Rune Factory 3 Special Review - An Almost Forgotten Rune

[@ozzi9816]

A lot of people complain about the lack of quality of life updates, but I find that a lot of the “inconveniences” cause you to play the game slower and more conscientiously. Not being able to spend money immediately, only being able to accept quests one at a time, only having two spell slots, etc. all force you to focus on one thing at a time, which is the whole message of the game. You’re living a slow life, taking things as they go, that quest will always be there for you to do tomorrow so feel free to get side tracked, etc. I just feel like an old man yelling at a cloud, but it was always a refreshing change of pace from most JRPGs that want to shove 50 quests in your face at once

[@bizzlezip]

I'm giving noisy pixel a 10 out of 10 for making big efforts for the speech he brings, the fancy words he chooses wisely, the preparation on script before reading it in the mic and many more things. 10/10

[@xavito4337]

That they at least took the effort to change the ugly blocky DS characters is a huge plus for me at least. Not even 4 special did that 😂

[@SwedePotato314]

It’s a faithful remake, almost too faithful. It’s excellent for those of us who played on DS and loved it and are looking at any upgrades at all as a big plus. But if you’ve never played it or any rune factory it doesn’t really hold up. Thats totally understandable too. I love it because of how much I loved it on DS. I still have the old game cart and my 3DS but being able to play docked or on an OLED screen is well worth worth it for me. I’ve been playing RF4 Special and it made me realize how much I loved this game, I can’t wait to go back!

[@wedasantika6079]

Is there no multiplayer version in Sharance Maze?? Where you can play as someone else, game timer stops and monsters can still attack you while you're choosing items. Also Marjorie won't charge you if you die.

[@zacharybecker8228]

Its nice to be able to play it on a big screen i hope they remaster the others frontier is my favorite

[@1wayroad935]

This is definitely simply for nostalgia or for all the Raven bros out there

[@Mito383]

Nah, this game holds up even if you haven’t played it on the DS. RF3 was the one that introduced the modern RF combat system.

[@GuraChan-tm7rj]

Raven best girl

[@EvEnMoR]

5:22 I was in for trying this until the mention of the translation changes. Especially when I hear they specifically altered jokes and funny dialogue from the original. That's where I check out and would rather not support it. . Being in a western English speaking country in 2024, I know all too well how some of these localization teams like to "modernize" certain translations..AKA running it through their personal and/or ideological filter. Perhaps there's another reason for the changes made here, but imo, it's just not something that should ever happen, especially for a previously established title. I'll just play the DS version... thank you for the honest review. Much appreciated.

[@truthseeker9833]

Shut the hell up

[@kuroinova2056]

There seems to be a free dlc thats gives additional story content but it not gameplay, only audible with subs.

[@Dimaz42]

I haven't even finish the game on the DS version 😆 tho I'm happy that this game is no longer confined to the dual screen 😄

[@JohnDL212]

Great review. While I'm not 100% sure, I think I'll still give it a try. Thanks

[@CarolinaHeart]

Those clean, high res portraits

[@leonardoferreira2372]

Given that this is the only one I played I very much like it; the combat is fun and there is actual depth to the farming with soil quality and crop level. And so much stuff to do. I remember that I started playing Stardew Valley a bit after this one and got bored very fast, given the strange day-to-day pacing that game has, specially compared to RF3.

[@garra123454]

Now we just need rune factory and rune factory 2

[@alakbar7870]

I'm unfamiliar with the Rune Factory series. Based on this review, it seems like a decent action-RPG. However, I didn't really hear anything about the use of runes, or anything regarding a "factory." Is there a farming/collecting and crafting element to this game as well? If so, how dependent are you on that aspect of the game to progress through the storyline, and complete the game?

[@zeroyuki92]

Super late reply, but I think you are hyper focused to the name too much lol. It is basically a Harvest Moon/Stardew Valley formula paired with a decent Action RPG. Farming is a pretty good source of income and side objective, but technically you can finish the game while ignoring most of the farming. Farming would help a lot with most of the game core loops though (crafting, cooking, festivals, getting money, even for building friendship/relationship) so almost everyone will do at least some farming. Crafting is essential to help fighting, farming, and other day to day activities. That said the most important factor for Rune Factory is its dating sims element, especially in RF3 since it's known for its best lineup of bachelorette candidates and character arcs/interactions among other Rune Factories. So if you're not interested in that there's not many reason to pick this series.

[@alakbar7870]

@@zeroyuki92 Well, I also collect games. So I might pick up a copy just for that if I get it at a good price. Too bad though. If runes were involved in weapons and equipment crafting (in RPGs like Diablo 2 for instance), and there was a whole factory to make them, I'd be a lot more interested in actually playing this series! lol

[@renaldyhaen]

@@alakbar7870 Depends on the weapon you choose, you can also use magic here. And sometimes you can buy instant magic item from shop to support you exploration.

[@DieselJT]

Picking up the special edition physically day one! Thanx for the review Azario! Im not thrilled to hear about the changed translation taking old jokes out and replacing them with new ones sounds like a big mistake to me. But i guess I will have to wait and see when uI play it.

[@NoisyPixelNews]

This was due to the game being originally published by a different publisher. So XSEED had to retranslate the entire game without referencing the original translation

[@DieselJT]

@@NoisyPixelNews that's not so bad then. As long as it wasn't translated for censorship purposes I'm in.

[@cosmodrifter]

Same here, I immediately thought it was because of woke translators who, like all other woke people, turn everything and anything they get their grubby hands on that might offend someone into a gray sludge of nothingness. So this reason is more favorable than that at least.

[@DieselJT]

@@loadishstone played this game and it's great. As far as me not supporting censorship that's my decision. U worry about yourself and do what u want.

[@nijunikuro]

"To get married, tho, you must first beat the game." Wasn't the last dungeon & boss in DS version unlocked *after* you get married? As in, you have to get married to beat the game, not beat the game to get married. "One of the additions to Special is a dungeon located in the basement of Sharence Tree." Uh... no, it's not. That dungeon existed in the original DS game and also acted as entrance to the multiplayer lobby/dungeons. I was very disappointed by removal of all multiplayer content in RF3 Special. :(

[@rcecile]

Unless you’re referring to the Sharance Maze as the final dungeon (which might be available before marriage? I admit this detail being foggy for me), then the final dungeon unlocks after you get engaged and must be completed before you can get married. I think the most tedious aspect of this requirement is that the final dungeon has blocked passages that players unlock by offering a lot of difficult crops, so technically you can’t just mow through the dungeon 11 times. Of course, if the necessary seeds are available before the final dungeon (I can’t remember if they lock any behind engagement or not), a player could realistically grow those crops ahead of engagement to streamline the process. Which, that isn’t unrealistic, but it does take a lot of extra steps along with the added cutscenes you’d have to sit through 11 times in relations to the final dungeon, etc.

[@dianacarolinaorozco1702]

It’s sad that for the problem of story of seasons and harvests moon separating cause this game to cannot have the same VA’s but hope these new things be as lively as the original ones, wonder how they make Sophia ? I play in spanish so this can be more will ride because we can be more out of context for bad translation of both English and japonese 😂 have happen in others franchises so… I hope everything go all right, I like the more soft voice of the new Shara but is feel weird at the same time and mikah sound so polite now more than the chill happy boi

[@sentientnpc0]

Wait? They retranslated the dialogs? 😑😑😑 With all the censorship that happens with games nowadays, i will have to reconsider buying this one at full price, will need to check how much of the dialogs have changed

[@sentientnpc0]

@@loadishstone i have the original, will have to check and compare with the new one by watching gameplay vids.

[@SaintCecilia19]

wahhhh censorship wahhhhh baby noises

[@sentientnpc0]

@@SaintCecilia19 you should have censored your comments since you love censorship that much

[@andredevarie1]

Don't you guys ever sleep?

[@narutonutty]

It's a wonder. These guys are just prolific and somehow consistently on the ball with their review scores. Just got nothing but mad respect for Noisy Pixel

[@SomeOfMyBusiness]

....with no option to marry the males.....okay. Now we know.

[@silverfox2513]

The real reason it's a 7/10 game for him

[@orieOrieo]

Still think this rf is the best after playing other versions. Rainboooooow!!!!🌈🌈🌈🌈

[@zerokura]

I remember 3 is the rune Factory I don't care to much for. It's fun and all. I just felt when I was playing the rom of it that the combat was very fast so it felt like the game was more focus on combat. I remember seeing no point in farming so I got my stuff from dungeons to sell.

[@rachelciel3330]

Yeah, RF3 is more combat and story oriented compared to its other siblings in the same series. I guess the developers just had too much fun in upgrading the battle system they kinda forgot to make farming have more importance. As you can see the upgrades in battle system between RF2 and RF3 is vastly different and much smoother. So farming became kinda "achivement" rather than necessity. You can see they try to amend this problem in RF4 by having Eliza requesting long-term farming missions that will take so much to finish so farming became more necessity than a side job.

[@bornanime3255]

Yeahhh, this remaster doesn't sound very good. Guess I'll just get the original and emulate it.

[@moejuggler6033]

What? The remake is an objectively better experience.

[@bornanime3255]

@@moejuggler6033 Not from what I'm hearing. Smeary poorly AI upscaled background art, old control schemes from the original and basically no quality of life changes. Only thing they've seemed to objectively improve is the addition of that marriage thing and even that is apparently a pain in the ass to work through.