Rune Factory 4 is a simulation/role-playing video game developed by Neverland Co. And published by Marvelous AQL for the Nintendo 3DS. It is the sixth game in the Rune Factory series. No gameplay issues at all. Some cutscenes may have a slight FPS hit, but there are no performance problems in normal game play. In Rune Factory 4 dive into a brand new adventure, a rpg-simulation game designed for every level of gamers, from beginners to series veterans, Developed by Neverland, and Published by Xseed Games. (Ziperto Exclusive) ScreenShots: Rune Factory 4 Info.
Rune Factory 4 | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Neverland Co. |
Publisher(s) |
|
Director(s) | Masahide Miyata Shinichi Manabe |
Producer(s) | Yoshifumi Hashimoto |
Artist(s) | Minako Iwasaki Takitaro Masato Yamane Oyaji |
Writer(s) | Yoshifumi Hashimoto |
Composer(s) | Tomoko Morita |
Series | Rune Factory |
Platform(s) | Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch |
Release |
|
Genre(s) | Role-playing game |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Rune Factory 4[a] is a role-playing video game developed by Neverland Co. and published by Marvelous AQL for the Nintendo 3DS. It is the sixth game in the Rune Factory series, and the first to be released on the 3DS. It was released in Japan in July 2012 and in North America in October 2013. While the game was originally announced for European release, it was later cancelled due to the bankruptcy of Neverland in early 2014. Xseed Games would later release the game in Europe and Australia via the Nintendo eShop in December 2014. An enhanced version of the game for the Nintendo Switch, titled Rune Factory 4 Special, is scheduled for release in 2019.
Gameplay[edit]
Features common to previous games in the Rune Factory series, including farming, dungeon exploring, and marriage, return in Rune Factory 4.
Crafting is one of the main features in the series, with which all equipment used by the main character is created. From shoes to many types of weapons, crafting materials of various stats to form new equipment is the key to character progression - more so than the traditional leveling up feature that most RPGs rely on.
Rune Factory 4 adds the ability to make 'Orders'. As the prince or princess of Selphia, these Orders can range from requesting a town event (such as a harvest festival) to pushing back a storm from wiping out your crops.
Story[edit]
The game begins by offering the player two lines of dialogue and the choice between the two determines their character's gender. It is revealed that the character is traveling by airship to the town of Selphia to meet and deliver a gift to its 'god'. The airship, however, is invaded by rogue soldiers and a fight ensues. During the fight the character is hit in the head and it is later revealed that they developed amnesia, as has been the case with all previous Rune Factory mobile installments.[1] The player was thrown out of the airship, where the player lands in the town of Selphia, where they are mistaken for a member of royalty who was supposed to be showing up soon to help run the town. Although this is quickly revealed not to be the case, the actual prince, named Arthur, was due to arrive is happy to let the player take over his job. From there on out you are to attract tourists, gain trust from the villagers in Selphia, and work around the town to unlock features needed to carry on with the slice of life aspects of the game. At the same time, you will find a mysterious force at work in the nearby dungeons that is in need of investigation, with some monsters turning into humans upon their defeat. You may also date a bachelor or bachelorette, get married, and have one child. There are six bachelors and six bachelorettes, each have their own charming points and back stories which you will learn through series of events before marriage. You can equip other villagers, even your child, with battle gear and have maximum two person to fight alongside you. Characters from Rune Factory 2 and 3, Barrett and Raven, appear as cameos and can be recruited into a players party for dungeon exploration.[2]
Development[edit]
Producer Yoshifumi Hashimoto said that the main theme is 'passionate love, sweet marriage'.[3] This led him to greatly expand the types of dating events and their dramatic nature, and creating scenarios where players can go adventuring with their families.[3] This was done to create a world that is not purely combat or farming driven, but gives players a choice.[3] Another focus of development was to make farming, though repetitive by nature, a satisfying experience for a player.[4] Drawing inspiration from games such as Pikmin, where Captain Olimar would pull Pikmin from the ground with a pop, and DokiDoki Panic, he decided to make the games framerate at 60 so that the game was smooth and character responses to controller input would be immediate.[4] It was announced in January 2013 that publisher Xseed Games would be localizing the game for North American audiences; they had previously localized Rune Factory Frontier for the Wii.[5]
On September 12, Xseed Games announced that the game would have a release date for the North American audiences, which was announced to be October 1, 2013.[6] Xseed would later release the game in Europe and Australia via the 3DS eShop on December 11, 2014.[7] An enhanced version of the game for the Nintendo Switch, titled Rune Factory 4 Special, is scheduled for release in Japan on July 25, 2019, and worldwide sometime later that year.[8]
Reception[edit]
Reception | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Japanese sales exceeded 150,000 copies, becoming the best selling game in the Rune Factory series, eclipsing Rune Factory 2, which had the top sales prior.[13] Profits were well above expectation for game publisher Marvelous AQL. Due to the game's success, the game caused an upward revision of profits by 106.7% for Q2 2012.[14]
Legacy[edit]
In August 2012, series producer Yoshifumi Hashimoto stated that Rune Factory 5 had been greenlit due to the positive reception of Rune Factory 4, although they had not actively started working on it as of that time.[15] Despite this, Neverland Co. filed for bankruptcy in November 2013, leaving the future of the series in question at the time.[16] In February 2014, it was revealed that the development team had been hired by Marvelous AQL, and that they were developing a new game, later revealed as Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven.An updated re-release of the game for the Nintendo Switch, titled Rune Factory 4 Special, will be released in Japan in July 2019 and worldwide later in the year.[17]
References[edit]
- ^Isshan (2011-06-30). 'Your First Good Look Inside Rune Factory 4'. Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
- ^Isshan (2012-07-19). 'Recruit Raven And Barrett As Party Members In Rune Factory 4'. Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
- ^ abcLaura (2012-06-29). 'Rune Factory Was Inspired By Dragon Quest, Says Producer'. Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
- ^ abLaura (2012-07-05). 'The Origins Of Rune Factory Revealed By Series Producer Hashimoto'. Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
- ^Alexander Sliwinski (2013-08-01). 'Rune Factory 4 delayed, but 'will definitely be worth the wait''. joystiq. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
- ^'Rune Factory 4 Gets Official Release Date' Game Informer. Retrieved 9-13-2013
- ^'Xseed Are Trying To Release Rune Factory 4 In Europe Via The Nintendo eShop'. Siliconera. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- ^Romano, Sal. 'Rune Factory 4 Special and Rune Factory 5 announced for Switch'. Gematsu. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
- ^Romano (July 7, 2012). 'Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1232'. Gematsu. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^North, Dale (2013). 'Review: Rune Factory 4'. Destructoid. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^Wallace, Kimberly (2013). 'Rune Factory 4 - Royalty Isn't All It's Cracked Up To Be'. Game Informer. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^Sullivan, Meghan (2013). 'Rune Factory 4 Review'. IGN. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^Isshan (2012-09-28). 'Rune Factory 4 Sales Cross 150,000 in Japan'. Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
- ^Spencer (2012-10-19). 'Marvelous AQL Profits Soar Thanks To Rune Factory 4 And Senran Kagura: Burst'. Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
- ^Spencer (2012-08-08). 'Yeah, Marvelous AQL Will Make Rune Factory 5'. Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
- ^Engen (2013-11-30). 'Rune Factory Developer Declares Bankruptcy'. Escapist Magazine. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
- ^Gilliam, Ryan (2019-02-13). 'Rune Factory 5 in the works as Rune Factory 4 heads to Switch'. Polygon. Retrieved 2019-02-14.
External links[edit]
Product Information
- Despite having the number four in its name, 'Rune Factory 4' is the sixth entry in the 'Rune Factory' series. The 'Rune Factory 4' original release date was in October 2013. It's from developer Neverland and published by Xseed Games in the United States. At the start of the game, your character is knocked unconscious and thrown off the side of an airship. You awake in the town of Selphia, where the townsfolk mistake you for royalty. You're given a farm to live in with one goal, which is to make the town of Selphia a tourist destination. You'll do this by making money selling crops, adventuring, and helping the townsfolk.Like past 'Rune Factory' games in this franchise, the core of the game remains the farming. You'll need to plant the proper crops based on the season, water them daily, and then harvest them. You can sell the crops you harvest for money, which you can spend on supplies. There are a large number of crops to plant in this Nintendo 3DS title, with each one having different properties. For example, one crop may take a long time to mature but yield a large sum of cash. Another crop may mature but quickly yield less profit. Space on your homestead is limited, so players will need to figure out which combination of crops works best for them.In this Nintendo 3DS game, being a farmer is only half the gameplay. The other half comes from adventuring. When you enter a dungeon, the game switches its genre from simulation to action role-playing games. Combat is fast with many different weapons, spells, and special abilities from which to choose. This 3DS game also features a swapping mechanic that allows you to change weapons on the fly instantly. You'll need all the help you can get as 'Rune Factory 4' features some tough enemies. In particular, some of the bosses are massive beasts that may take many gamers multiple attempts to beat. If you're ever stuck on a challenging monster, you can upgrade your gear and items to give you an edge in combat.Like in previous games in this series, you can tame every monster you come across. Once tamed, these monsters can then accompany you in combat or you can place them on your farm. By having monsters do your chores for you, you can free up your time for other tasks, such as running errands. 'Rune Factory 4' also allows for your character to romance other characters in town. The romance aspect adds another layer of depth for your player in this 3DS game. You can even start a family in this title.Publisher Xseed ensured that this game would remain appropriate for a wide array of ages when it localized it. As a result, this title features a rating of E10+, meaning it's suitable for gamers who are age 10 and older. This Nintendo 3DS title features over 100 hours of content if you want to see and do everything.
Product Identifiers
- Xseed Games
- Rune Factory 4
- CTR-AR4E-USA
- 853466001568
- 108537955
![Factory Factory](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91NVoYwVWlL._SX342_.jpg)
Key Features
- Nintendo 3DS
- E10+ - Everyone 10+
- RPG
- USA
Tech Details
- Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Gamepad/Joystick
- 1
- 2013
- Help a small town grow by harvesting crops, concocting potions, and battle monsters to attract tourists
- Explore dungeons and use swords, axes, spears, and magic to battle a variety of monsters
- Build bonds with several potential love interests, get married, and have a child