So many of the negative reviews are just blatantly inaccurate, and come from people who clearly havent played much (if at all). For instance, the numerous people saying that you cant own your own home. Yes, you can. You have to actually progress the story first. Reused characters? No, definitely not. Performance issues? Okay, that one is legitimate, although they have been improved since release.
If you want a relaxing and charming game that you can play at your own pace and in your own way, with a ton of diverse things to do, you will find plenty to love here. If you like previous Rune Factory games, you will like it. If you like farming sims, you will like it.