Rune Factory 5
Developer Hakama
Publisher Marvelous Europe
Format Switch
Release Out now
LOVE BLOOMS
Generally speaking, Rigbarth’s inhabitants – such as the obsessively competitive Lucy or innkeeper and werebeast-witha-heart-of-gold Murakumo – are a charming bunch. Though you’d expect as much, since you’re encouraged to befriend and flirt with them, with the prospect of wedding bells in the post-game. While a patch update was only implemented late last year for the Japanese version, western players have the option to romance characters of either gender from the start, as denoted by the heart icon next to each relevant character in the Friendship level tab. Eligible bachelors and bachelorettes are given a short animated introduction that is designed to make your heart flutter. You can even declare your love for them right away – just prepare for rejection until you’ve put a bit of work in.
After almost a decade since its previous instalment, you might well expect Rune Factory 5 to be something of a generational leap. In that time, the life-sim RPG has undergone a renaissance, in no small part thanks to Stardew Valley, a passion project inspired by the original Harvest Moon – the series from which Rune Factory span off. And, when the likes of Animal Crossing and Monster Hunter are big hits, a series that has elements of both is surely in the ideal position to finally break out of its niche. A pity, then, that despite gathering all the necessary ingredients, the presentation – jazzy anime intro aside – is so lacking.