The newest entry in the Rune Factory series, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, seems to be looking to win back its fans who felt that Rune Factory 5 was a bit of a letdown by adding in more of everything. Not that the fifth was a bad game at all, but after the notable successes of the third and fourth, many were left a tad disappointed. Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma brings a charismatic cast of characters, beautiful settings inspired by Japan, plenty of activities to keep one busy, and a story that swells to epic proportions.

Previously, our early Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma showed how the game allows players to explore four different villages and regions, and become the chief over these villages to decorate, farm, and construct buildings within them. This became my biggest concern going into the game, as I was nervous that it would spread things out too thin and make for a less entertaining experience, but I am happy to be wrong. The fast travel to each of the villages is perfectly executed, so players can visit everywhere they want in a day, and still have time for fighting.

The Story Of Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma Is Engaging And Powerful

Even If It Starts Off A Bit Slow

Without giving any spoilers, I can easily say that the narrative of Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is a captivating and entertaining plot. Starting with the traditional protagonist who has amnesia and soon discovers they have special powers, the players are gradually introduced to what is happening. The protagonist has the powers of an Earth Dancer, and is tasked with using their power to save the land following a Celestial Collapse. Fragments of terrain from the world have been thrown into the skies above and the seas below while this shattering caused the power of runes to cease.

Players aren't alone in their task, as an adorably sassy fluffy companion, Woolby, s their side very quickly. Woolby is perhaps my favorite character in the entire game, switching between being an adorable talking teddy bear to a massive flying dragon. Also, as the protagonist makes friends with villagers, they can the player's adventuring party to assist in battles out in the wild and offer an assortment of different combat styles, which the player can tweak through upgrading weapons and gear.

Though the narrative is one full of epic scenes of world-saving proportions, with gods and monsters filling the story, it takes a while for the game to pick up the pace. The first several hours of gameplay felt a bit slow, so much so that I lost track of some of the minor story threads as I found myself zoning out a bit. However, once the greater story began unfolding, my curiosity was piqued, and I couldn't wait to find out more.

The Characters Are Fun, And There Are Plenty Of Romance Options Available

Eight Bachelors And Eight Bachelorettes In Guardians Of Azuma

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma continues the longstanding tradition of offering romance and relationships in the game. Players start the game by choosing between a male or female protagonist. Then they can level up their relationship with any of the available romance candidates or others in the village to become friends with. As the friendship and romance levels are raised, we get to see fully voiced cutscenes and scenarios with unique quests surrounding each of these NPCs.

Making friends with these characters is straightforward, with daily options to chat with them and hang out. When asking someone to hang out, there are different random activities that players can choose from, or you can always give gifts instead. It can feel a bit repetitive doing this daily, but as skill levels in social situations are raised, and the bonds between player and NPC get stronger, there are many new options for activities. Some, such as going to the waterfall, can even result in unlocking swimsuits for the characters, although not everyone enjoys every activity.

Farming, Monster Taming, And Terraforming Are Fun, But Too Limited

Only Small Areas Can Be Decorated

I enjoy the cozier game mechanics in Rune Factory games of being able to farm and decorate. For Guardians of Azuma, players get to be chief of several villages which are ready for farms, decorating, and more. As you level up each village and build more houses, many villagers will move into these towns, where they can be assigned jobs such as farming, chopping lumber, mining, herding, or running stores. This can help to bring in money to offset the costs of running these towns, and frees up time for you to go off and save the world.

Though I absolutely love the idea behind this whole mechanic, I will it to being a little disappointed. There is very little land available in some of these villages where players can place buildings, farmland, and decorate. Housing is a must, as are many of the other buildings, and this can detract from space for decorating. There are so many fun and unique decorations available to craft that I can easily imagine creative players coming up with stunning cities. Still, I found myself frustrated by a lack of space to work with, particularly in the Summer Village.

Monster taming is another familiar feature in Rune Factory games, which I adore. The basic mechanics for this are similar to the previous games, but sadly, it is not unlocked until after saving the god of Autumn. Though this is hardly the end of the game, it still feels like something that could have been made available to players earlier.

Combat Feels Familiar And Enjoyable

Fun Monsters And Party Mechanics

For many, the best part of any RPG is the combat. Many familiar Rune Factory monsters are here, including the Wooly, Chipsqueak, Big Muck, and more. The combat feels intuitive and straightforward in the game, with players getting to choose from different weapon types and level up skills for them. Visiting the blacksmith gives the chance to upgrade weapons and gear for the protagonist and party , as well as forge new items once acquiring the plans. The skill tree is a bit limited, but still offers new abilities and skills.

These sacred treasures from the gods are where the real fun in combat comes from, with each offering unique special abilities.

As the game progresses and the gods are unlocked, each god gives the protagonist a special Earth Dancer tool, including a drum, flaming sword, and more. These sacred treasures from the gods are where the real fun in combat comes from, with each offering unique special abilities. Some even boost other abilities when equipped, such as the flaming sword, which lights arrows on fire when shooting the bow.

Vibrant Locales Help Elevate Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma

There Is A Lot To Love Here

I always love the ability to explore in video games and discover hidden collectibles, or simply experience the world that the developers have worked so hard on. Guardians of Azuma did not disappoint in the slightest here, with plenty of stunning scenery to see and collectibles in the form of frog statues and shrines, which give rewards for finding them. These rewards can often include new crafting recipes for decorations to use in the villages, further adding to my fun of decorating, which in turn leveled up the villages to be able to do more. That made for a fun circular pattern of reward.

There are many things to love about this game, but I still can't help but feel that when compared to Rune Factory 3 and 4, it isn't quite there. The slowness of the pace of the narrative, the limitations on decorating, and even the lack of a wow factor in combat lowered it some in my estimation. That said, I absolutely love my time in the land and skies of Azuma, and can't wait to go play some more to see what the other romance options in Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma lead to.

Source: Marvelous Europe/YouTube