Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon

A great game with an overwhelming amount of things to do giving you a lot of freedom to explore the little world and follow the main story at your own pace. [JPN Import]

This game earns a spot next to Advance Wars DS and Castlevania: DoS as an essential title in the library of anyone who enjoys top-notch single-player experiences on DS.

It’s unlikely that Rune Factory is going to make converts out of anyone who doesn’t already enjoy the series but it will certainly please longtime fans, especially those who felt like the series was growing stale.

The good news is Rune Factory is long on farming, exploration, and relationships and short on the sillier aspects of the franchise. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the game is long, varied, and a great deal of addictive fun to play. Pick this one up especially if you have a long trip coming up.

Rune Factory might not be perfect, but it's the first Harvest Moon game to be released on the DS that doesn't feel old hat.

In the end, this meshing of two different styles of gameplay is what makes Rune Factory a worthy pickup for previous Harvest Moon-ers.

For Harvest Moon fans, Rune Factory is exactly what you’ve been waiting for. The game balances a classic farming system (with some changes for the better) along with a full dungeon-crawling aspect, monster collection, and all the added goodies you’d expect from the franchise.

It might be old, but Rune Factory is still very, very good - a welcome reinvention of the Harvest Moon series by a developer who clearly loves it almost as much as we do.

Very fun indeed. [Dec 2007, p.62]

Exploring Rune Factory's rural village of Kardia is like shaking a snow globe; the town is small but nuanced, perfectly preserved yet dynamic.

A very entertaining game that was released in Japan in 2006 in Europe in 2009! Let´s hope the second part will be released sooner in the old world.

Rune Factory does a good job of changing up the Harvest Moon formula many have grown bored with. Veterans may not like the changes at first, but give them a chance and you’ll likely find yourself enjoying it.

The new elements all mesh perfectly to provide a more well-rounded farming RPG experience, and, as odd as that sounds to non-fans, this is an excellent DS adventure.

Rune Factory is a great portable action RPG/sim with a vast array of activities and a great addictive vibe.

Rune Factory successfully implements an engaging dungeon crawling aspect without sacrificing, or even significantly altering, the core Harvest Moon formula.

Despite its complicated start, Rune Factory rewards the player with a really charming role-playing experience.

Despite a totally different visual style and the introduction of combat, Rune Factory still delivers a relatively straight-ahead Harvest Moon experience.

Great for fans, hard work for everyone - it's not bad, just really heavy going. [Feb 2009, p.80]

The play control is responsive, but sword swinging is hesitant and Raguna is unable to fight and walk at the same time. [Sept 2007, p.88]

Rune Factory is a good experiment which introduces new concepts and refreshed gameplay , but it doesn't do a good job of using the DS' many capabilities.

Rune Factory is an impressive advancement for the Harvest Moon series but you have to be committed to get the most out of the experience.

Those who adore the franchise will most likely find this title worthwhile due to the steps it takes to advance the series into foreign territory, but these gamers have also stuck with the Harvest Moon games for a reason: they can cope with a bevy of flawed design choices to appreciate the redundancy of farming these casual titles provide.

It's safe to say that if you've never enjoyed the sedate pace of the Harvest Moon formula then Neverland's latest simply isn't for you - but if you're a fan of the series who's looking for a unique twist on the usual procedure then you need look no further than Rune Factory.

This is a title filled with repetitive moments. If plowing your field and watering your plants doesn't sound like tons of fun, this isn't a game for you. But if you like the Harvest Moon series this title does offer a whole lot of tinkering and interesting ideas. The addition of monsters on your farm, upgrading tools and weapons, interacting with other characters and exploring dungeons does expand the experience a whole lot. If you're into the whole life on a farm concept you should definitely give this one a try.