RuneFactoryFanboy
Member
Nintendo Wii
Developer - Neverland Co
Publisher - (JP) Marvelous Entertainment, (NA) XSEED Games, (EU) Rising Star Games
Release Dates
Japan - November 27, 2008
North America - March 17th
Europe - October 2009
Suggested retail price - $49.99
Supports 16:9 Widescreen and 480p
NA and JP Box Art
RuneFactoryFanboy's FAQ
What is Rune Factory?
Rune Factory is an offshoot of the Harvest Moon series. It takes all the aspects of that series, such as Farming, Marriage, Festivals, and combines it with a Hack'n'Slash RPG. This creates a wonderful gameplay cycle as the two gameplay types build on each other.
Do I need to play the previous titles?
I would say no. This title does seem to be a sequel of some sorts from the first DS game, but I wouldn't say its crucial to play it.
I hated Harvest Moon, will I enjoy Rune Factory?
Perhaps. The action RPG sections of this series does make for a more interesting, more fun game, but you can't avoid the farming. A lot of game time will still be spent farming, raising animals, courting beautiful women just like in Harvest Moon.
I was a fan of Harvest Moon back in the SNES and N64 days but recent HM games were lackluster and stale, is Rune Factory any different?
Dear goodness yes. As a big fan of the original I felt many of the sequels that followed failed to capture that addicting, interesting gameplay I came to love. Within a few hours of playing the first DS game I said out loud "finally, this is the HM sequel I've been waiting for". If you were a fan of the original games and have lost interest along the way then you need to check out Rune Factory. There is a reason my username is RuneFactoryFanboy.
From the official site
Story
WorldA familiar face in an unknown land…
In search of a missing girl, our hero stumbles upon the frontier town of Trampoli. Here he finds the object of his search but his task doesn’t end there. In this mysterious town inhabited by spirits called Runeys and shadowed by a gigantic flying whale island, he must start life anew.
Farmer, explorer, warrior…
In this idyllic setting our hero can pursue various trades (farming, forging, crafting, cooking, etc.), explore the town and the floating island above, or seek out adventure in the dungeons. Over time the town will grow, as do the number of inhabitants. Shopkeepers, farmers, tavern masters, and craftsmen; all are ready to be our hero’s friends, enemies, and maybe more. However, trouble in the sky above soon interrupts our hero’s new life. What is this ominous power that threatens such a peaceful town? How will he protect his friends, his love and the village that has become his home…
FeaturesTrampoli
A rural village of the frontier founded by Sister Stella. Trampoli may be a countryside town, but it boasts stores, an inn/tavern, a blacksmith, a library, and many other facilities. Charming and imbued with a sense of peace so tangible that it takes the form of Runeys, it is an ideal place to call home
Whale Island
Features of Whale Island
There is a mysterious island that floats above Trampoli. On this flying marvel of nature are many fierce monsters and hazardous terrains, so it is designated as a dangerous place.
How to go to Whale Island
Located somewhere in Trampoli is a tiny sprout with big potential. If watered, it can grow to become a giant beanstalk and will open the way to Whale Island for your exploration.
Passage of Time on Whale Island
Excluding special situations such as boss fights, time will progress normally on Whale Island. However, when it becomes 5AM, you will be forces back home and it will be 10AM on the next day when you wake up.
Life-like Interactions – Pursuing relationships with NPC characters may lead to friendship, or even love and marriage. The more you interact with the townsfolk the more prosperous the village becomes and the more newcomers will be attracted to it.
Dynamic Ecosystem – Cultivate and harvest crops on fields strewn throughout the game. Growing crops attracts Runeys (spirits) which live symbiotically with fertile land. Catching Runeys and releasing them on your land and around the town creates an interactive environment that will affect the growth time and quality of the plants you produce
Dungeons, dungeons, dungeons – Varied dungeons are secreted about the game area and a very special one soars right above your head if only you can reach it… Filled with areas to explore, creatures to fight or tame, and rare items to collect, they can be an adventurer’s dream or a brave farmer’s greatest resource for special crops. Seek your fortune or battle to your heart’s content.
Intuitive Wii Controls – Use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to do everything! Till the land, swing your sword, even knock on your neighbor’s door. (Also compatible with the Classic Controller.)
Screenshots
(Excuse the crummy quality, for some reason IGN has taken some horrible quality shots of this game)
Videos
FMV Opening (with catchy intro song)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTAtKCXiSHM
Official Japanese Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y--8OdW6KwU
Official US Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKw8cquUYcU
Battle Gameplay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTJ6gocgwT4
Character Interaction Gameplay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjyjlg4qzhE
Anette - She is the villages postal carrier/delivery girl. She is often very cheery and is noticed more-so thanks to her trademark delivery bag (that sometimes looks as large as she is). On her routes, she tends to be bullied by the monsters along her paths due to her small stature. Maybe you can straighten them out for her sometime?
Bianca - She is the daughter of the renowned millionaire named Viviaju. Over the years she and her maid, Tabatha, have grown quite the friendship even though she is slightly jealous. Reason being, Tabatha could always make friends more/better than her. She isn't really fond of any items whatsoever so the only way to befriend Bianca is by talking to her each day.
Black Iris - These two have the ability to communicate in a special way through the power of song. She has the same name and powers as her lighter counterpart. Her whereabouts and existence is shrouded in mystery.
White Iris - These two have the ability to communicate in a special way through the power of song. She has the same name and powers as her darker counterpart. She loves flowers.
Cinnamon - She is a girl with few words, and has a family which has been full of scholars for generations. When she was a child, she had an amazing intellectual talent, but over the years she has grown rather lazy and slightly lethargic, causing her to lose parts of that talent she once had. She is still, none-the-less, very intellectual. She lives in town with her little sister, Candy, and grandfather, Kanro. Not very personable.
Eunice - She is the daughter of the inn owners, Turner and Rita. She loves to cook and clean and has a large respect for her parents. Her body image is a little complex however due to her sensitivity of others opinions. Telling her yours will affect how she looks in the future!
Lara - She is both a nurse at the hospital, and a sister at the church. She is very friendly and knows that Raguna can become stronger if he tries hard enough. She saves you whenever you collapse in a dungeon or out in the open. You can buy medicine from her too.
Melody - She was once on a journey around the world to enjoy the hot-springs and what they had to offer, but finally decided to start up her own in your village. Many people have come to adore Melody, and many come from other places to enjoy her hot-springs. She doesn't remember her parents and is possibly unaware "at first" that her own grandfather/uncle is using her springs as well.
Mist - A beautiful, caring, but strangely air headed girl who has a unique behavior. She now lives in Trampoli.
Rosetta - She is Mist's childhood friend and is the daughter of a general store owner, which is partially why she has grown independent of others and now runs one herself. She has a basic friendly nature but will have a tendency to say harsh things to both you and Mist on a rare occasion.
Selphy - A "bookworm" who works at the library. She is soften spoken and gentle.
Tabatha - She is Bianca's maid and is a very benevolent woman. She loves to draw monsters in her spare time and is the only person Bianca truly trusts due to their lifelong friendship with one-another. She has a dream that one day both humans, magical creatures, and monsters will come together and be friends.
Uzuki - A spunky young girl who goes everywhere with Tsubute. Don't be fooled by her appearance, she is a skilled fighter. She came to town searching for her older brother and speaks with an archaic samurai accent.
Famitsu - 8 / 7 / 7 / 7
Nintendo Power - 7.5/10
Frontier isn't for everybody, but it delivers on its promise of providing a deep, engrossing experience while letting you live a relaxing life
IGN - 8.3/10
IGN's Video ReviewThe visuals are beautiful, the world itself is well-crafted, and the design is as deep and addictive as the best titles in the Harvest Moon/Rune Factory series. The designers could certainly be nicer to players in the future, making it easier to figure out where to get the starting items and exactly what’s needed to expand the story, but as far as “do anything” gameplay goes, Rune Factory dominates on Wii.
GameZone - 90/100
This is one of the best games I’ve played on the Wii since we’ve gotten it.
Cheat Code Central - 84/100
There's simply so much to do that it will take many months to fully explore Rune Factory's true depth. The best part is it's fun to do so.
Gameinformer - 68/100 (these guys didn't like the first 2 Rune Factory games)
Even when it fails, though, Rune Factory: Frontier is packed with so many other activities that there's always more than enough to do.
Interviews
Fellow forum member zigg's interview with Yoshifumi Hashimoto
http://www.n-sider.com/contentview.php?contentid=3823
NeoGaf Quotes
kiryogi said:I've said it before and I'll say it again. The more I play this game, the more I really think this is the best Harvest Moon experience I've had.
EvilMario said:Very fun, liking this a lot more than the original.
Scrubking said:I've played a lot of HM and for me this is the best HM experience hands down.
Dragmire said:Yeah, it's been the best Harvest Moon experience for me since Friends of Mineral Town (which is great) or Harvest Moon 64 (which is my favorite in the series).
Dante23 said:I bought this and I'm absolutely addicted
Volcynika said:Got to the first dungeon area thing just now, sooooooo much fun. Loving this game!