The announcement trailer for Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma has finally been revealed. Previously referred to by fans as “Project Dragon,” the new game in the Rune Factory series will transport us to the Far East in the land of Azuma. Farming, monsters, and relationship drama will all come in this next chapter of Rune Factory. Based on the trailer and other material, here is what we know about Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma so far.
What is Rune Factory?
The Rune Factory series was birthed in 2006 with the Nintendo DS title, Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon. As the subtitle suggests, it began as a spin-off of the popular Harvest Moon series (now known as Story of Seasons). While it inherited the farming and social simulation aspects of its progenitor, it also deviated from it by leaning heavily into traditional JRPG elements. Common RPG stats and mechanics like HP and leveling up are all present. Amusingly, Rune Factory games have stats for just about everything, including Sleeping and Walking. Players can defeat monsters in dungeons and potentially befriend them. Once on your roster, they can aid with farmwork or in battle in a Pokémon-like fashion.
The creation of Rune Factory is attributed to producer Yoshifumi Hashimoto. While previously published by the now-defunct Neverland studio, Rune Factory games are now published through Marvelous. Hasimoto’s company Hakama, a subsidiary of Marvelous, is in charge of the games’ development. Starting with the Japanese release of Rune Factory 2, the games dropped the Harvest Moon subtitle to forge a new identity as an independent series. Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma will be part of this series, as a brand new spin-off title. What can players expect from this upcoming game?
What We Know About Guardians of Azuma
Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma will take place in the eastern country of Azuma, an area previously unexplored in the Rune Factory series. The setting is fitting as the game is heavily infused with Japanese aesthetics and cultural markers. You have the choice between one of two protagonists, male or female. Your character will start the game suffering from a bout of amnesia, a recurrent theme for Rune Factory titles. This follows from an enigmatic dream that features two dragons dueling against one another. Based on the trailer, it appears that some disaster has befallen the world. A release from Marvelous further elucidates this:
“The Celestial Collapse—a calamity caused by a colossal object crashing into the eastern lands known as Azuma. The devastating impact sent fragments of terrain to the skies above and the seas below. With the earth shattered, the power provided by the runes ceased to flow. The gods of nature vanished soon after. Mountains crumbled and fields withered, leaving the people with nothing…not even hope.”
Marvelous goes on to state that the protagonists of the game are intertwined by fate via mysterious forces. Meanwhile, the primary antagonist of Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma appears to be a malignant entity known as the Blight, likely connected to the Celestial Collapse. The player will seek out sacred treasures to combat the Blight, helping purify the land and restore its lost Runes. This will also include reviving a number of gods, many of whom are likely romance candidates. A floating Wooly named Woolby—introduced as a descendant of the dragon god—will accompany you on the journey. Woolby can take on the form of a dragon, eerily similar to the one featured in the dream.
Gameplay of Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma
Like other entries in its series, Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma will be a mishmash of JRPGs and farming simulators. Players will take on the role of an Earth Dancer, likely serving a similar function as Earthmates in Rune Factory 5. One of your goals will be to help rebuild villages, from maintaining crop fields to constructing new buildings. This will entice the people of the land to return to the villages and help contribute to their well-being. As with other games, there will likely be relationship mechanics. Gifting certain villagers their favored foods or helping them with their problems will forge a bond with them. This can result in a romantic connection, including marriage and children.
Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma will feature mainstay RPG elements, including leveling up and fighting monsters in combat. The trailer gives a glimpse of this, showing the player character fighting against some new creatures based on Japanese culture. These include hulking oni monsters wielding massive clubs. The villagers you befriend can help aid you in battle against these threats. Marvelous’s release states that the power of an Earth Dancer includes dances and the use of weapons like Bows and Talismans. These new additions to Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma are sure to help spice up combat.
Time to Get Farming
Rune Factory diehards are undoubtedly excited about this new installment. The most recent game in the series, Rune Factory 5, received polarizing reviews from critics and the fanbase alike. The Switch release of Rune Factory 5 was plagued with performance issues and often wonky gameplay. Despite this, characters from that game can be seen in the trailer for this one, such as an older Hina. While it may have been an overall disappointing experience, perhaps Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma will steer the ship in the right direction for the series.
Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma is planned to launch in the Spring of 2025. An “Earth Dancer Edition” of the game will be available on the Marvelous USA website and participating retailers. This edition of the game will cost $99.99 MSRP and is bundled with several extras, including an art book, downloadable content, and a folding fan amongst other goodies. Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma will be released on the Nintendo Switch console as well as PC via Steam.
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