A change of scenery can be a miraculous thing. At least that seems to be the case in Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, the upcoming spinoff title in the long running farming sim meets RPG series from Marvelous. Taking place in the titular new setting of Azuma, the game seeks to give a fresh perspective on the franchise’s core pillars of farming, combat, and romance. While at first glance this might seem like just a cosmetic change of pace, my hour long preview with the title showed that the new setting is just the start of how Marvelous is rethinking what players should expect in a Rune Factory game.
This isn’t to say that Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma reinvents the wheel; it just wants to give it a carefully considered tune up. Much of the changes, from a better grasp on 3D movement to more streamlined gameplay in both farming and combat, read as well-considered responses to criticism of Rune Factory 5. Taken as a whole, it means that Guardians of Azuma is shaping up to be an exciting entry for returning fans as well as anybody looking to dip their toes into Rune Factory for the first time.
A whole new world
The most obvious departure for Guardians of Azuma is that change of scenery. Until now, Rune Factory games have all taken place on the continent of Adonea. The continent riffs on traditional western fantasy, meaning past titles have all worked within that familiar aesthetic. Azuma, by contrast, is a new eastern continent influenced by Japanese culture. Just on a visual level, Guardians of Azuma delivers on this with beautiful visuals, from gorgeous outfits worn by the protagonists (you can choose between the male Subaru and the female Kaguya) and romance candidates to the four seasonally themed villages you’ll explore.
My preview began with a short exploration of the Autumn Village, which was defined by rolling hills dotted with orange, red, and yellow trees blowing in the perpetual wind. Later, I was able to wander around the cherry blossom filled Spring Village with the bright blue sky hanging above me. The unique color palette of each village is the defining factor that sets the mood when vibing in these locations, but there is also a structural cohesion in buildings that makes each believably exist in the same continent. I couldn’t help but think ahead with eager anticipation at what colors might define the Winter and Summer villages. And while Guardians of Azuma makes it easy to gawk at the scenery, there is work to be done in the villages.
Rune Factory began as a Story of Seasons spinoff, and to this day farming remains one of the most important aspects of the series. Guardians of Azuma keeps the familiar core of farming (till the soil, plant seeds, water, then harvest) but adds a couple key features that breathe new life into the system. The first is Sacred Treasures, special items you’ll collect over the course of playthrough that each have unique abilities. In the context of farming, these act as speedy solutions to the often tiring process. The Sacred Parasol, for example, can be used to water a larger area rather than having to go square by square. Similarly the Sacred Drum instantly grows crops which I can use to make money or heal in a pinch.
More ambitious, and impressive, is the Development Zones feature of Guardians of Azuma. These are large open spaces in each village in which I’m given the ability to construct buildings and play with the layout. I started by constructing a carpenter building, which then unlocked the option to construct more complex buildings. Though first I needed to assign a villager to run the place, something that meant considering the strength and weaknesses of candidates and picking who was actually fit for the job.
While players will need to have the requisite resources and currency to build everything once a carpenter is on site, my preview flooded me with both so I was able to go wild in an Autumn Village Development Zone. Within minutes, I had a bathhouse and an izakaya also constructed and was laying out a neat path between them all, complete with autumnal flora on the side to brighten up the place. This is made much easier by an overhead mode which moves the building action from the traditional, and often fiddly, third person camera to a top-down screen. Navigating a top-down version of the Development Zone complete with a grid makes placing every building or path tile a more precise action. If I really wanted I could do this all in the normal over the shoulder perspective, but overhead mode is so pleasant that I can’t imagine I’d ever want to.
Before I knew it, a member of the preview team had to urge me to move on from the Development Zone so I could see the rest of the game because I had gotten so into designing the perfect little hamlet in overhead mode. Even now I can’t stop thinking about all the little additions I could have made with more time.
Combat refined
While combat doesn’t get any overtly dazzling new features like farming’s Development Zones, smaller tweaks help it feel fresh. Like past entries, I’m put in a familiar loop of exploring the wilderness and entering dungeons. This is done with the aid of three party members to support me during combat, with every NPC loosely filling into a support, DPS, or tank archetype. Further customization comes in the form of the Bow and Talismans, both new to Guardians of Azuma. The bow is what you expect, giving me a way to take on enemies from long range. This came in handy when an enemy was a little too dangerous for my liking and I wanted to keep some distance between us.
Talismans are just Guardians of Azuma’s name for your standard weapon, and I’m given the option to equip at a time that I can switch between on the fly. After trying out a few options, such as a basic sword and a hulking hammer, I settled on the agile short daggers and a bow. The daggers let me unleash a quick flurry of successive blows on enemies and made me feel like I was shredding enemies with ease. Each player will want to find the combination of Talismans that compliments their play style and party construction.
Combat also reveals a dual purpose for Sacred Treasures. Those tools that I used early in my preview to speed up farming are also helpful in combat as dedicated weapons. Wielding the Sacred Parasol in battle allows me to inflict water attacks on enemies in wide slashing movements as well as glide like Marry Poppins from great heights when activated mid air. The drum I sped up plant growth with now doubles as an area of effect weapon and a tool for healing allies. Everything works in tandem and has more than one purpose. There is a wonderful symmetry in the Sacred Drum healing both the earth through its fast-growing benefits and healing my party. It speaks to a larger ethos in Guardians of Azuma, in which each pillar of the game works together to offer a more satisfying experience.
There is always time for love
The last section of my preview was reserved for matters of the heart. Guardians of Azuma, like past entries, has plenty of romance for players to dig into. This time around there are sixteen romanceable characters to choose from. Just as in Rune Factory 5, there are no restrictions on who players can romance based on gender. Both Subaru and Kaguya can fall in love with all of the eligible bachelors and bachelorettes … even each other. Whatever protagonist the player doesn’t choose in Guardians of Azuma will stick around in the game’s story as well as being a romance option, a fun first for Rune Factory.
I got a taste of the romance with two characters, Iroha (a tea house owner) and Murasame (a gruff samurai). The romance scenes were from a later save file so I’m missing some much needed context but I can already see why players will fall in love with these characters. I was particularly charmed by the somewhat standoffish nature of Iroha (whatever that says about my taste). Though what stood out during the preview was my chance to try out Guardians of Azuma’s new hangout system.
In past entries, Rune Factory has largely reduced romance to the familiar loop of giving gifts to the object of your affection and talking to them as often as the in-game calendar allows. While there can still be meaningful stories told in this system it can leave romance feeling especially gamified. Hangouts seek to address this concern by giving players more opportunity to spend time with and get to know the characters throughout courtship. You can still give gifts, but there is also the option to chat about a wide variety of topics that might interest your desired lover. In talking with Iroha, I gambled that negging her a little would actually endear me to her, which happened to be correct! This boosted our bond, but it is possible to say the wrong thing. While there can still be an element of trying to game the system here, it does add a welcome sense of depth that emphasizes each romance option’s individual charms.
Looking back on my preview, it feels like a lot happened in the span of one hour. That’s a good thing in my book, as it speaks to just how much there is to see and do in Guardians of Azuma’s familiar but improved take on Rune Factory. While in the past the series has often been a jack of all trades but master of none when it comes to the farming sim meets RPG mash up, Guardians of Azuma seems like it might in fact do it all.
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma launches for Nintendo Switch and PC on May 30.
