Important Importables: Rune Factory 2 review

Posted February 15, 2008 at 08:17 AM by Jenni Lada

Section: Reviews, Features, Columns, Japanese Imports, Handhelds, DS, Genres, Action, Adventure, Role-Playing, Sim

Title: Rune Factory 2 Price:$48.90 System(s): Nintendo DS Release Date: 1/3/08 Publisher (Developer):Marvelous (Neverland) ESRB Rating: N/A Pros: Multigenerational, lots of crops, lots of missions, lots to do, never ending, great voice acting, Cons: None that I can think of. Requires knowledge of Japanese language. Overall Score: 10/10

Originally I planned to review Tokimeki Memorial: Girl’s Side 2nd Season, however I chose the cheapest shipping option (which takes about seven days) and it won’t arrive for another two or three days. So instead I decided a perfect substitute would be my other recent favorite import, Rune Factory 2. Like the original Rune Factory, Rune Factory 2 is a combination farming sim and dungeon crawler. If you’d like, you can think of it as Harvest Moon meets Legend of Zelda.

Rune Factory 2 is not only a phenomenal dungeon crawler, it is also the best Harvest Moon-style game I have ever played. It is an absolute joy, and the instant Natsume announces a localized version, I will rush to GameStop to preorder. I wholeheartedly recommend this game to any DS owner who is a fan of simulations or RPGs. The only thing I can possibly find wrong with this title is the language barrier, as it is a text-heavy title. ( had to have my friend, the actual owner of the copy of Rune Factory 2 that I played, walk me through many parts because I couldn’t understand it.) Other than that, it is simply amazing.

I hate to sound like I’m trying to oversell this title, but it just surpassed my every expectation. I was hoping for some improvements to the original title, like better touch screen support, a longer story mode, more interaction with villagers and maybe some minor graphics updates. I didn’t expect for every issue I had with the original Rune Factory to be completely repaired.

The best part of Rune Factory 2 is the addition of something that many Harvest Moon devotees have been wanting for a long time. It is a bit of a spoiler, so I’m giving you warning right now. If you’d rather wait one or two years to find out the absolute best part of Rune Factory 2, an advance that will rock your world, then skip the next paragraph and jump to the gameplay analysis. Those of you who just can’t wait and are true Harvest Moon/Rune Factory fans, keep reading.

Okay, all the spoilsports are gone. Rune Factory 2 is multigenerational. That’s right - after the child is born, a whole new adventure opens up and you play as the child. The whole first part of the game, which I spent over 20 hours playing, is like a giant tutorial. After the main character, Kyle, gets married, his wife asks what the child should be. Then the story jumps ahead a couple years and the player gets to continue the adventure as the son or daughter. The child can not get married, however he/she can become the boyfriend/girlfriend to one of the offspring of the original character’s possible bachelorettes and rivals. I have been waiting for this to happen in a Harvest Moon game for years, and it is perfectly executed in Rune Factory 2

Gameplay – 10/10

Like the original Rune Factory 2, the star is a random man named Kyle who comes to a town. He is recruited by Mana, one of the village girls, to run an abandoned farm. Initially there isn’t a strict storyline to follow - you can visit any dungeon you like in any order you like. Instead there is a mission board. All the villagers post missions there, which Kyle can accept and complete for money, items and increased popularity. I prefer this sort of start to the one in the original Rune Factory, as it provides an opportunity to really establish yourself and your farm before heading off into the story. It helps create a leisurely sort of atmosphere.

The controls are amazing. I found it both comfortable and easy to use either the face buttons or the touch screen. There are not buttons which make it easy to change equipped items from the touch screen without having to enter the menu. If you do need to use the menu, there is a button in the bottom right corner which brings it up instantly. Before things felt a bit awkward, and I found that only farming could really be successfully executed with the touch screen. Now things are precise and effortless.

Design – 9/10

Rune Factory 2 takes place in the most gorgeous environments. I love how lush the landscapes and homes look. It feels like some sort of rural fantasy village. Plus the color pallettes are very mellow and dreamy. It really helps to draw you into the game. They are similar to the original Rune Factory, yet somehow I can’t help thinking Rune Factory 2 looks better. The anime style character portraits and animated opening are also beautiful. I love watching the opening cutscene. Its just so stylish and welcoming.

The characters, however, still appear simian. It looks like their knuckles are dragging on the ground. Aside from the stretched arms, the figures don’t look too bad. The characters are fairly detailed and distinctive. Just those long arms kind of freak me out.

The sound is also impressive. There is more voice acting in Rune Factory 2 than there was in the original, and the voice actors casted provided perfect performances. All of the voices are just so appropriate. The background music is also very fitting. The music, voices and environments all thrown together help create a world which you can’t help getting lost in.

Features – 10/10

Everything that might have caused people to have issues with the original Rune Factory have been improved in Rune Factory 2. The most obvious change is the amount of interaction with the community. There are more opportunities and reasons to visit the village, and more events. The farming and socialization portion of the title feels more like a standard Harvest Moon game, which makes it easier to get lost in that aspect of the game.

The dungeon exploration is also much more entertaining. Going through dungeons to tame monsters or accomplish missions doesn’t feel like a chore anymore. It is easier to go through each area. Another improvement is that save spheres are located near dungeons, so it is far easier to save a game before heading into a dangerous area.

The biggest highlight and innovation lays in the possible spoiler which I mentioned in the last paragraph of the introduction. I have never seen that sort of thing happen in a Harvest Moon/Rune Factory title and the fact that it is here brings me such joy. It really motivates you to keep playing once you realize the just how deep the story goes and what is possible in this title.

Overall – 10/10

I loved Rune Factory 2. It is probably one of the crown jewels in the DS’ crown. It is a joy to watch and play. It completely redefines and advances the whole Harvest Moon/Rune Factory genre. The only downside is the massive language barrier that faces anyone who would want to import the original. If Natsume were to release this title in North America in 2009, it would easily be the game of the year. If Natsume would release this by Winter 2008, it would easily make this the best gaming year ever for me.

Editor’s Note: The overall score is not necessarily an average. Sections might have been weighted to reflect the importance of some features over others.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Next week I will review Tokimeki Memorial: Girl’s Side 2nd Season. Honest. I’m positive it will arrive by next Friday.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables offered some suggestions for a Valentines Day gift..

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