Rune Factory 3

My friend Mars-Frog brought this to my attention a couple of months ago, but as the 'buzz' among players increases daily, I thought it might be useful to post a little information about the upcoming Rune Factory 3 here. I am receiving many emails now from players asking about the next game in the Rune Factory series, at present enjoying a flurry of anticipation in Japan.

The ability of Maisu to transform into a Monster with the aid of a 'Transformation Belt' is the logical next step in Rune Factory magic. After all, in Rune Factory 2, your character in the 2nd Generation received a Monster Outfit that allowed him/her to appear as a sort of elder branch of the Wooly or Chipsqueek family, slightly larger than the real Monsters but otherwise perfect in every detail.

In Rune Factory Frontier, Kross declares: Before, I wished that I would be reborn as a monster instead of a human. Heh… But now, I would want to do farm work even if I were to be reborn. I started to think that way after talking to you.

Nonetheless, the seeds of the future had been planted in the fertile minds of Rune Factory creators...

The result is Maisu. Although he can transform himself into a Monster, he is not relegated to the Monster Barn and can raise other Monsters. His Monster persona does give him alternative combat skills as well as an allure to a specific Eligible Girl who does not care for him much as a human but who is drawn to him when he transforms into a Golden Moko Moko.

The movement and Events of other characters may be more varied than in previous games, depending on their interactions with others rather than being determined by a set schedule.

Finally, speaking of seeds and farming, evidently there are some new aspects to these as well in RF3. There are 'Active Seeds' that produce special crops that can be used in battle.

As I had not seen the game, however, it would be pointless to discuss it in any detail now.

Rune Factory 3 has not been released in Japan yet, so this game is far in the future where any English version is concerned. As always, however, Harvest Moon and Rune Factory fans cannot get enough of either series and are excited by the possibilities of the next DS Rune Factory game...

To be quite honest, I personally feel that none of the existing Rune Factory or Harvest Moon games have been exhausted. There are far too many wonderful Harvest Moon and Rune Factory games available at this point in time and too few hours in the day to enjoy them. I remember a time when the only game I played was Friends of Mineral Town. THAT game fully occupied and enchanted me. Then came 'More Friends of Mineral Town' which allowed me, as a girl in real life, to be a girl in Mineral Town courting the guys who had been my rivals in FoMT. I thought I never could find a game I loved more than More Friends of Mineral Town...

A few years later, I have fallen in love with each new Harvest Moon game until Rune Factory appeared on the scene, offering combat and forging WITH Harvest Moon activities. I felt that no game could be more perfect than Rune Factory. Two Rune Factory games later, I still have not had my fill of the original Rune Factory.

As for Harvest Moon, I feel there still is much to do in Island of Happiness but here I am, exploring Sunshine Islands, beginning to write guides about that incredible game...

Meanwhile, there is Frantic Farming as well, soon to be released... I have much to write about Frantic Farming when permitted to do so.

Rune Factory 3, however exciting, is a distant dream on the horizon, and I am content to keep it at a distance at least for a few more months while I continue to explore the games that actually are available now for those of us who sadly are not fluent in Japanese.

N.B. Please understand that I have no 'special' knowledge about Rune Factory 3. The information I gleaned is nothing more than public knowledge...