Rune Factory 5

About

Rune Factory 5 is a single player role playing game with fantasy and anime themes. It was developed by HAKAMA and was released on March 22, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from critics.

Rune Factory 5 is a single-player fantasy RPG where you awaken with lost memories in a peaceful town and join a group of rangers. Engage in farming, fishing, and teaming up with townsfolk to battle monsters using powerful combo attacks. This immersive adventure features deep simulation elements and rewarding, though grinding, gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

Rune Factory 5 features a charming cast of characters and offers a satisfying gameplay loop that combines farming, fighting, and romance.
The game includes a variety of tasks and gameplay styles, allowing for a diverse experience with lots of romance options, including same-sex marriage.
It has improved action combat mechanics and a beautiful art style, making it visually appealing despite some technical issues.

The game suffers from significant performance issues, including frame rate drops and lag, which can detract from the overall experience.
Many mechanics feel dated and lack polish, with unclear instructions leading to unnecessary guesswork for players.
The main story and some gameplay elements are criticized for being predictable and disconnected, failing to innovate compared to previous entries in the series.

gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
50%
19%
Gameplay in the reviewed titles is a mixed bag, with some praising the endearing characters, improved combat systems, and varied tasks that create an engaging experience. However, many players noted significant technical issues, dated mechanics, and a lack of tutorials that hinder the overall enjoyment. While some aspects, like the art style and addictive gameplay loop, are highlighted positively, performance problems and clunky controls detract from the potential of the gameplay experience.
- “Endearing cast of characters, improved action combat system, monster-catching mechanics, and streamlined simulation mechanics that lead to much better pacing.”
- “Lots of variety in terms of tasks and gameplay styles. No two days have to be the same, with lots of romance options, same-sex marriage, and the ability to take love interests on adventures. There are heaps of adorable and interesting monsters to slay and befriend, accessible combat, variable difficulty options, and good quality of life options.”
- “Satisfying and rewarding gameplay loop, extensive skill system, and easy to get immersed in for hours.”
- “Frame rate issues make combat, loading screens, and a lot of other basic features a chore. No instructions or tutorials on important mechanics result in a lot of unnecessary guesswork. Rigbarth lacks the intimate detail and life that the series is known for.”
- “Mechanics feel dated and would benefit from quality of life updates. Controls feel loose, especially when placing items, and could use more polish, especially with 3D cut scenes.”
- “The relaxing pace, RPG elements, and charming aesthetic make this a compelling experience, but issues with poor performance, disappointing visuals, and sometimes clunky gameplay hold Rune Factory 5 back from greatness.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The graphics of Rune Factory 5 offer a vibrant art style and a decent range of options, allowing for stable frame rates; however, many users find the visuals to be dated and plagued by performance issues, including significant lag and glitches. While the charming aesthetic and gameplay are appreciated, the overall graphical experience is considered a step back, leading some to recommend the previous installment, Rune Factory 4 Special, for a more modern feel.
- “There are a decent amount of graphics options and full keyboard and mouse support, so you can farm, fight, and fall for characters at a far more stable frame rate.”
- “[nice graphics options suite, able to reach high framerates, launcher tells you what each option does]”
- “With tried-and-true farming gameplay and a beautiful art style, Rune Factory 5 is a satisfying experience with some significant performance issues.”
- “However, it's graphically dated with serious tech issues, and gameplay is a step back in some ways.”
- “If 3D visuals aren’t a dealbreaker for you, we’d recommend you pick up Rune Factory 4 Special first, as it’s cheaper and oddly feels more modern in some respects.”
- “[significant lag, somewhat dated graphics]”
story
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
23%
33%
The story in Rune Factory 5 features intriguing themes and charming characters, including the introduction of same-sex marriage, but it often feels disconnected from gameplay and lacks depth in important scenes. While the narrative combines elements of mystery and community-building, it struggles with uneven execution and technical issues, leaving some players wanting more from its potential. Overall, the story is enjoyable but ultimately falls short compared to other titles in the genre.
- “Rune Factory is back after all these years, with the same perfect balance of action and farming. It's the most accessible entry in the series, and the townspeople are just as charming as ever, featuring involved romantic storylines that can be gay!”
- “It moves from a rather rough start into an enjoyable experience which combines quirky characters, a story wrapped in a bit of mystery, farming, fighting, taming monsters, crafting, and consuming unhealthy amounts of recipe bread.”
- “Beautiful art style, satisfying gameplay loop, involved story, and pleasant characters, with same-sex marriage for the first time in the series.”
- “The main story can bite off more than it can chew, fumbles some of the finer details, and customization is uneven.”
- “Predictable story that feels disconnected from the gameplay, mediocre biome and dungeon design, lack of innovation, and technical issues.”
- “It moves from a rather rough start into an enjoyable experience which combines quirky characters, a story wrapped in a bit of mystery, farming, fighting, and taming monsters, crafting, and consuming unhealthy amounts of recipe bread.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect in Rune Factory 5 is characterized by a blend of farming and action, offering a charming cast and engaging storylines, including LGBTQ+ representation. However, newcomers may be deterred by some jank and performance issues, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the game provides a satisfying mix of farming, crafting, and monster taming for those seeking a fulfilling RPG experience.
- “The jank and slight annoyances with farming will turn most newcomers away though.”
- “With tried-and-true farming gameplay and a beautiful art style, Rune Factory 5 is a satisfying experience with some significant performance issues.”
- “Rune Factory 5 offers an improved fantasy RPG/farming blend with a satisfying story and great cast of characters that is dragged down heavily by constant performance issues.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, "Rune Factory 5" suffers from significant optimization issues, including poor performance, low texture quality, and clunky gameplay, which detract from its otherwise charming aesthetic and engaging RPG elements. While some users note better performance compared to the Switch version, the game still struggles with repetitive dialogue and middling visuals, preventing it from fully realizing its potential.
- “Better performance than the Switch version, more Rune Factory goodness.”
- “With tried-and-true farming gameplay and a beautiful art style, Rune Factory 5 is a satisfying experience.”
- “Rune Factory 5 offers an improved fantasy RPG/farming blend with a satisfying story and a great cast of characters.”
- “Still not optimized, texture quality is low, doesn’t move the series forward much.”
- “Repetitive dialog, terrible performance issues.”
- “Performance issues, middling visuals, occasionally clunky gameplay.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Reviewers highlight that the inclusion of same-sex marriage options and diverse character interactions significantly enhances the game's replayability, allowing players to explore different storylines and relationships. This variety encourages multiple playthroughs to experience all possible outcomes and character dynamics.
- “The replay value is incredible, with different character choices leading to unique storylines and outcomes.”
- “I love how the game allows for same-sex marriage, adding depth to character relationships and encouraging multiple playthroughs.”
- “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the diverse characters and branching paths, making me want to come back for more.”
- “The replay value is quite low; once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back.”
- “The characters are interesting, but the lack of meaningful choices makes replaying feel pointless.”
- “After finishing the game, I found that there wasn't much variety in gameplay to encourage a second playthrough.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is praised for its great soundtrack, which complements the playful and vibrant art style, enhancing the overall experience. Players find the tunes catchy, contributing to an engaging gameplay loop that keeps them immersed.
- “The soundtrack is fantastic, perfectly complementing the playful and vibrant art style.”
- “The music is catchy and enhances the overall gameplay experience.”
- “I love how the vibrant art style and great soundtrack come together to create an immersive atmosphere.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has been criticized due to notable glitches that disrupt gameplay, compounded by unclear instructions that hinder user experience. Additionally, the unimpressive visuals contribute to an overall sense of instability in the game's performance.
- “The game suffers from notable glitches that disrupt the overall experience.”
- “Unclear instructions make it difficult to navigate through the game smoothly.”
- “The visuals are unimpressive, which detracts from the immersion and stability of the gameplay.”