Rune Factory 5

Last updated

Rune Factory 5
Rune Factory 5 Steam artwork.jpg
Developer(s) Hakama
Publisher(s)
Producer(s) Yoshifumi Hashimoto
Artist(s)
Composer(s) Tomoko Morita
Series Rune Factory
Platform(s)
ReleaseNintendo Switch
  • JP: May 20, 2021
  • NA: March 22, 2022
  • EU: March 25, 2022
Windows
  • WW: July 13, 2022
Genre(s) Role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

Rune Factory 5 [lower-alpha 1] is a role-playing simulation video game by Marvelous. The first entry in the Rune Factory series since 2012's Rune Factory 4 , it was released for the Nintendo Switch in Japan in May 2021 and in North America and Europe in March 2022, including a Windows port.

Contents

Plot

A hero (whose gender—male or female—and name—Ares or Alice by default—can be chosen by the player) [1] loses their memory and ends up joining SEED, a group of rangers led by a young girl named Livia operating in the small town of Rigbarth, populated by humans and beast people, after saving a young fox girl. The hero is encouraged to tend the land and complete tasks for the townspeople, as well as battle monsters in order to maintain the peace. It is later discovered that the hero is an Earthmate. After helping to capture a bandit named Oswald, they learn from him that SEED is doing more than just protecting innocents and that the organization's warden Gideon has ulterior motives; Oswald himself and Radea, a shapeshifting dragon girl, are mere pawns to his plans and that he had convinced the latter that an Earthmate murdered her sister. The hero soon learns that Radea is actually Livia's younger sister and that Livia herself is also a shapeshifting dragon. They later stop Radea's attempt to absorb all runes in the area and after learning that her sister is alive and well, explains Gideon's plans to control everyone's will after seeing the chaos that happened following the collapse of the Sechs Empire. With the help of a god named Lucas, the hero and Radea infiltrate Gideon's airborne hideout, but he overpowers them and kidnaps Radea. The hero finds them with Lucas's assistance and after they and Livia defeat Gideon, they learn that he's been manipulated by an evil entity called the Fathomless Dread into freeing it. After Gideon frees himself from the entity's control, it merges with Radea and uses her to open a passageway into its prison, with Gideon sacrificing himself to save the others. The hero defeats the Fathomless Dread and saves Radea, but it then merges with the hero and tries to use their body to escape. Lucas and the townsfolks contact the hero and, with the aid of Livia and Radea, free the hero from the Fathomless Dread's control, destroying the entity for good. Afterwards, the group return to Rigbarth.

Gameplay

The female main character tills a field of radishes with a hoe. Rune Factory 5 screenshot.png
The female main character tills a field of radishes with a hoe.

As with previous games in the series, gameplay features the ability to farm and tame monsters. Players can also form social connections with the game's townsfolk, including ones with bachelors or bachelorettes leading to marriage. [1]

The game's crafting system allows players to create new equipment. Crafting items costs Rune Power, which is replenished each day, and the player character must consume "recipe bread" items to randomly gain recipes to craft new items. [2] The player can cook food with or without recipes, though cooking food without a recipe costs more Rune Power than if the player uses a recipe. [2]

Development

Following the success of Rune Factory 4 , series producer Yoshifumi Hashimoto commented that the development of a sequel was expected. [3] However, after Rune Factory developer Neverland Co. declared bankruptcy in 2013, the future of the series was left uncertain. [4] In 2014, Marvelous AQL stated that they had hired former Rune Factory developers, including Hashimoto, to develop Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven . Hashimoto left his executive officer role in 2018 and opened a new studio under Marvelous called Hakama, where he went to work on Rune Factory 4 Special and Rune Factory 5. [5] [6]

The game was announced in February 2019 and was planned to be released in 2020 before being delayed. [7] It was released in Japan on May 20, 2021, in North America on March 22, 2022, and in Europe three days later. [8] [9] A Windows version was released on July 13, 2022. [10]

Localization

Xseed Games, who handled the game's localization, worked closely with the game's developers, providing feedback on how overseas players would likely respond to the game. Xseed was asked by the developers to help create a design document for a same-sex marriage feature in the game, which is an unusual amount of involvement in the game's development for a localization company. [11] The same-sex marriage feature was available in the global releases at launch, and added to the Japanese version later. [12]

Reception

Rune Factory 5 received "mixed or average" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic. [13] [14] It was praised for its combat system, gameplay, and characters, [27] [28] [21] [22] but criticized for its graphics and a lack of innovation to the series' formula. [2] [29] The Switch version was also criticized for its technical performance. [29] [30]

Sales

In Japan, the Nintendo Switch version of Rune Factory 5 debuted with 102,853 physical copies sold, making it the bestselling retail game during its first week of release. [31] Total worldwide shipments and digital sales surpassed 500,000 copies as of March 2022. [32]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: ルーンファクトリー5, Hepburn: Rūn Fakutorī 5

Related Research Articles

Xseed Games is an American video game company founded by former members of Square Enix USA. It later became a subsidiary of the Japanese game company Marvelous, providing the localization and publishing services for video games and related materials.

Rune Factory is a franchise of fantasy role-playing social simulation games created by Yoshifumi Hashimoto and primarily published by Marvelous. The games are developed by Hashimoto's studio Hakama, taking over from Neverland after they ceased operations in 2013. The series began as a spin-off to Marvelous' flagship franchise Story of Seasons. The Story of Seasons references were subsequently dropped starting with the second installment, in order to become its own series. With the first game published in 2006, the property consists of five main-series games, two spin-off titles and numerous manga adaptations.

Minako Iwasaki is a Japanese game character designer and manga artist. She joined the game company Nihon Falcom in 1993. After she turned freelance, she took on illustrations of light novels and character designs for the Rune Factory series.

<i>Crystar</i> 2018 video game

Crystar is an action role-playing game developed by Gemdrops and published by FuRyu. The game was released for PlayStation 4 in October 2018 in Japan, and internationally by Spike Chunsoft in August 2019 with an additional Microsoft Windows version. A port for the Nintendo Switch was released in Japan in February 2022, and worldwide by NIS America later that year.

<i>Avalon Code</i> 2008 video game

Avalon Code is a fantasy action role-playing game for Nintendo DS. It was developed by Matrix Software and published by Marvelous Entertainment.

<i>Rune Factory 3</i> 2009 video game

Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon is a 2009 simulation role-playing video game developed by Neverland for the Nintendo DS. It was published in Japan by Marvelous Entertainment, in North America by Natsume Inc. in 2010, and in Europe by Rising Star Games in 2011. It is the fourth game in the Rune Factory series.

<i>Rune Factory 4</i> 2012 video game

Rune Factory 4 is a role-playing video game developed by Neverland 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, in North America in October 2013, and in PAL regions in December 2014. An enhanced version, Rune Factory 4 Special, was released for the Nintendo Switch in Japan in July 2019 and worldwide in February 2020. It was also released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marvelous (company)</span> Japanese anime producer and video game company

Marvelous Inc. is a Japanese video game developer and publisher, and anime producer. The company was founded in 1997 but formed in its current state on October 2011 by the merger of the original Marvelous Entertainment with AQ Interactive, and Liveware.

<i>Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven</i> 2014 video game

Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven is a simulation role-playing video game developed by Marvelous for the Nintendo 3DS. It was released in Japan in October 2014 before an international release in June 2015.

<i>Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns</i> 2016 video game

Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns, known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Mittsu no Sato no Taisetsuna Tomodachi, is a farming simulation role-playing game developed by Marvelous for the Nintendo 3DS. The game was released in June 2016 in Japan, February 2017 in North America, and in October 2017 in Europe and Australia. In this installment, in addition to the usual farmland which the player owns, the player is able to visit three towns, each with their own distinct culture and lifestyles.

<i>Miitopia</i> 2016 video game

Miitopia is a 2016 role-playing video game by Nintendo originally released for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan in 2016 and worldwide in 2017, with a remastered version released for the Nintendo Switch in May 21, 2021. The game features customizable Mii characters in a turn-based battle system and follows the story of a group of heroes battling the Dark Lord, who is stealing the faces of Miitopia's inhabitants. The game received mixed reviews, with critics praising its creative life simulation elements and humor while criticizing its combat system and repetitiveness.

In the video game industry, 2020 saw the launch of the next generation of video game consoles, with both Microsoft and Sony Interactive Entertainment having released the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 consoles, respectively, in November 2020. The industry was heavily affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which had begun in March and was characterized by COVID-19 lockdowns and remote work. While this caused numerous delays in software and hardware releases and the cancellation of live conferences and events in favor of virtual shows, it also created a boom for the industry as people turned to gaming as a means to pass the time. The industry also reacted to various political/cultural events.

In the video game industry, 2021 saw the release of many new titles. The numerous delays in software and hardware releases due to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic heavily impacted development schedules, leading to several games being delayed into 2022 or even postponed indefinitely. Additionally, computer and console hardware were impacted by the combined effects of a semiconductor shortage and a rising growth of bitcoin mining that strained the supply of critical components.

<i>Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia</i> 2020 video game

Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia is a turn-based strategy game with tactical role-playing elements, developed by Matrix Software and published by Happinet. It is a sequel to the 1998 PlayStation game Brigandine: The Legend of Forsena, and features the same core gameplay with a new setting. The player chooses one of six nations of the continent of Runersia and must guide it to conquer the others and unify the land using powerful Rune Knights and their summoned monsters. The game was released worldwide for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in 2020, and for Windows in May 2022.

<i>Luminous Arc</i> Tactical role-playing video game series

Luminous Arc is a series of tactical role-playing video games originally developed by Imageepoch, prior to the company's bankruptcy. The series began with the 2007 release of Luminous Arc for the Nintendo DS, with its most recent game being the 2015 Japan-only release of Luminous Arc Infinity. The series also saw a spiritual successor in the 2015 Nintendo 3DS game Stella Glow.

<i>My Hero Ones Justice 2</i> 2020 video game

My Hero One's Justice 2, known in Japan as My Hero Academia: One's Justice 2, is a 2020 fighting game developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, and Google Stadia. The game is a sequel to My Hero One's Justice and based on the manga series My Hero Academia by Kōhei Horikoshi.

References

  1. 1 2 "The Stage is Set for a New Adventure; Marvelous Europe to launch Rune Factory 5 in 2021". Marvelous Europe. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Valentine, Rebekah (March 22, 2022). "Rune Factory 5 Review". IGN . Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Rune Factory 4 Sales Cross 150,000 In Japan". Siliconera. September 28, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  4. ↑ Engen, Josh (November 30, 2013). "Rune Factory Developer Declares Bankruptcy". The Escapist . Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Story of Seasons producer Yoshifumi Hashimoto opens new studio Hakama under Marvelous". Gematsu. July 24, 2018.
  6. ↑ HAKAMAさん。 [@hkm_info] (February 26, 2020). "The day has finally arrived… We're so glad to share this with our fans! Thanks for waiting. #RuneFactory4 Special! Now available! Love you guys! Yoshifumi Hashimoto & Minako Iwasaki HAKAMA Inc" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. ↑ Gilliam, Ryan (February 13, 2019). "Rune Factory 5 in the works as Rune Factory 4 heads to Switch". Polygon. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Rune Factory 5 launches May 20, 2021 in Japan; new details, trailer, and screenshots". Gematsu. October 28, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  9. ↑ Romano, Sal (September 23, 2021). "Rune Factory 5 launches March 22, 2022 in North America, March 25 in Europe". Gematsu. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Rune Factory 5 is coming to PC on July 13". Destructoid. June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  11. ↑ Lada, Jenni (April 4, 2022). "Interview: Localizing Rune Factory 5's Characters". Siliconera. Gamurs . Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  12. ↑ Hashimoto, Kazuma (November 15, 2021). "Rune Factory 5 Update Patch Adds Same-Sex Marriage to Japanese Version". Siliconera. Gamurs . Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  13. 1 2 "Rune Factory 5 for Switch Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  14. 1 2 "Rune Factory for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  15. ↑ Andriessen, CJ (March 22, 2022). "Review: Rune Factory 5". Destructoid . Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  16. ↑ Wallace, Kimberley (April 1, 2022). "Rune Factory 5 Review". Game Informer . GameStop Corp. Archived from the original on April 2, 2022. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  17. ↑ Faulkner, Jason (July 11, 2022). "Rune Factory 5 PC Review: 'Blows away the Switch release'". GameRevolution . Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  18. ↑ Swalley, Kirstin (March 22, 2022). "Review: Rune Factory 5". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  19. ↑ Escribano, Javier (March 22, 2022). "Análisis Rune Factory 5 en Nintendo Switch, un paraíso poco acogedor" [Rune Factory 5 Review on Nintendo Switch, an unwelcoming paradise]. HobbyConsolas (in Spanish). Axel Springer SE . Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  20. ↑ Morell, Miguel Olmedo (March 24, 2022). "Rune Factory 5, Análisis. La vida tranquila en el campo" [Rune Factory 5 Review. The quiet life in the country]. MeriStation (in Spanish). Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  21. 1 2 Vogel, Mitch (March 22, 2022). "Rune Factory 5 Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life . Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  22. 1 2 de Freitas, Alex (March 22, 2022). "Rune Factory 5 (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  23. ↑ Masem, Matt (March 22, 2022). "Rune Factory 5 Review". RPGamer. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  24. ↑ Fakhoori, Niki (March 22, 2022). "Rune Factory 5". RPGFan. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  25. ↑ Dellafrana, Danilo (March 28, 2022). "Rune Factory 5 – Recensione" [Rune Factory 5 – Review]. The Games Machine (in German). Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  26. ↑ Musgrave, Shaun (March 28, 2022). "SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring 'Rune Factory 5' and 'Dark Deity', Plus Today's Releases and Sales". TouchArcade . Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  27. ↑ Bamsey, Ryan Thomas (March 22, 2022). "Rune Factory 5 Review - Comfortable And Familiar". TheGamer. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  28. ↑ Billington, Mary (March 22, 2022). "Rune Factory 5 Review". Video Chums. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  29. 1 2 Vogel, Mitch (February 7, 2022). "Hands On: Rune Factory 5 Feels Comfortable And Familiar, But Is That Enough?". Nintendo Life . Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  30. ↑ Blereau, Eleanore (March 22, 2022). "Rune Factory 5 Review". WellPlayed. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  31. ↑ Romano, Sal (May 27, 2021). "Famitsu Sales: 5/17/21 – 5/23/21". Gematsu. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Rune Factory 5 shipments and digital sales top 500,000". Gematsu. May 12, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.