Rune Factory 4 Special

Genre: Top-Down Action-RPG / Management Sim

Players: 1

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Review:

Rune Factory 4 is a game that combines the “Farming RPG” genre of game (best known for games like Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, and Story of Seasons) with more traditional Action-RPG elements, placing a greater focus on fighting through dungeons filled with enemies, as well as a greater emphasis on story. Originally released on the Nintendo 3DS in 2013, this game received a port to the Nintendo Switch in 2020 with enhanced visuals, an interface designed to work on the single screen of the Nintendo Switch, as well as a few additional features such as more difficulty options and a new “Newlywed Mode” that allows players to explore short scenarios with spouses they’ve wooed in the main game.

In terms of presentation, this game really shows its handheld roots in the graphics department, though I wouldn’t outright say it looks bad. “Quaint” is probably a better way to put it – these are visuals that have slightly chibi-styled 3D characters on a 2D background, and while some of the character designs are a little… well, creepy… overall the aesthetic is quite appealing due to its imaginative fantasy setting and lovely overall anime art style. The way characters move is somewhat poorly-animated which can be a bit jarring, but overall I’d say I lean in the direction of liking this game’s visuals, even if I am by no means impressed by them.

However, the real treat in Rune Factory 4’s presentation is this game’s writing, which is wonderfully endearing in the way that classic JRPGs can be, but with an added bit of humor strewn throughout, and a colorful cast of characters. These characters are partially voiced in a way that does a good job highlighting their personalities, and the game’s soundtrack is filled with some decent music befitting a JRPG. In the Nintendo Switch release there are also new anime-style animated cutscenes throughout the game, though these seem more like an added garnish than a major new addition.

Now, as for the gameplay, at this point I’ve reviewed many “Farming RPGs” on the Nintendo Switch, and mostly they all fail to hold a candle to Stardew Valley, but Rune Factory 4 actually manages to do some impressive things that make it stand out from the crowd, and they’re not necessarily what you may think.

Yes, there are dungeons with fighting and bosses, although to be honest I found combat in this game to be decent but unspectacular. No, what really impressed me about the gameplay in Rune Factory 4 is how well it streamlines the Farming RPG formula. In many of these games, it’s all about busywork and time management, and while these still remain a factor in Rune Factory 4, the game does what it can to make everything as user-friendly as possible.

Crafting stations are objects that can be placed wherever you like, moved freely, and even broken apart if you don’t want them anymore. Players picking up resources can hold them in a stack of the same item before putting them away, either to toss them off to the side, or even chuck them straight into an appropriate holding container, with no need to even bother going into a menu. And at any point, whether in a dungeon or walking around town, you can instantly warp back to earlier points of interest at no cost, even cycling through them until you get back to your home base of operations.

What’s more, while games like this often rely on numerous complicated systems, Rune Factory 4 does a fantastic job of guiding the player through this at their own pace without bogging the game down with exposition (I’m looking at you, Doraemon Story of Seasons). Players can choose to respond to requests for assistance from the town’s citizens via a request box, which both acts as a tutorial of sorts, but also helps to further the game’s progression, as the more requests you fulfill, the more options open up to you in the town. These requests are parceled out at most one or two in an in-game day, but players can opt to ignore them to focus on other tasks if they want – they don’t expire, so players can take them at whatever pace they feel comfortable with.

The player’s skills and abilities are constantly leveling up too, and even simply walking around seems to help improve your skills, although this process is gradual enough that you’re not likely to notice much of a difference when you are notified that your skills have improved, but it’s still nice to get some sort of sense that your character is improving, all the same.

If I had one complaint beyond the somewhat simplistic graphics and unimpressive combat, it would be that overall character movement in this game feels a little rough, especially when using the analog stick and trying to select a tile to work on in the actual farm you’re tending. However, this is mitigated somewhat by using the D-Pad instead, which works well enough. I should mention that this game does have some limited support for the touchscreen, but it’s mostly just used in menu screens, and honestly I felt the standard controls worked well enough there that I didn’t feel a need to use the touchscreen.

Overall, I found Rune Factory 4 Special to be a delightful surprise. There are so many “Farming RPG” games on the Nintendo Switch now that I wasn’t sure I’d ever find another that offers the same sort of joy to be found in Stardew Valley, but Rune Factory 4 absolutely charmed me with its story, characters and aesthetic, and pulled me in with its user-friendly gameplay and progression. If you’re looking for something like Stardew Valley but a bit more action-focused, or you just want a solid new Action-RPG to play on your Nintendo Switch, I think you’ll find a lot to like in this game.

tl;dr – Rune Factory 4 Special is an upgraded port of the 3DS “Farming RPG” that adds a greater focus on dungeon crawling, combat, and a more traditional JRPG-style story. However, what really sets it apart from other games in the genre is its charming characters and writing, as well as its very user-friendly gameplay. Fans of Stardew Valley and Japanese-style Action-RPGs in general would do well to give this game a look.

Grade: A-

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