I rented Harvest Moon Boy & Girl from Blockbuster for PSP, mostly out of curiousity. I am quickly getting frustrated, however. The game came with no instructions (of course), but I can’t find any sort of tutorial. I’ve searched online, but most of the websites aren’t really telling me what I need to know - they seem to all copy each other.
Do you have to feed your character? Is there a way to keep track of or tell what the character needs? Does he need anything except sleep?
I also keep getting a beeping sound, almost like a doorbell, at times. What does that mean?
And what, exactly, should I be trying to accomplish?
Ushi No Tane! - this is the ultimate Harvest Moon resource site. What it basically tells you about Harvest Moon: Boy & Girl is that it is essentially a remake of the PS1 Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
This FAQ will probably get you headed in the right direction, as well as following the link above to the “Back to Nature” section.
Your goal in most of the HM series is to bring the farm you’ve inherited/discovered/bought back to life. You buy seeds, plant them, take care of them, harvest them. You get tool upgrades, you can buy farm animals such as cows, sheep, and chickens. You can buy house upgrades to get a bigger and better house. You can marry one of the eligible bachelors/bachelorettes (depending on your gender) by talking to them each day, and by giving them a gift they like. This takes time and often you can monitor their “heart meter” to know how much they like you. Karen seems to be a popular choice among the lads.
I don’t know how far your game goes, but there is sometimes a child (only in some games does it grow up). If you can find power berries, you can raise your stamina and work longer without passing out. Passing out is bad and lands you at the doctor - you’ll miss a day of work, and as you find out quickly, missing a day of work on the farm can sometimes be detrimental.
I don’t think you have to eat to survive in this version, although it’s been a long time so I can’t be certain. However, eating often has beneficial results - if you’re getting tired or your stamina is low, you can raise it back up by eating.
It’s a strangely addictive little game.