Rune Factory 4 Special Reviews
Rune Factory 4 Special proves just how charming and well-written the Rune Factory games can be. The Switch remaster is just as addictive as charming as the original release was fourteen years ago, and looks even better, thanks to an HD makeover. New content and difficulty modes provide no shortage of replay value, making this a great time sink for newcomers as well as anyone itching to revisit the friendships forged in the town of Selphia.
Rune Factory 4 maintains its full and outstanding spark, charm, and polish for the Switch audience. The new content isn't substantial, but the old content remains exceptional. This is absolutely worth your time.
Rune Factory 4 Special is a delightful and charming farming sim, even in a post-Stardew Valley world.
Rune Factory 4 is an abundant RPG, full of fun characters, things to do, and a compelling network of interlocking systems.
Rune Factory 4 Special feels like a game where you always have something to do, offering so many different systems to play around with
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.
Whether you want to whet your appetite before Animal Crossing: New Horizons comes out or you're looking for your next fix after blowing through everything available in Stardew Valley, Rune Factory 4 is the perfect second-life for you. You might feel a bit overwhelmed at first, but once you manage to find your focus the addictive gameplay lets you wash away hours of your day in an instant.
Rune Factory 4 Special delivers a wealth of content in a charming and engaging package that should keep newcomers and long-time fans happy for dozens upon dozens of hours.
It caters well to both farming sim enthusiasts and RPG players who want a little more action in between shipping crops and courting that special someone. I do admire the developer's ability to blend all of this into one cohesive game, as there's tons of things to do here and it can take hours to accomplish everything. Grinding can be a little grating, but Rune Factory's positives far outweigh the negatives.
Rune Factory in general was the brilliant outcome of mashing two genres in a beautiful harmony that worked together wonderfully with Rune Factory 4 being the current pinnacle of the series.
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.
Rune Factory 4 Special arrives on the Switch, proving to be a worthwhile Farming Simulator/Dungeon Crawling hybrid.
Any Harvest Moon, Story of Seasons, or Rune Factory fan should definitely check this one out on Nintendo Switch, as it has one of the most charismatic worlds I’ve seen in a game in the genre yet.
Rune Factory 4 is a delight. It's one of those heartfelt, earnest, and wholesome games that remind you that not everything needs to be dour, competitive, excessively violent, or deep.
For its flaws, Rune Factory 4 Special brings an incredible life-sim/Action-RPG to the Switch.
If poor combat bothers you greatly, then you might find this game deserving of quite a lower score than an 8. However, if you're just here for the fantasy farming simulation, and you're willing to push yourself through some unavoidable sequences of displeasure, then you'll find one of the most polished and satisfying farming systems I've come across. In short, your mileage will definitely vary with this one.
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
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!