Inaka Kurashi: Minami no Shima no Monogatari (PS2) (2002)
Developer: Polygon Magic

Review by Faididi and Co.

At least there are no mosquitoes

Story: Average

Tomoko, a 15-year-old Tokyo schoolgirl, gets a reward for the summer: a two-week vacation with her maternal grandparents on the fictional island of Hisagaki in Okinawa. At first, Tomoko sounds less than thrilled about the hot weather and the lack of metropolitan conveniences, but as she spends time on the island and learns more about its people and their culture, she will grow more outgoing and come to better enjoy her stay. This is just a nice vacation; there are no battles to fight and no conflicts to resolve at all.

Gameplay: Average

Polygon Magic's Inaka Kurashi: Minami no Shima no Monogatari is an adventure game that serves as a window to a calmer, rural side of southwestern Japan. Tomoko spends two full weeks at Hisagaki, exploring the village, the beaches, and the other parts of the island. The game truly takes its vacation themes to heart. Strolling aimlessly about the place and participating in activities that barely qualify as minigames is one way to describe the action here.

Of course, the activities may be seen as a reward in themselves, and they at least come in a variety. Tomoko can become best buddies with another adorable little girl, learn to play a shamisen from her grandfather, swim past coral reefs while snorkeling with a cute diving instructor, help out some kids who are playing hide-and-seek, listen to local songs and legends, and collect sea shells and other trinkets. The most interesting part of the game is how Tomoko changes as she spends time with the island's inhabitants, growing more outgoing, donning increasingly casual summer clothing, adopting the local phrases, and even becoming able to run for longer distances before tiring out.

However, make no mistake here. Simply wandering back and forth across the island and engaging in overly pleasant yet totally optional activities is all there is to do. While Inaka Kurashi may deserve mention as a game being created out of a virtual vacation, it can be equally guilty of being too quiet.

Controls: Average

The controls need some polishing. Tomoko's reluctance to run at the beginning of the game, before her mood improves, means that pressing the run button does hardly anything during that period. The controls for the bicycle are also underdeveloped, because Tomoko can't ride the bike into the village, and the screen fades out briefly whenever she makes a U-turn, instead of letting you see her actually turn around.

Graphics: Above Average

The visuals can use more work in terms of facial animations. The characters move their mouths oddly while speaking, and the wide-eyed expression that Tomoko gives when she is surprised looks exaggerated to the point of being creepy.

On a positive note, Inaka Kurashi shows off extraordinarily lush environments. The sunny dirt paths are lined with dazzling arrays of rainbow-colored flora, and the beaches consist of pure white sand stretching alongside crystal-clear waters. The clouds are gorgeously rendered, no matter if the sun is shining brightly through them in the crisp morning skies or if they are lazily floating across the warm, star-studded night skies. Hisagaki truly carries that touch of paradise, being the kind of place where one can take a quiet walk in the evening without worrying about anything.

Audio: Above Average

The sound effects are another great part of the game, from the noise of footsteps over different types of terrain to the rustling of creatures hiding in the tall grass beside the lanes of low stone walls. Birds and insects can be heard chirping within the forests that Tomoko visits, and the gentle roaring of the ocean changes in volume and in tone depending on where she is positioned on the island. Inaka Kurashi also features music by the band, Begin. The calm, bucolic tunes certainly help bring out the atmosphere of Tomoko's vacation.

Overall: Average

Inaka Kurashi is a nice, peaceful adventure about a young girl's nice, peaceful vacation. Not a real game in the traditional sense, it's worth playing only for those who just want to sit back without any serious goals and relax.