Y’all know how much I adore my beloved farming simulators—namely, Stardew Valley and Farm Together, but having played both of those to the point of hopeless boredom, it was time for something new. I was very skeptical of Wylde Flowers, but there aren’t any other farming sims out right now expect for a hyper-realistic one that looks very stressful, so I went ahead and took my chances. Wylde Flowers looked very fluffy and overly-cute, and I wasn’t sure that it was going to have much in the way of content. Oh, my chickadees, was I ever wrong. This unassuming, cartoony game has more twists and turns than a soap opera, absolutely top-notch voice acting, an incredible story, and deeply-developed characters who change and grow through moral challenges. It was a thrilling experience, and I was bereft when the story ended and the credits rolled suddenly. (It turns out you can still play the game after the story line ends, so not all was lost.)
Wylde Flowers isn’t a farming simulator per se. It’s primarily a story adventure with farm and crafting elements that serve to move the plot along, but that aren’t super-compelling on their own. The storyline is the main crux of the game. You play as Tara, an effervescent young woman from “the city” who moves to the tiny island of Fairview to help her grandmother Hazel with the farm. Hazel is elderly and is no longer able to do most of the farming chores, but it turns there is another reason that Hazel summoned her granddaughter to the island—to reveal that Tara is a witch, and to initiate her into the highly-secretive coven that has operated on the island for centuries. This kicks off the main plot line, which slowly but steadily builds into an astonishing tale of intrigue, betrayal, and dark secrets. It also turns into a regular Salem, with accusations of witchcraft being flung about on the reg, ironically never involving anyone who is actually a witch.
It’s a great story, but the characters are what truly make up the heart and soul of the game. Each and every one one is deeply thought-out, well-rendered, and excellently voiced. Over the course of the game, you come to know and care about each one of the townsfolk and experience their moral growth as they come to terms to with their own failings, flaws and misconceptions. That’s quite a remarkable feat for a relatively short game (about 60 hours of play if you move along at a steady clip.) I found that my thoughts and feelings about some of the characters changed over time. I came to like and appreciate some of the townsfolk I disliked in the beginning, and became deeply disappointed in others who I liked at the start. (I’m looking at you, Westley, you betraying jerk.) The interactions and dialogue is complex, varied and poignant, but also humorous and at times even laugh-out-loud funny. Some of the moments that really stand out to me is the Mayor sitting sadly on a park bench toward the end of the story. A formerly vainglorious, unflappable man, he is now broken and bereft by the errors of his past, and there is nothing do it but accept it now that the veil has been lifted. And Sophia, the owner of the diner and one of the characters accused of being a witch, coming very slowly to trust the townspeople again and forgive her accuser. And the elderly peddler, Shelby, sniping at Tara not to patronize him when she suggests he chooses to live in the woods because it’s “peaceful.” There are so many more amazing moments throughout the game, and it’s one that will live in my heart for a long time.
As mentioned, the game is still playable after the storyline ends. There are a number of achievements you can earn and small quests to do for the townsfolk, and you can also continue to increase your friendship levels with the characters, but the farming and crafting elements are pretty limited. There are only a few buildings in the entire game, and no ability to expand, so once the storyline is played through, it becomes a fairly static experience. That said, I’ll probably continue playing for a little while, or maybe even start over with a new game and replay it from the beginning.
My final rating using my totally-made up rating system is nine out ten toadstools, not quite making it to ten because of lack of content post-story, no wardrobe customization, and the fact that some of the interfaces made me slightly seasick. But those are minor gripes. I highly recommend this game, especially for writers who appreciate intricate plots and well-developed characters.
--Kristen McHenry
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