Rune Factory 3 Special, developed by Marvelous Inc. and published by XSEED and Marvelous Inc, is the latest gem in the current trend of updating and remastering older games. This charming and cozy RPG farming adventure sim returns after ten years with improved visuals and enhanced gameplay.
Story
The game begins when Micah, an amnesiac, wakes up to find himself in the cutest small town ever where adorable sheep monsters terrorize the residents. Unbeknownst to him, Micah holds the key to saving this town of attractive, single ladies.
As the story unfolds, Micah discovers that the Sharance Tree, a massive tree around which the town revolves, hasn’t bloomed for fifty years, causing the land to decay. Unraveling the mystery of his own identity, Micah will help all the villagers deliver their important Toyherbs and Micah bring peace to the land.
Gameplay
The Rune Factory series is well known for its three main interwoven gaming experiences, fighting, farming, and falling in love. Unlike some entries into the series, Rune Factory 3 does a great job of balancing these.
Fighting
Players will get to explore all of the various lands that surround the Shranance Tree and discover new monsters and traysure! So much traysure! Dungeon crawling is also where players will unlock most of the game’s main plot, so it’s definitely worth investing the time to explore the four different dungeon areas.
Combat takes place real-time, and players can switch between weapons mid-battle. The game supports multiple play styles, depending on whether you prefer sword, dual wielding, or just running around enemies to get to the traysure.
Farming
Farming is a huge piece of the Rune Factory Series, but thankfully, the game allows players to decide how much time they want to spend tilling fields. Players can go all in, and spend hours clearing fertile lands of rocks, stumps and weeds. Or players can just do the bare minimum and gather necessary resources, and plant a few flowers to impress the ladies.
Rune Factory 3 has different seasons, so make sure to pay attention to the calendar, because Summer crops will not grow in Spring, no matter how close you are to the change in season. If you plant cucumbers in Spring, you will just wake up the next day to find withered grass.
Falling in Love
Not going to lie, I love a dating sim (if you’re looking for an uber cheeseball free dating sim that you can play in an afternoon, I have to recommend Emberfate: Tempest of Elements), so the dating mechanic in Rune Factory games always makes me smile.
Social interactions are pretty straightforward. Players can interact with townspeople, chat, give gifts, and increase friendship. Friendship points will unlock romantic relationships for the eleven bachelorettees interested in marriage. Keep an eye on your crushes’ heart levels, because increased levels will unlock new scenes and dialogues.
New Features
For the most part developers haven’t altered too much with the game, mostly focusing on updating the graphics, but one new feature for Rune Factory 3 Special is the Newlywed Mode. After players get married, they can select Newlywed Mode and enjoy standalone adventures with their spouse of choice. This definitely increases replayability for any completionists out there who are interested in collecting all the cutscenes.
Another new gameplay feature for Rune Factory Special is the so-called Hell Mode. Apparently some people don’t actually like to take it easy when gaming, and prefer to become stressed and frustrated? I haven’t tried out Hell Mode, and I probably won’t. I just want to hang out in my virtual garden and harvest virtual carrots.
Overall
9/10
Rune Factory 3 Special: A Fantasy Harvest Moon is definitely one of my favorites in the Rune Factory line up.
If you’re in the mood for adventure, but also feel like doing some household chores, and also want to date eleven women, then this game is worth spending some time with, whether you are visiting the Sharance Tree for the first time, or returning after 10+ years.
The revamped 3D character models and improved graphics breathe new life into the game, elevating the visual experience, but developers keep this beloved classic intact.
Rune Factory 3 Special will release on September 5, 2023 on Nintendo Switch and Steam. You can wishlist the game right now via Steam.
Related: Reviews by Michelle Jones
I'm a completionist gamer who just needs to find that one last object and clear that final dungeon. I love all video games, from open world sandboxes on a console to a mindless match three on my phone. In addition to gaming and writing, I am a graduate student working on a thesis about the ancient Icelandic Sagas. Feel free to ask me anything about Vikings.
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