Xbox Game The Harvest returns from the wastelands to Windows Phone 8

Xbox game The Harvest returns from the apocalypse to Windows Phone 8 Lumia 1520

When Windows Phone 8 reared its shiny head back in late 2022, there was much cause for commemoration. Although the new Os switched kernels from the one used by Windows Phone vii, it retained the power to run most pre-Windows Phone viii apps and games. That said, some very important games did not run on the new Os: more than 20 mobile Xbox Games! Considering how many gamers came to Windows Phone specifically for Xbox Games, those compatibility issues among came equally quite a blow.

Microsoft and some of the creators of the afflicted games worked to restore compatibility where they could. One year after the Windows Phone 8 launch, 12 games gained compatibility or received new compatible versions. 20 games remained incompatible however, including some important titles like Fable Coin Golf and Tentacles. Well, information technology'due south been a long time coming merely one more Xbox Game simply became available again on Windows Phone 8: The Harvest from Luma Arcade.

Dorsum where it belongs, warts and all

The Harvest for Windows Phone

The Harvest is one of those extremely rare things: a loftier-quality game that is exclusive to Windows Phone, Windows viii, and Steam. Most of the exclusives that everyone cares about somewhen became available on iOS or Android, including Wordament, Tentacles, Dodonpachi Maximum, and Kinectimals. Only The Harvest hasn't jumped ship still, and the folks at Luma Arcade apparently never gave up on Windows Telephone even after an excessively long flow of incompatibility.

Actually, although The Harvest works with Windows Phone viii over again, it still suffers from one lilliputian incompatibility outcome. The story videos won't play. Later starting a new game, you will receive an error message when the intro video pops up. Don't fret, though. The message quickly goes abroad and yous can then go on to play the game itself; that'southward the of import part.

Considering that the video playback effect is reportedly the reason that The Harvest was pulled from Windows Telephone eight in the get-go place and the Store says the game was last updated in 2022, information technology seems that the merely thing that's changed is someone at Microsoft decided to let Windows Phone 8 players download the game again. Gee, thanks guys! In all seriousness, it's ameliorate to have the game with cleaved videos than not have the game at all.

Non a farming game

The Harvest for Windows Phone

As for The Harvest itself, it's an activeness-RPG set up in a distant future in which aliens have conquered humanity. Thank you to the evolution of armored mech suits, the remaining pockets of humans finally accept a chance to fight back.

Players can select from iii unique mechs (two must be unlocked by beating the game), each with its ain stats and abilities. You'll have to play through the game with all iii characters in order to earn the total 200 GamerScore, but that can be done in less than 10 hours – no biggie.

Simply touch anywhere onscreen to move your character and and so tap enemies or objects to interact with them. Even though The Harvest was written as a Windows Phone 7 game and thus runs at a 480 x 800 resolution, it still looks quite good even on newer devices similar the Lumia 1520. Chalk that up to quality fine art design and a good 3D engine.

Although The Harvest never left Windows Phone vii, the world has moved on from that Os. Windows Phone eight (and now Windows Phone 8.1) are the hereafter. It's neat to have The Harvest back, especially for gamers who purchased information technology prior to switching over to Windows Phone 8 and lost admission to their game. Let's promise it remains available despite the broken video playback! My advice is to buy it while y'all can, just in case Microsoft changes its mind.

Now if the big MS would just make The Harvest a universal app so nosotros didn't take to purchase it on both Windows Telephone and Windows 8…

The Harvest – Windows Phone seven and 8 – 86 MB – $half dozen.99 – Shop Link
The Harvest – Windows viii and RT – 213 MB – $vi.99 – Store Link

Thank you to @opticon9 for the tip!

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