Howard Adams

Okay, so before I begin, let me start by saying that only previous farming sims I have played have been in the harvest moon series. This being the first Rune Factory game I have ever played, so maybe I'm off the mark, but I like to think I have pretty decent taste in games. This game is huge, with so much to do, maybe too many things, and sometimes those things can feel hollow and pointless, but still oddly satisfying. The game can be clunky, and frame rate/pop in issues abound, but not to the point of unplayability like some of the other reviews claim. I get a strong sense that those who played the other RF's had such a great time with previous installments that a few differences or failures of this title are greatly exaggerated, mostly because they just wanted the same exact time they had before, but don't ruin this game for those who've never played an RF, because of the hours I've sunk in, this feels like a charming, yet clutzy, farming sim just brimming with life and things to do, it's not perfect, but it's a great little world to escape into if you just want something lighthearted and a little wacky!

So let me begin this review with one sentence (after this one)…This is the Mona Lisa of video games. This mechanics, gameplay, sound, interface, etc., are all fine, some better than fine. What makes me return to this game day after day is it’s beauty. I do not use this word lightly, as this review comes off the heals of many hours behind the wheel of the many vehicles in the breathtaking Forza 5 Mexican locales. Yet, this game, that I play on a switch no less, is still more beautiful than any game I’ve laid eyes on. Fully 3D backgrounds, towns, and battle scenes highlight rich 16 bit 2D characters and enemies. 100’s of hours of storyline and grinding are made all the easier to enjoy when displayed in such a jaw dropping manner. Somehow the combination of these graphic styles, that when alone, don’t stand out in a crowd, but when blended the way they are in OT, is in a crowd of 1. These dreamscapes will transport you to a land with so many options, and not to mention tons of heart. The developers clearly made this in a labor of love. For this I thank them, because while it may not be revolutionary in terms of gameplay, it absolutely has changed the game in what defines beauty in a world of games held to standards that normally only Microsoft or Sony systems can supply, and of course PC, that can outperform even those consoles. This, something that anyone can learn to play and enjoy should be given a chance. Even if JRPG’s don’t seem like your thing, this would be a great title to try. Gameplay involves a low complexity defense breaking system that has you using the tried and the system of using a variety of attacks to find an enemies weakness. Once that weakness has been exploited, their guard will break, leaving them defenseless and unable to attack. This allows a great deal of strategy to be employed with the point system, which if broken down into a simple explanation is basically: every turn you will gain a point, these points can be applied on any given turn and will allow you to perform attacks in the corresponding amount of points applied, so if over 3 turns have passed, and you didn’t use the points accrued, you could add those points to your 4th’s turn attack and send a devestating multi-pronged attack to leave your enemies reeling. This becomes even more important when reaching the games main focus, which are boss battles. Difficulty is definitely based on how much time you put into grinding. If you want a slow, leisurely experience that offers little in terms of strategy and prep needed, than you would just grind and grind until your level is too daunting for even a boss to defend against. Or, if you are looking for a more authentic and somewhat rage inducing experience, than going at a faster rate with less grinding and prep will give you that edge that more experienced JRPG fans may seek. Regardless of your aptitude or inclination, anyone can pick up the game and enjoy what they are going to see and do. The music and sounds are on point, nothing to far out of the box there, but not a disappointment either. The game gives you a very magical feeling, I’m not sure how to explain it but I get a very “ lord of the rings” vibe when playing. All I can say is this, don’t sleep on this game, nor it’s developers (not just Square Enix, but awesome job green lighting this and making use of your engine) that did an incredible job making a very solid RPG in gameplay and in pretty much every other factor, and of course for making probably one of the most beautiful games to hit any system, pretty much ever.