Rune Factory 5 Reviews
Rune Factory 5 marks the first new chapter of the simulation RPG series after a long hiatus and this new arrival on the Nintendo Switch brings very appealing characters, a good combat system and some interesting gameplay mechanics. Unfortunately its biggest weaknesses are difficult to overlook, namely when it comes to its performance and poor graphics, as well as to repetitive spaces to explore. While it is possible to get used to these shortcomings, they remain impossible to understand and in several cases make the experience less enjoyable than it should be.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Rune Factory 5 is a technically perfect game that meets all of its goals. Unfortunately for the player, the goals met are either not very impressive or downright uncomfortable.
Although somewhat fun when not disturbed by the problems described above, Rune Factory 5 is the first fully 3D title in the franchise and a step in the right direction for the saga (if sequels exist after the developers' bankruptcy). The already traditional Rune Factory systems such as combat, farming, and the famous interpersonal relationships are intact to some extent, but it is sad to see that the visuals come across as too simplistic for such a large-scale transition. With the controls making life difficult for players, I recommend first acquiring Rune Factory 4 Special and, if you like it, moving on to this fifth iteration.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
I had never played a Rune Factory game before – not even that but any game of this genre. If you want a good idea of what Rune Factory is, it is like Stardew Valley where you harvest yourself a field of crops, go on adventures, interact with the town people, and so on and so forth. This brings us to Rune Factory 5. How was it? Was it a great harvest from start to finish? Was it a great game to be introduced into the harvest genre? Let’s find out!
While it still has many issues, Rune Factory 5 on PC is leagues better than its console counterpart. There are a decent amount of graphics options and full keyboard and mouse support so you can farm, fight, and fall for characters at a far more stable frame rate.
I have a love-hate relationship with Rune Factory 5. I love the relaxing atmosphere and simple daily life activities, straightforward combat, and the Rigbarth citizens. My experience was unfortunately muddied by questionable enemy design, an absurd difficulty spike, and numerous issues and bugs that found their way into the final product. I think if you’re a longtime Rune Factory fan you might find something to like. However, if you’re a newcomer, I cannot recommend buying the game at its $59.99 retail price until they fix some of the issues I mentioned earlier. If the game is on sale, and the game is updated, I say knock yourself out. The best way to play the game is on PC, and I guarantee you’ll at least love the characters and simple farming life.
There’s a lot of fun to be had here, but don’t expect something vastly different from the previous games in the series. However, there are no glaring omissions either, which is great.
Rune Factory 5's combination of features from simulation games and action role-playing games works as well as it did in previous entries in the series, but the lack of innovation, underwhelming exploration mechanics and a certain disconnect between the urgency of the main quest and living a calm farm life do damage the experience a little. The endearing cast and improved action combat, however, make for an enjoyable experience, so those who venture into Rigbarth without expecting to find a revolutionary title will find plenty to like in the game.
Rune Factory 5 is a very fun "get to town and do all the things" game, which has been cleaned up significantly from it's initial release on Switch. The PC version of the game is clean and crisp, allowing players to address settings before even booting the game up. With a ton of fun activities and places to explore, Rune Factory 5 has a little something for everyone, and is appropriate (and fun) for all audiences. Farm, explore, romance, capture monsters; every activity is gently charming. Well worth a look for adults, but good luck keeping the kids away from it.
Rune Factory 5 is improved on PC, and is an enjoyable entry in the series. However, it's graphically dated with serious tech issues, and gameplay is a step back in some ways.
Rune Factory 5 is another good addition to the franchise that mixes farm life simulator with RPG and is very worthwhile especially for fans of the series. The expectation is that the next games will be able to go beyond what was presented here in all aspects.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Most of Rune Factory 5 is fine. There are minor issues with everything from the story to the graphics to the gameplay, but only a few of these issues will negatively impact the experience in a meaningful way. The bigger problem is simply that so little about Rune Factory 5 stands out. So many of the minor issues present here could have been overlooked if the core experience was exceptional and really moved the series forward, but instead, the development team spent nine years making a new Rune Factory, only to put out a game that feels like a minor step forward at best and in some ways feels like a step back. If you’re a massive fan of the series and need more of it, you’ll have a fun enough time with Rune Factory 5, but everyone else should proceed with caution.
Rune Factory 5 offers an improved fantasy RPG/farming blend with a satisfying story and great cast of characters that is dragged down heavily by constant performance issues.
If you're a follower of the series, Rune Factory 5 is a solid choice. In terms of gameplay, it's an excellent choice for individuals who want to unwind in peaceful, cheerful, and vivid surroundings and those who like being swept up in a deluge of content. However, despite its potential and the story's intriguing premise, Rune Factory 5 falls short compared to comparable titles.
It boasts an invigorating sense of player agency, a clearly-defined framework of rules in which to make your fun, and a carefully-calibrated concoction of farming, role-playing, and life simulation designed to keep things interesting.
With tried-and-true farming gameplay and a beautiful art style, Rune Factory 5 is a satisfying experience with some significant performance issues.
The Rune Factory is back. But much quicker than it should.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Rune Factory 5 takes a big step going all 3D, but it stumbles a bit with framerate issues and uninspiring textures. However, the game’s cast of characters, inclusion of same-sex marriages, and barnful of gameplay value mean players shouldn’t pass this up. The farming life is a decent life, indeed.
Rune Factory 5 is rough around the edges, but I still loved my time with it. Something about how all the parts work together keeps pulling me to it. Even after completing the main story, I’m still playing, as I have recipes I haven’t unlocked, a romantic journey I’m embarking on, and many upgrades I can still do to the town. It has its flaws, but Rune Factory 5’s enchanting loop of constant progression and discovery helps mitigate a lot of these annoyances, so they don’t sting so much.
Rune Factory 5 is more of the familiar, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It makes enough small improvements that it does feel newer, but if you are looking for something leaps and bounds different from the last game, you will be disappointed. The game has a lot of charm and love put into it, but the abysmal frame rate does make it hard to recommend, even though I thoroughly enjoyed it. With some future patches addressing the game’s framerate issues and input delay, Rune Factory 5 could easily turn into a wonderful game.