Rune Factory 4 Special Reviews
GREAT - Rune Factory 4 Special is one of the most addictive games I’ve played on the Switch so far. There’s always something to do, whether it’s growing more crops, crafting new gear, forging new relationships, fighting off monsters, or exploring new realms. Average graphics and slight control issues aside, this is a pleasant surprise and one of my favorite games of the year.
Rune Factory 4 Special is a solid addition to the Switch lineup. It was smart for the first Story of Seasons game to come to the Nintendo Switch to be a Rune Factory one since the added combat and story separate it more from the juggernaut that is Stardew Valley. Despite the natural comparisons between the two games, there’s more than enough room for both.
If you have NOT played the original Rune Factory 4 however, I highly recommend picking this up. The writing is charming, the gameplay is a wonderful blend of pleasant and exciting, and all the interconnected systems mean even if you’re not directly working on your favorite aspect, you’re still working towards what you love.
After a good twenty to thirty hours with Rune Factory 4 Special, I gotta say it was a good time. This is a game with quite a lot to do, between combat, farming, requests, and planning festivals, plus whatever other jobs you have as a supposed prince. It’s hard to tell how much there would be to do after finishing the story, but at least with a lot to occupy your time until then, Rune Factory 4 Special could be a good fifty to one hundred hour time sink if you need something nice and long to pass the time.
The beginning of Rune Factory 4 is weird and nearly made me give up. However, once I'd passed the first few hours, I was rewarded with a very diverse gameplay. I won't get to love the story, but developing the city just like I want it to is the game's major gain.
Review in German | Read full review
So overall? Rune Factory 4 Special is basically a must from me and already has a place on my 2020 Games of the Year list. Being made Royalty by proxy has never been this good and while you technically “have” to do the farming and “have” to do exploration, it never feels like you do and the ease of entry just creates a relaxing experience that is fun to play for hours on end as you choose to either befriend or romance the people of the town that you are now in charge of. Don’t want to do either? That’s why there’s exploration and combat for those moments that you just need to get away from it all!
In general it is a good game, entertaining and that will have many hours of Selphia pending. I recommend it if you like JRPG with anime aesthetics and farm management, since the mix is quite good and reminds me of other titles like Little Dragon Café or, obviously, Harvest Moon saga.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Rune Factory 4 Special is a robust farm-simulator and RPG experience that, while occasionally dull, is a deep and truly relaxing experience. There’s no shortage of things to do from the get-go, and the detail put into combat and the various leveling systems will surely please even those who lean more into the RPG side of things.
I will always recommend this game and I already always do. As I said before this game means so much to me and the fact that XSEED brought it back and is even working on Rune Factory 5 is enough to keep a big smile on my face! I think if you were a first time player buying this game online and getting the $39.99 copy would be perfect for you. I personally got the Archive Edition to help support this game and so we can continue to get more Rune Factory games in the future. So thank you XSEED for brining back this loved and underappreciated series!
Rune Factory 4 Special is an easy recommendation to any RPGamer who enjoys farming and life sim games, as well as for those casual Stardew Valley fans that wished for more variety in the combat aspects. It’s been long enough since the 3DS release that this game can be enjoyed fresh again, and for those who missed it the first time around, now’s the perfect time to give it a try.
Whether you’ve lived in Selphia for a long time, or have yet to make the journey, Rune Factory 4 Special is absolutely worth picking up.
Overall, I certainly enjoyed Rune Factory 4 Special. It is an incredibly addictive game that has eaten up hours of my time and will continue to do so in the future as I play through again and again. The only complaints I have are fairly minor, such as a lack of explanations of a few points or the occasional case of a follower character getting in the way. It's a well-done remake.
All in all I really love Rune Factory 4 Special. I had a blast playing it, and would highly recommend it to just about anyone. I’ve been playing this game for about 70 hours now, and I don’t feel like a single minute of that was wasted. It’s only about $39.99 on the Nintendo Switch, and since this is the re-release, it’s got a ton of new content, including a post-marriage scenario and a new difficulty. Definitely pick this up, it’s a must have.
Rune Factory 4 Special takes the player into a magical world full of adventure and challenges. If you want to fill your virtual existence with fieldwork and explore the story of Selphia, the game will not disappoint you. The learning process is slow and steady, so that the player is not overwhelmed. When you've had enough of gardening, you swing on an animal and ride through the wilderness, beating up some monsters. The fighting could have been a little more challenging, but Rune Factory 4 Special doesn't want that. The title shines with a mix of simulation and RPG elements. This appeals to people who may not otherwise be involved with JRPGs. The new features are well done, especially the synchronisation is impressive. The developer would have liked to add some more graphic elements. The sprites look partly not well ported. If you feel like a fine mixture of Harvest Moon and JRPG, you will definitely get your money's worth.
Review in German | Read full review
Rune Factory 4 Special is fascinating in that it has numerous systems that on their own are pleasant if not terribly deep. Where the title shines however is in how these various systems interact with one another. They create a cumulative experience above and beyond its individual parts, and there is a ton of content to be enjoyed overall.
Despite some flaws, Rune Factory 4 Special is still a ton of fun for players wanting that mix of combat and farming. After nearly a decade, though, I hope this is the last we see of it being ported around, at least for now. Time has moved a bit past it, and other games in the genre offer smoother experiences. With Rune Factory 5 set to finally hit US shores early next year, hopefully, we’ll soon be enjoying the evolution of Rune Factory 4 we’ve needed for some time.
Rune Factory 4 Special is an addictive game that mixes simulation and action RPG elements just right. Although the new version can't fully update the game, keeping it feeling like a 3DS title with a simple filter, it's still a pretty exciting title for its gameplay.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
I have a strange attraction to farming video games, well, the good ones anyway. Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon and all that Jazz. It seems strange to a lot of people that someone who adores Monster Hunter, Dark Souls and Battlefield, can appreciate a finely grown turnip, but there you go
Rune Factory 4 Special was my first introduction to this series, which combines the farming simulation elements of Harvest Moon with a traditional action RPG, and suffice it to say, I greatly like it, despite its flaws.