Oh is that so? I had no idea. That makes it even better! :D
-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
-
We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.
Rune Factory 4 Special and Rune Factory 5 revealed for Nintendo Switch!
- Thread starter AlexFlame116
- Start date
I third this. I played a female so I could romance a male character. The game does give you the option to change your character's asset to the opposite sex after beating the game but people still continue to refer to you as your original sex. I didn't change my character because I had invested so much time in her.
Oh I know, I just think this port highlights some ugly elements that the low resolution of the 3DS masked. Would have needed some work but I guess they have all hands on deck for RF5.
Im a big fan of Harvest Moon, but have only played the first RF back when it was released.
I enjoyed and finished the game, but I found it kind of unbalancing since you could exploit mining to get rich really fast, and that destroyed the game for me. The sequels seemed to be more of the same so I haven't touched the series since. I'm hyped for this, as I assume they have probably figured out the balancing after all this time.
Also, no gay no buy.
I enjoyed and finished the game, but I found it kind of unbalancing since you could exploit mining to get rich really fast, and that destroyed the game for me. The sequels seemed to be more of the same so I haven't touched the series since. I'm hyped for this, as I assume they have probably figured out the balancing after all this time.
Also, no gay no buy.
I am super shocked too, honestly. Didn't think Rune Factory would be liked here because it's anime.
I wonder if I should try to revive my old Rune Factory 4 save or just wait for the Switch version. I got to the ending but
I don't remember ANYTHING about how to play it anymore, but it was so lovely and charming!
I guess it was just the first ending and actually there's like three more acts?
I don't remember ANYTHING about how to play it anymore, but it was so lovely and charming!
This is very clearly an upscale of the 3DS game, I imagine something that's cheaper to make to revive the series in the public consciousness.
I know I'll be getting it.
Should I play My time at Portia?
I feel like I should. The bit I've seen didn't really do anything for me but been seeing a lot of Stardew/Rune fans swear by it.
I'm surprised they are porting Rune Factory 4 tbh. Does the new content seem substantial enough to double dip? Seems like the game would look rough on Switch.
I'm personally waiting for it to hit consoles, but I mean even with Rune Factory 4 S and 5 on the way, it's not like we're exactly flooded with these types of games so.
I don't think any new content was actually mentioned yet. I guess the character portraits are bigger and slightly animated now, but...
Can't believe RF5 is coming! I loved 4 on the 3DS, but I can't wait for a new game with a visual style that isn't as eye straining at 4s was.
Hmmm the title screen lists Story, Newly Wed Mode, Another Episode, Voice Collection, and Online Manual as the options. It looks like the JP direct mentioned Newly Wed Mode too, but didn't say too much about it.
Edit: ...and apparently they also mention it in the NA Direct. And also it appears the animated portraits are only in the Newly Wed Mode.
Full 3D is fine but it has to play more like RF4 than either Frontier or Tides to really hook me.
Yussssssss.
While I am seriously overjoyed that the series has been resurrected, ... now the long and harsh days of self-indoctrination will have to start once more.
I love the games, I really do, I own all of them after all - but the cute art style and preference for younger-looking (N)PCs always makes me feel guilty as fuck. Most of the time, the people I'd much rather go for are in fact the parents of the love interests (or similarly unavailable). Brrrrr. Seriously creepy.
Oh well.
Hopefully the obligatory """old""" love interest will be viable.
Also, for fuck's sake, let the poor LGBT peeps choose freely. It's 20-effing-19. 20-effing-20 when 5 releases, even.
I must admit I'm surprisingly tempted by the 4S rerelease, despite the (probably) wonky 3DS uprez job and having spent way too much time with 4 on my 3DS. Let's see how those new features pan out...
While I am seriously overjoyed that the series has been resurrected, ... now the long and harsh days of self-indoctrination will have to start once more.
I love the games, I really do, I own all of them after all - but the cute art style and preference for younger-looking (N)PCs always makes me feel guilty as fuck. Most of the time, the people I'd much rather go for are in fact the parents of the love interests (or similarly unavailable). Brrrrr. Seriously creepy.
Oh well.
Hopefully the obligatory """old""" love interest will be viable.
Also, for fuck's sake, let the poor LGBT peeps choose freely. It's 20-effing-19. 20-effing-20 when 5 releases, even.
I must admit I'm surprisingly tempted by the 4S rerelease, despite the (probably) wonky 3DS uprez job and having spent way too much time with 4 on my 3DS. Let's see how those new features pan out...
Do we know how long we have to wait before RF5 comes out? And do we know if that Doraemon Story of Seasons is ever going to come out here? RF or SoS?
Unsure if i should try this RF4S or wait.
Disclaimer: don't say both because i rarely tend to buy sequels, especially for these kind of games that can last for years.
Unsure if i should try this RF4S or wait.
Disclaimer: don't say both because i rarely tend to buy sequels, especially for these kind of games that can last for years.
I think full 3D is the way to go. Stardew Valley and Story of Seasons can use the more traditional gameplay but I feel that RF needs to implement its action RPG mechanics better.
Take the oceans/tides template, Completely axe the farming, and replace it with some new mechanic maybe something Runey related like restoring areas by releasing them. You could easily fill up a day in Tides/Oceans withotu ever touching the farm and the streamlined "wave a magic wand" approach only served to make it pointless tedium.
Stardew Valley was hyped by a lot of lapsed Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons player, but it's not quite my game. Character interaction in SV is nowhere near close as RF4 (though SV isn't trying to go that route). I liked that both games are very chill about your time, though.
It's a 2020 title, I'd say Summer 2020 at least for the localized version.
It's a 2020 title, I'd say Summer 2020 at least for the localized version.
Not sure if anyone mentioned this but with Stardew Valley having same-sex relationships it would be so cool if at least Rune Factory V could support that. I know Japan is fucking weird with that but... c'mon... options, man. Options are cool! Let me romance dudes as a dude.
I'm a huge fan of Stardew, Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons, and Rune Factory. Played about 40 hours of Portia and dropped it when I realized I was still playing waiting for it to hook me. I had been grinding and doing the things hoping it would spark that same joy the other titles did. Once I realized it didn't, I finally let it it go. It just feels lifeless to me compared to the others? Just my two cents.
On topic: this made my day. So excited for more Rune Factory. My first and only save of RF4 had about 200 hours when I finally moved on to something else. Can't wait to lose more life to it and RF5 next year.
Rune Factory has leaned less and less into farming with each subsequent entry. Tides literally had you waving a magic wand instead of actually farming and then coming back to find out what popped up a few days later. Oceans instead focused on dungeons, equipment upgrades, socialization, and exploration and was better for it. Focus on the social RPG side of it and let the series stop being shackled by the ham-strung harvest moon farming mechanics.
And that's why Tides is the worst received entry in the series.
Tides looks gorgeous in HD I would prefer that style honestly.
Weird, it's the best entry in the series by a massive margin.
Have to say I totally agree we need a more diverse age range to date. I was already in my late 20s when the first game came out so the super young marriage options have always felt weird to me. Mostly I deal with it by trying to decouple any personal identification from the equally young looking MC, which isn't an ideal solution. We desperately need/deserve non-hetero options for romance as well. The whole gender flipping/cross dressing option is getting more and more lackluster as time goes by, especially since XSEED has not been using gender neutral dialogue for whatever reason even when you choose that option to go after the dry breadcrumbs of faux representation on offer.
Rune Factory 5 only has a nebulous "2020" date, which as we all know could mean any time before tax season in 2021, which doesn't include any development hiccups and quite possibly doesn't include any localization time needed if you don't read Japanese. I'd get Rune Factory 4 Special as soon as it comes out if you have time and the desire to play it, there should be plenty of time between the games to "refresh" the feeling of playing this type of game. If they don't offer physical for RF4S, skip it. If they do, resell or trade in your copy when you're done playing it. Assuming that having multiple similar games is partly an issue for you.
Just as a note, the Rune Factory games are not sequels to each other in a traditional sense. They are very loosely connected, often with throw away lines of dialogue (1-2 at most), outfits, or character cameos. I'd honestly say they're less connected than most numbered Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy titles. There are stronger ties between the first Rune Factory and Rune Factory Frontier (outright reused a couple of characters) but Frontier is still wildly different than the first game.
On another note, this thread is pretty cool overall. It is so nice to have fellow fans of this series and similar games to talk to. Once again I find myself wistful that Innocent Life never took off enough to get a second game. Huge scifi nerd here, so I really enjoyed that spin on my favorite game franchise.
Live2D for the newlywed portion of RF4 should be great.
Also allow for gay marriage
Also allow us to marry the dragon
Also allow us to marry the moms
Also....okay Ill stop.
I am a little confused on the name/ownership now. Do I have the below right
Harvest Moon is now being titled Story of Seasons and is still owned by Marvelous and the latest entry is being localized by XSEED rather than Natsume?
Natsume is still producing their own Harvest Moon games?
Rune Factory 1-4 were developed by Neverland but is now being developed solely by Marvelous Entertainment yes? And the founder of Neverland has now made a new studio called Hakama?
Also allow for gay marriage
Also allow us to marry the dragon
Also allow us to marry the moms
Also....okay Ill stop.
I am a little confused on the name/ownership now. Do I have the below right
Harvest Moon is now being titled Story of Seasons and is still owned by Marvelous and the latest entry is being localized by XSEED rather than Natsume?
Natsume is still producing their own Harvest Moon games?
Rune Factory 1-4 were developed by Neverland but is now being developed solely by Marvelous Entertainment yes? And the founder of Neverland has now made a new studio called Hakama?
Absolute worst take.
Never mind, this is the worst take.
For the record, 4 was released after ToD, and they adapted very little (anything?) from it and for good reason. ToD was the absolute worst... between the giant island fighting sequences which were a snore, mostly removing the farming elements, etc etc... It was not good.
Bokujou Monogatari (the original series name) was called Harvest Moon in the US by Natsume. Marvelous is now publishing the game in-house in the US and had to use a new name, so they went with Story of Seasons (which is closer to the literal translation of the original title which is roughly A Farming Story)
Natsume still owns the Harvest Moon name so they are trying to capitalize on that by making their own games with the Harvest Moon name.
Rune Factory 1-4 were made by Neverland, Rune Factory 5 is being made by a new studio formed from former Neverland staff(Hakama). Marvelous owns the Rune Factory name (even when Natsume was publishing the first few in the US) so can continue to use it now.
Short version: Marvelous owns Rune Factory and Bokujou Monogatari and Story of Seasons series. Natsume owns the Harvest Moon name, and only the name. Neverland made the games, but did so as a developer for Marvelous. Hakama is basically Neverland 2.0.
Last edited:
Correct it wasn't good. It was great.
The stronger focus on dungeons, story, and interpersonal relationships made the series unique points shine while the farming ended up being the only part dragging it down (I just ignored it as it was tedious with no purpose and enjoyed the game more for it). It had the most satisfying control scheme of any of the games with a lot more freedom and maneuverability. Honestly, it was a joy just to run around town. It also managed to keep me engaged day to day better as I had more concrete goals I was working towards (seeing as there was a more firm story hook in place with the time travel and the girl stuck in your body). The exploration was solid, discovering and exploring new islands was exciting, and the more open world was a high point. The giant fights weren't good but that's a small nitpick on an otherwise amazing game.
Last edited:
You got it all correct.
Every game titled "Harvest Moon" after A New Beginning is a Natsume game.
Story of Seasons is the continuation of the original series.
Hakama is the new studio of the old producer of Rune Factory, Yoshifumi Hashimoto. Hakama is not a wholly independent studio, they're still a subsidiary of Marvelous. Hakama is working on the Rune Factory games now. It is pretty safe to assume that Hakama is primarily made up of ex-Neverland staffers based on that information.
Hakama also worked on Dragon Marked for Death.
I... feel like I would like this game, but I honestly have no idea what to expect?
I saw farming, fishing, cooking... can I be a miner? I have some weird attachment to mining in video games.
What's the loop like in these games, or 4 more specifically?
I saw farming, fishing, cooking... can I be a miner? I have some weird attachment to mining in video games.
What's the loop like in these games, or 4 more specifically?
You can run through dungeons/areas with a pick axe and collect ore you'll need to do this as better ores are necessary for crafting and equipment upgrades. There's a fully featured forging system including upgrading your facilities and getting better recipes and licenses to make better stuff. You can also sell your creations for income. Although you can't really "be a miner" as in only mine and choose that as a recognized in game profession.
Going to quote myself from earlier in the thread.
Inevitably you WILL have to do dungeons and fight bosses, but the leadup to that is completely up to you. Stores and treasure chests generally keep good enough gear so you never have to mine or craft goods, but if you do you'll get better stuff. If you do decide to do that, you level your mining and crafting skills as you use them. Leveling those skills feeds back into your main character level which ups your stats.
But that goes for every activity in the game. Everything feeds into making you stronger, and almost everything feeds into making money.
Depending on the game in the series, you may or may not need to get married to properly beat the game. The social aspect is very Japanese dating game, so that's going to be hit or miss for some people... but generally you make people happier by talking to them, doing jobs for them, and giving presents.
Mining is a part of Rune Factory. The loop involves farming, various methods of gathering, killing monsters, taming and raising monsters (both for goods and to help in combat), crafting of all sorts, and clearing action RPG styled dungeons to advance the story. Oh, and there's also a fully formed Story of Seasons type town complete with shops, NPCs, marriage candidates, a request board, festivals, your own home, etcetera. Best part is you can focus on what you want to do! Literally everything you do will make your character stronger. Even jumping, running, and sleeping.
I don't want to requote everyone, but holy shit, how have I missed out on this franchise?! Absolutely sounds amazing! Will be in for the Switch update of 4 and definitely for 5!
Thanks so much for the information everyone!
Thanks so much for the information everyone!
Combat wasn't great either, feeling more like the combat in RF1 and 2. 3 and 4 did a lot to make the combat more fun and frantic with the fist and dual blade weapons.
Had the best characters though.