Rune Factory 4
| Rune Factory 4 | |
|---|---|
North American cover art
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| Developer(s) | Neverland Co. |
| Publisher(s) |
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| 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 |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Simulation, role-playing video game |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Publication | Score |
| Destructoid | 8.0/10 |
| Game Informer | 7.0/10 |
| IGN | 8.0/10 |
Rune Factory 4 (ルーンファクトリー4 Rūn Fakutorī 4?) is a simulation/role-playing video game developed by Neverland Co. and published by Marvelous AQL for the Nintendo 3DS. It was announced in Famitsu on June 29, 2011. It is the sixth game in the Rune Factory series, and the first to be released on the 3DS. On January 31, 2013, XSEED Games announced plans to release the game in English in North America. Later, on September 12, the company announced that official release date being October 1, 2013. While the game was originally announced for European release, its release was later cancelled in January 2014 due to the bankruptcy of Neverland. XSEED Games would later publish the game in Europe and Australia via the Nintendo eShop on December 11, 2014.
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.
New to Rune Factory 4 is 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.
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. 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.
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