A great flash-back into what would become a great franchise!
You start out simple enough: Arrive on a battered down old farm that needs taking care of, get a puppy, and meet the townspeople all the while building up your place into a successful farm for the community. It may seem a very dauntingtask when you begin, but like a lot of things in real life, once you get into a rhythm of how you like to play, its not so bad.
Learn to use each tool. A hoe, sickle, watering can, axe, and a hammer. Each essential to your farming experience. Cultivating the land into an area full of different kinds of vegetation for each season. Meet a girl and get married by using the vegetation as presents should it be something she likes.
Years in game play are broken down into 4 seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Each having their own different plants to cultivate while the season goes by. Now a question may form in your mind: What about winter? You can't grow veggies in winter can you? Well no you can't. But another interesting part of Harvest Moon is the mining in the town cave during winter. Finding jewels and gems to sell everyday.
Earlier I eluded to Meeting and marrying a girl. The game has 3 different girls to choose from each having their own personality. They all like and dislike different things. When you choose the one you like, woo her using the gifts she likes and giving them to her everyday. Each girl has a diary near their bed in their respective home. When the heart is big enough you can use what becomes a staple in all Harvest Moon games: The Blue Feather. The Blue Feather is used as an engagement offer when you and your girl become close. Should the girl's heart be big enough for you, she'll accept and you will be locked in matrimony for...well the rest of the game.
All they while doing this you clean your farm, cultivate it, make friends with people in town, buy a bigger house, and at the end of the day (either game play wise or in real life time) you will feel a genuine source of accomplishment.
Game Play: One of the greatest ways to "waste time" over a video game. Cultivate a farm, marry a girl, and make friends.
Sound: The sound can be a bit annoying sometimes, but its from the 8-bit era so its nostalgic at the same time.
Controls: The controls for Harvest Moon games tend to be a little confusing at first and may require a little learning, but once you learn it becomes natural.
Graphics: Hey its an NES game! But should that matter?
Overall: 9.5 The only complaint I can find is the sound and controls and it isn't enough to take away too much from the experience that Harvest Moon provides. If you've never played a Harvest Moon game, then this is a great introduction. If you are a Harvest Moon fan, then this a great and simplistic way to see how the franchise started.