Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon

"Your Life Lacks Vegetation"

Intro: Rune Factory 2 is the semi-sequel to the fantasy version of Harvest Moon, and made by the same team at Marvelous. It is a semi-sequel because
it is not a direct continuation of the first game's storyline. In essence, it bears great resemblance to the first game. You will probably enjoy this sequel if:

A) You enjoyed the first game.
B) You enjoyed the other Harvest Moon games
C) You enjoy the horticultural and agricultural life sans narcotic oblivion.

This game builds on the premise of the first one, and adds to the winning formula some, but not in a manor that will satisfy everyone. In some ways, this is still a farming simulation with some dungeon crawling added in like the first, but now there is a further element added which forces interaction with the town. This new addition definitely breaks up the sometimes tedious process of coaxing those little buds to grow into lushly plump vegetation.

Graphics: Very similar to the first one. 2D backgrounds with 3D sprites. The environmental graphics have seen some improvement, if you like brighter colours. And there is some added animation in the environments, candles flicker in houses, and the water tends to look a little more like it is moving in rivers and such. Another change is in the dialogue portraits. There are more emotional responses (dependent on person) and expressions with each character. The 2D sprites for the dialogues are all very well rendered, very clean and clear. Overall, the graphics are more cartoon-ish, especially the menus.

Gameplay: Much like its predecessor, cultivating land and matters of horticulture are some of the primary elements of gameplay. The seasons run along the same calendar as the previous title, 30 days a month, 6 days a week. You can of course nurture the same seeds as before, but with some name changes and seasonal changes for some seeds, and now most of the "phantom crops" are available from the "Pumpkin" general store. Just as before, the "caves" or "dungeons" provide a year-round stable climate of one particular season and are to be utilized for some of the "phantom crops." This game does however lack a convenient seed-maker (in the beginning), so you really need to buy new seeds every time you harvest. Another change, seed prices have since inflated, as has most everything else in price.

Crop leveling operates under the same modus as the first game, using special fertilizers and of course exchanging them back and forth via Wi-Fi. One other note about crops, the shipping bin is much easier to understand, with its own separate menus to be accessed at the bin. The same can be said of the lumber shack. No longer can you conveniently view your lumber count from your main menu, you must stand physically next to it and twiddle it with your A-button.

Another note about the mercantile system. It now operates under the same principal as the inventory system. I suppose it is easier to manage for some, but a hassle for others acclimated to the quick and easy system from the first installment.

Monsters work just the same as in the first game. An added dynamic is that if you want them to assist you in your daily toil, you must train them up to it. Naturally there are those that produce, and those that can assist just like the first game. And acquiring monsters works much the same as the first game, same basic tools, same management. This time however, just like with the lumber shack and shipping bin, you can only access the menu, standing physically next to it. There is a nice new icon that informs you however when you can collect produce from your monsters that produce things useable or saleable.

In all senses, the gameplay has only been given two major facelifts. The first, which of course was a point of contention and derision for some concerning the first game, was the combat system. It is still fairly simple, but the complexity has increased. The monsters continually respawn, so no destroying the machine and clearing the dungeon. Every time you enter a new area, or re-enter an old one, the monsters spawn and keep spawning, to a limited degree. Also, an additional point is positioning. Attacks from behind cause more damage than head on attacks, so monsters are trying to outmaneuver you constantly. There is also more variety in the attacks and the AI is a bit better, if still fairly easy to manage. Another good addition, you have a map that follows your progress within each dungeon. In principle, it still operates mainly like Zelda on the DS.

The next major addition is the "gopher" board. In the town square, there is a board where people post odd jobs, and you do them. This primarily advances the storyline in some senses, as in it provides you reasons to go to the dungeons, as well as the rewards tend to be essential items to gameplay. It also forces you to interact with the townspeople and increase your friendship points (and love points for some).

Logging, mining, fishing, etc. all work the same as its predecessor. Monster drops have increased too, so there will be less waiting around for particular items. Overall, the gameplay has been streamlined for expediency in, "in game time."

As I have mentioned above, you have to train your monsters. This new part of gameplay, another rather major change, is the fact that you need to build a "school" for learning recipes and what not instead of buying them from a library. This is also important in training monsters and of course the little professions like alchemy, blacksmithing, and decoration. You can also have a "dojo" to practice your combat skills.

Another few notes about the dungeons, you don't need any permits to enter them. You can go whenever you feel like poking around. There are fences and obelisks blocking certain paths, which open dependent on how you are progressing with the storyline. Another point that is interesting, some dungeons have different monsters entirely dependent on whether it is night or day.

And speaking of seasons, you can farm in winter now. So, yay if you were all bent out of shape by the lack of winter harvesting in the first installment.

Plot: I cannot say much about the plot so far. It is a semi-sequel, and just for your information, one character from the original game is involved and she mentions characters from that game, including the striking resemblance into cliched territory concerning certain primary characters and their situations as it were. Unlike the first game, much of the storyline is driven by your interaction with the townsfolk. So far, it is a fairly good plot, and entertaining enough. Another separation from the first game, you really do need to go into the dungeons. Many of the "gopher" quests (or odd jobs) involve the dungeons. You can't really circumnavigate them.

Overall, nothing really mind-blowing in narrative or plot structure, if you are familiar with RPG games and fantasy novels, and particularly if you have ever played Phantasy Star 3, you'll be happy with certain aspects of the story.

Music: It is really very similar to the predecessor. If you were enthralled and found yourself breaking out into little jigs whilst playing, your feet may begin a light tap-dance ensemble number while you are playing the sequel. If you didn't enjoy the music before, you may want an mp3 player handy. There are more voices and dialogue incorporated into the sequel, so if you like squeaky adolescent voices, have a mimosa, you'll be having a ball.

Replayability: As with the first game and of course the Harvest Moon series, there is plenty of replayability dependent on marriage candidates and a variety of other factors.

Glitches: But of course. Some of the glitches from the previous game are missing. Others have appeared. When about 3 or more sprites are on screen (characters or monsters) the game almost enters "bullet-time" inadvertently. There are of course points where sound effects disappear, much like the first game if you have leveled up a skill or yourself. Also, certain monsters escape to the edge of the screen, forcing you into the next area if you attempt to "get friendly" with them.

Final Recommendation: Definitely buying it is worthwhile, especially for fans of the Harvest Moon series and the first Rune Factory. There is a distinct possibility that fans of more standard CRPGs may enjoy this one more than the first game due to less downtime spent playing with vegetation all day. There are small problems, but overall the game is worth the time you put into it.

This review is concerning the Japanese release. I have no idea if or when there will be or is an English language release.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 03/26/08, Updated 03/28/08

Game Release: Rune Factory 2 (JP, 01/03/08)