During the last Nintendo Direct Mini event, XSeed Games and Marvelous announced the Rune Factory series’ newest title: Rune Factory 5. The game debuted with a new gameplay trailer, but new information has continued to roll out.
The Rune Factory series is similar to Bokujo Monogatari, known as Harvest Moon but more recently known as Story of Seasons, where players focus on farming, building friendships, getting married, and having a child.
The series differs as Rune Factory has a heavy emphasis on fighting as well. In Story of Seasons, players may have to battle a few random creatures while exploring the mines, but it’s not that common. Rune Factory has more activities for players to take part in throughout the in-game year.
Rune Factory 5 will feature a 3D world, which differs from the game’s previous top-down perspective. Yet again, players control a hero struck with amnesia. The hero awakens in the small town of Rigbar. While the hero may have lost their memory, their fighting skills remain. Impressed by the hero’s skills, they are recruited into a group of rangers who want to protect Rigbar.
Rune Factory 5 will allow players to team up with other characters. Previously, the hero had to fight alone primarily. Now they can team up with other characters to attack with powerful combos against large creatures. Fighting with the local villagers is a new addition to the series.
Although fighting monsters is important, the hero will get to tame them as well. It’s unknown how taming the monsters will work at this time, but it’s an option for those who want peace between humans and the creatures.
As with all Rune Factory games, farming is also a major part of the game. Players will have to till the land, plant crops, then sell the goods for profit. After the farm work is complete for the day, players can fish in the nearby river.
The trailer for the game showcases some of the new characters in the series. Players will befriend villagers and choose one of many new eligible bachelors and bachelorettes.
Rune Factory 5 is the first new title in the series since the fourth installment in 2013. Recently, XSeed and Marvelous released an updated version of Rune Factory 4 on the Nintendo Switch.
Rune Factory 5 will launch on the Nintendo Switch in all regions. It will first release in Japan in Spring 2021 at the earliest and to other parts of the world later that year.