Harvest Moon 64

Game Overview
Harvest Moon 64 came out for the Nintendo 64 in 1999, developed by Victor Interactive Software and published by Natsume. It was part of that wave of life simulation games that offered a quieter alternative to the platformers and action titles dominating the system at the time.

You control a young farmer who inherits a neglected plot of land, and your main goal is to restore it to prosperity while building relationships with the townspeople. Each day involves watering crops, tending to livestock, and exploring the surrounding areas screen by screen to forage or fish. The pacing is deliberate, with seasons and festivals marking the passage of time, and the difficulty comes from managing your stamina and finances wisely. It feels like building a life from the ground up, one small success at a time.