Preview: Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar Possesses a Sense of Purpose

Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar always felt like one of the more unique Bokujou Monogatari games due to the fact that the weekly market affected gameplay in a major way and, after going through an in-game month of Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, it really feels like this remake won’t change that. It feels like it further embraces the idea of being a self starter in a location constantly referencing Nordic influences.

The first time I had a chance to sit down with the Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar remake, it involved brief experiences taken from certain points in the game. I went through the market introduction. I prepared my farm and myself for a storm. I handed a day running a booth in the market and taking advantage of the sprites’ assistance to build up a buying frenzy. This time felt much different and more natural, since it involved actually starting a new story and working through the first month on my own farm.

In many ways, Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar does follow more traditional Bokujou Monogatari patterns. Your daily routine will look vary similar. Get up. Tend to any animals you may own. Head to your crops to water, harvest, plant, and care for them. Go down into town. Socialize with people, most likely the characters you may want to romance. Maybe do some light shopping. Engage in some fishing and foraging. Then head back home to sleep so you can do it again.

However, there’s a decisive change in that pattern. Since there is no shipping here and you rely on the weekly market for income, it forces you to get creative about your output. Early on, this is more simple. You aren’t going to have access to elaborate cooking recipes or high quality crops in the first hours of any Story of Seasons game. But already in my first month, I feel the idea of plotting. Build up money. See what items are most profitable. Make the most of each market trip, so I can afford things like bag upgrades, animals, and more seeds. Get an idea of how to get settled, so I can take advantage of that weekly resource and be self-sustaining.

This first month also served as a reminder of how tidy Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar can feel compared to some other games in the series. In many titles, getting from one point to the other can take up a lot of in-game time. As a result of a glider here and town organized in such a way that everything is rather conveniently located and even utilizing some verticality, it feels like I’m moving around faster and accomplishing more. In other entries, I sometimes wouldn’t get really into foraging until a month or two in. Here, as a result of the structure, I have that extra time and can use the glider to more quickly get from higher elevations down so I can do more. 

All of which does also absolutely embrace the whole Nordic and Dutch type of atmosphere. It feels like we’re playing through a Story of Seasons game that could be set in the Netherlands. There are the windmills. The architecture, which already channeled that pastoral feel on the DS, is even better replicating that mood. The open-air market is homey. I love how it really feels like you’re in a mountainous region with lots of hills. Not to mention, everyone’s attire is appropriate too.

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar seems like it remains a Bokujou Monogatari that feels different from typical farming sims. There’s that extra priority you need to take into account. This means, while you do have the same routines you’ll develop, you also need to change up your strategies to make sure you are taking advantage of and building up that “customer base” at the weekly market. All this is set against a backdrop with a definite vibe that also looks different from other installments, feeling more European than others. It could be a refreshing change for those who missed it the first time around.

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar will come to the Switch, Switch 2, and PC on August 27, 2025. The original Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar is available on the DS.