Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon

Release Dates

Coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the Harvest Moon series, a spin-off franchise titled Rune Factory was launched. Dubbed “Harvest Moon with a sword,” the game tasked players with growing crops, using their farm tools, and heading off into dungeons to defeat monsters in effort to collect loot that could be sold for profit.

Raguna arrived at the village of Kardia and was soon shown to a monster-infested farm where his unique skills of crop-raising and monster-slaying came in handy. In addition to the standard Stamina meter, Raguna also had a Hit Point (Health) meter, which could be drained through combat if the player wasn’t careful. As the farm grew and Raguna’s abilities and powers increased, additional caves and dungeons became accessible. Raguna ultimately learned magic spells, gained the ability to forge rings, and obtained even more fanciful equipment. The addition of orb-like Runes and the concept of Rune Points made it all possible.

Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon was quite different from the farming sims that share its heritage, but many of the series staples carried over. Raguna could marry any of eleven bachelorettes, the most in any game in the series. Fishing, cooking, and attending festivals were all possible as well. This isn’t to say there weren’t new rules to learn. Farming, for example, consisted of a whole new suite of crops that could be grown both on the farm and inside the caves, where a particular seasonal climate was held constant.

Fun Facts

• Some crops were only available after the main story was completed. These Phantom Crops took more than thirty days to grow.
• With over sixty different monsters inhabiting the caves, each with its own abilities and stats, there was a lot to keep track of.
• Ensuring there was no confusing Rune Factory for a normal Harvest Moon, Raguna could cast Fireballs and Water Lasers, and could perform Meteor attacks!
• It was also possible to befriend monsters and gain goods from them that could be sold later.
• Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon was the first game in the series to use hand-drawn aesthetics for the backgrounds, adding an elegant, classic appearance to the game.