Many of the new features enhanced the original great concept--the fact that you start with a limited plot of land and must purchase new land for further expansion adds more challenge to the game, as does the new health gauge, which makes you pace and prioritize your daily tasks. Having ten potential partners to choose from was also a first in the franchise, as well as the ability to befriend wild animals. Then there's that ability to play as either a boy or a girl--saves loyal fans the frustration and cursings that arose when "for Girls" versions came out for previous installments, though it is quite a shame that all character interactions and dialogues remain the same regardless of your choice of gender.
Magical Melody also bears a new graphics style, different from the round-headed designs of HM64 and the anime designs of AWL. The designs this time are more reminiscent of Animal Crossing--kind of anime/chibi-ish, and kind of cel-shaded, which makes the game more refreshing. Although Harvest Moon games are not known for having spectacular graphics--none of it really bothered the players, though there is definitely room for improvement. And as with all previous Harvest Moon games--glitches, amusing ones and harmful ones, and translation errors are abound--something that really should've been fixed, especially since Magical Melody is the second version of the game released in Japan. The music is simple and cheerful, gets stuck in your head, despite its repetitiveness, though some characters bear absolutely horrible voices.
None of these flaws, however, become too important once you are engaged in the game. With so many options for gameplay, so much to do, so many to unlock and accomplish, Magical Melody will keep you playing for months and months. I have been a fan of the Harvest Moon games ever since Harvest Moon 64 came out back when I was in elementary, and I can assure you that this is one of the best Harvest Moon games ever. If you are a Harvest Moon fan, this is a must play. If you are not a Harvest Moon game, this won't be a bad one to try out. And thus concludes my first review on GameSpot as I wonder how in the world did MM receive a lower score than AWL.