Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley

 Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley or  牧場物語シュガー村と皆の願い , Bokujou Monogatari: Sugar Mura to Minna no Negai in Japanese is the most recent game in the Harvest moon series with this iteration being for the PlayStation Portable.  It was developed by Marvelous Interactive Inc. and published in the United States by Natsume.  It was released on hard disk in Japan but the North American release will only be a digital release.  The original release date was April 1. 2010 but was moved to April 20, 2010.  This will be the first original Harvest Moon game designed exclusively for the PSP.
 
The game follows a very similar plot as the rest of the Harvest Moon series, which is to say the player takes on persona of a farmer owner and their goal is to make money by doing activities such as producing crops and raising livestock.  This iteration is rumored to be either a sequel or a remake of Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland.  This edition features marriage and even more paths to save the homeland.  This edition also features Jack, the protagonist of Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland who will appear in the game to interact with the player.
 
Plot Overview

Leaf Valley is in dire peril.  The evil and heartless Funland Corporation is going to obliterate the town by bulldozing it and then building an amusement park unless the citizens can band together to stop them from this terrible tragedy.  The Player must grow his crops, raise myriad farm animals as well as explore the earth for rare ores and gems to help save their farm and indeed the entire town of Leaf Valley.  During the story players will earn extra money and develop their skills through a series of interactive part-time jobs, and build relationships in order to get the villagers to trust, respect, and help the protagonist save the town.  The story is very open ended and will can conclude in a number of different ways, with the choices the player is making having a direct impact on the final outcome of the story.
 
Story Overview
 
Jack must journey to Sugar Village to retrieve his Grandfather’s belongings after he has been informed that his grandfather has passed away.  Upon arrival, he soon learns that the town and surrounding countryside will soon be turned into an amusement park, at the cost of the destruction of the town.  When Jack hears this he decides to take over his grandfathers farm and through his hard work he hopes to inspire the villagers to turn their town around.
When you get to the farm, Jack will have to nominate to acquire his grandfathers belongings, after this Jack will encounter three Harvest Sprites and the Harvest Goddess, who all ask him to stay with the farm, work the land and help them save the town.
The hero must once again save the homeland by finding a way to make the village save itself from being torn down to build the amusement park called “Leisure Land”.  Because of the myriad of choices that are afforded to our hero and different combinations that they can be used, the game has a total of 16 different ways to save the homeland.
 
Marriage
 
Unlike Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland, Hero of Leaf Valley gives players the choice to marry any girl that you meet.  These girls are: 
Gwen- Gwen is a young woman with a large heart who loves her village very much.  She is very protective of her home and as such can seem distant to outsiders and can even have a very harsh tongue with them at times if she perceives that she is provoked.  She loves all animals, but she has a special place in her heart for horses.  In PAL regions she is named Sarah.
Lyla- Lyla owns the flower shop in town and she is always happy and smiling.  At first glance you might take her for a lightheaded young woman but she may be a bit older and more mature than she seems.  She loves to spend her days dreaming in her shop and can be a very romantic young woman who dreams of falling in love
Alice-  Alice is confirmed as a brand new character for this iteration of Harvest Moon.  Alice is the director of the company that is planning on converting sugar village into “Leisure Land”.  She will occasionally visit the village and try to cause trouble and hamper progress.
Dia- This is the spoiled princess of the town and she lives in the villa with Gina and Martha.  She has been left in Martha’s care since her parents divorced.  Her parents’ divorce seems to have left a bit of an emotional scar on her which can make her seem cold and hardened to the outside world.  It will take a good bit of work but it is possible to her to open up and realize the mistakes she has made, but it is definitely worth the extra effort.
Gina- Gina works in the village alongside Martha, and she is a sweet and subservient young woman who has grown up as the chambermaid to Dia.   She is always thinking of others and is terribly unselfish.  She is constantly striving to help others and to do things that make others lives easier.  Her secret passion however is the tailoring which she posses a wonderful skill for.
Katie- Katie is a young woman who loves her cakes and pies.  She is an opinionated 16 year old who wants to be an adult well before her time.  She works in her Grandfathers bakery in the day but is barred from entering the building at night when it transforms into a tavern.  She can be a handful and is very sensitive about her less than terrific cooking.
Aurelia-  Aurelia is a nun who has come to Leaf valley following Chester.  She is always supporting him and travels with him no matter where he goes.  She can be a very strong willed and opinionated woman who has a very straightforward no BS attitude.  However her true nature comes out when she plays her ocarina and demonstrates her inner grace.
Harvest Goddess-  This deity is the great protector of the land.  She has many magical powers and gives blessings to the land with nature and beauty
 
Other People
 
Kurt (Hayato)-  Kurt is a Stoic Carpenter who is incredibly focused on his work.  He is the older brother of Joe and is generally very stoic and likes to fashion himself as the strong silent type.  However, this façade is only there to hide the fact that he is indeed a very sensitive young man
Joe (Shin) – Joe is the younger brother of Kurt and he is a very social fellow who can, from time to time, speak too bluntly.  His favorite activites include drinking at the local bar and fishing at the local pond.  He, along with his older brother Kurt, serve as apprentices under Woody.
Woody (Woodo) – Woody is the towns master carpenter and he teaches his two apprentices Joe and Kurt the trade.  He is a nimble old man who is as strong as he was when he was young.  He has become increasingly pessimistic in his old age, but still cares deeply for his home and the future of it.
 
Crops
 
All of the crops from Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland will return in this game and these include
•    Breadfruit
•    Potatoes
•    Tomatoes
•    Corn
 
Animals
 
All of the animals from Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland will return and these include
•    Cows
•    Chickens
•    Horses
In addition to these animals, a dog will be available for the player