Rune Factory 4 Special

Our analysis

A fantastic blend of farm-life sim and action RPG with a warm, charming tone driven by likeable characters and strong writing, plus a compelling gameplay loop spanning farming, relationships, dungeons, and the prince's request and order systems. Visuals are inconsistent, with lovely watercolor towns but drab, static backgrounds and aging character models, and the new hard mode and few cutscenes add little for an eight-year-old game at a relatively high price. Still a great time and a hugely addictive adventure.