Rune Factory: Frontier (Wii) and Rune Factory 2 (NDS)

Long ago I reviewed Rune factory for the DS and recently I played the second one. The first one wasn't a bad game neither was it a good game, today I'll be looking at the improvements on both the DS and Wii version.

Rune Factory: Frontier

Gameplay: Alrighty, firstly the control scheme for the wii is good not just good its actually rather well designed. combat is fluid and easy to learn, tools and interactions as well as a nice arrow and hit box showing where you're aiming to what you're targetting are extremely helpful.
The monster play is definately been improved as you actually want to bring them with you now. Mounts and assisting fighter types make the dungeon crawling much more user friendly. A new addition that I find hurtful and tedious is the Runey system. They're little spirits that hover around and deending on if the 4 types are in balance makes crops grow faster...but they often aren't causing the player to take time to oftencheck and manage the population of one type or another... 4/5

Story: The story is at the great level of not being so important that it distracts you from all the fun farming, dating, and befriending of the game, but also key to progression, and interesting enough to make you want to actually care about it. The story is more of a true sequel to the first DS one than the actual RF2, You'l be takin on the role of the hero from the frist RF and having followed the possibly insane Mist to a new town where you'll once again be shoved into taking care of a dirt farm. A thin setup but none the less the rest of the story improves as you go from dungeon to dungeon learning about the new small town you've come to call home. 3/5

Graphics: The game is pretty many of the areas and dungeons are well designed with a very fatasy style. small wild flowers blooming in the corners and quiet little streams running throughout the town. Characters in silly completely non-functional clothing. The opening and several scene in the game are fully animated, specifically the opening and introduction of the bachleretes. The enemies and spells are well done though the reoccuring recolors of foes is a bit annoying it doesn't take away from the nice eye friendly design. 4/5

Audio: Yay voice acting, not only that but it doesn't suck! The game has a great opening theme that's fun and inviting all the characters also really are voiced well. and the music for the seasons really fits well adding to the already imersive feel of the game. Even the yells of battle as you axe monsters in the face sound good. 5/5

Replay: Like most games in the HM series there's always a good replay value in picking different girls to marry and such. RF takes it a set further giving you the option of not only your spouse but the design of you're home the weapons and magic you use and the skills you choose to make your living. 5/5

Overall: The game has few flaws, with controls that are easy to use, a thin story that's not demanding and a good balance in time management the game really does a good job of managing the fantasy and harvest moon elements well. The only complaint I have is that neither were expanded on too much from the orginal RF on DS but they were melded well which was a murdering fact for the orginal. 4/5

Rune Factory 2



Gameplay: OKay as the "true sequel" to the DS version it really does a good job of returning the good of the first version. Lots of fun dungeon crawling, girl wooing, and farming. 4/5

Story: This did a much better job of making you care about the story than the previous but the story was still just a means to an end. Progression felt more of a need that want. It also suffered from several forced haults for you to go do some tedious task to progress again. 3/5

Graphics: Good improvements here, the games is attractive and vibrant. Spells and attacks aren't just the same recolored fireballs from the previous version. 4/5

Audio: Voice acting (again) this one is eh...not the best. It could also do the dialogue being poorly done. but the music is nice, a good set of seasonal themes providing a nice immersion the game well needs. 3/5

Replay: This is hit or miss the game requires you to go into a second generation to continue the story this is bit tedious as the best things are in the 2nd gen. but having the choice of actually being pursuing your love interests twice is appealing. 3/5

Overall: This one did a much better job of merging the fantasy and HM aspects. Where it failed was neither were too great. Yes the 2nd generation was cool but having all the best things stashed in it took too much away from the first generation. Outside of the ability to move into the 2nd generation and be a boy or a girl the game brought nothing new and spectacular to the series either. 3/5