Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma
Rune Factory : Guardians of Azumais a spin - off that brings several new twists to the long - running franchise . It ’s set in the titular Azuma , a land inspired by ancient Japan instead of thetypical Western - styleRune Factorylocale , which is struggling in the wake of a cataclysmal event call the Celestial Collapse - the clangour of a large object into the humanity which split it apart . Now , a lack of runes and a scourge called Blight have turned Azuma into a devoid husk of what it once was , and it ’s up to the participant and their newfound powers to bushel it .
I was able to spend about two time of day withGuardians of Azuma , and several change were evident right aside . While the deed of conveyance does keep the same portmanteau word of combat , relationship building , and farming , there ’s also a heavier accent than ever before on declamatory - scale of measurement village building . There ’s also a bigger focus on the overall worked up impact of relationship - every cutscene is fully voice - dissemble , and there ’s the mostromance prospect of anyRune Factory , with 16 total . Players have the choice between a manly and distaff admirer , and the character not chosen becomes romanceable as well , another franchise first .
Waking Up In Rune Factory’s Azuma
An Amnesiac Adventure, As Is Tradition
The first portion of the mitt - on preview started at the start of the secret plan , with my chosen protagonist waking up in a afternoon tea family bedroom follow a mysterious pipe dream about Draco riding and a fighting with an unknown enemy . According to Iroha , the sweet afternoon tea sign proprietress , I ’d been there half a year after arbitrarily crashing through the ceiling one daylight . The tea planetary house is one of the last remaining dynamic businesses in the Spring Village , home to a once - great cerise blossom tree that ’s now begin to rot and shrink .
The next day , follow a dream about the spring goddess Ululaka , wherein she sought my help resort the village , I awoke to a Wooly named Woolby on top of me who ’d appointed himself my new collaborator . I was then give a wizard barrel , which present the novel mechanic of Kamiwaza -as an Earth Dancer , players can employ inspired tools to heighten the world and their combat in a myriad of ways . Once bestow my legal instrument , I wandered around performing drum dances to revitalize the village tree diagram , culminating in reviving the said cherry tree blossom tree .
utilize Kamiwaza requires RP , which slow refills over sentence and can be accelerate up with sure intellectual nourishment . The more divine instruments are used , the more they ’ll be capable to do via experience put into a skill tree . In just my minute of prison term reviving the hamlet botany , I was able to unlock the Shockwave move , which allows the barrel to be slay during combat in club to lurch opposition .
Combat In Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma
The Same Fighting Fans Know With Some New Weaponry & Techniques
My first predilection of fighting come next , which in many ways felt exchangeable to the combat inprevious titles likeRune Factory 5- it ’s fast and unstable , with an emphasis on dodging and powered - up attacks . Tasked with finding a missing carpenter who was last ensure traveling to an desert shrine , my curt sword and I set off through the woods , take down Ralph Johnson Bunche of red oni and poulet opposition that hindered our journeying . Like in preceding games , monster roadblock often mould during these battle , necessitating players take down all enemies before they can proceed .
The newest Rune Factory game is coming out before long , and here ’s what we know so far with its release date , platforms , romance options , and plot line .
Guardians of Azumabrings back the car-mechanic of a utter dodge , an expertly - timed move that permit players to whole void damage and concisely stagger an foe when performed aright . Instead of weapons needing to have their Stun stat raised through acclivity , bigger enemies - like the give up shrine ’s political boss Mezuki - have a stun standard of measurement . Once reach a certain figure of time , monster will be temporarily handicap , leaving a windowpane for a battery of attacks . The tutorial stated some boss also have exploitable elementary weaknesses , but it ’s not something I experienced first - paw .
As relationships rise , player will be able to recruit friends with different power into their fighting party , but at this early stage I was hazard solo . At the end of my commission , I was devote a bow - a first - prison term weapon for the serial publication - to utilize on next journeys . It’sone of two new ranged pieces being added to the franchisealongside talismans , the latter of which I did n’t get to use , but seems to be a sort of long - mountain chain charming weapon .
Farming & Town Building In Guardians Of Azuma
It Really Does Take A Village
The first preview section also went over husbandry basics , which take care a bit dissimilar this metre . Players will now shift into the entirely young Village Builder Mode and employ the TerraTiller in consecrated development geographical zone . This creature aid pass out debris , leaving way for Woolby to be called in to place plantable terrain tiles . Outside of it being a disjoined style , planting , watering , harvest , and shipping crop works much as it always has , but this time Kamiwaza also follow into play . Thesamedrum dance can be used to make crops grow quicker , as well as revive shriveled ones .
The man is not only newfangled in the horse sense that it ’s a never - before - see region , but also in the way of life it functions , with separate villages - which participant are largely creditworthy for - with outdoor dungeons scattered throughout versus a exclusive hub .
However , the Village Builder Mode goes far beyond land , and is an overall integral part of player progress . In the 2nd part of the preview , I was transported to the Autumn Village a minute subsequently in the game to see all about village construction . Loaded with a tidy sum of crafting supplies and cash , I travel to the carpenter to acquire a myriad of buildings and interior decoration . This included everything from homes , businesses , carts , mills , and still , to tanuki statue , pagodas , stone , bridges , and well that could be place in developing areas .
direction goes far beyond just target structures -there ’s a sum-up screen where player can see stats like the level of each of the four villages , as well as all inhabitants . The villager menu show the special stats of each one , like the burly trait that raise logging and mining yield , as well as their current job ; they can have these roles switched between things like resource collecting or man any of the placed businesses . The small town itself can be point up through achievements like meliorate the scenic grievance , and even out up unlock fresh building recipes and moves in more the great unwashed .
Relationships In Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma
Romancing Characters & Building Bonds
The final portion of my journey consider me to a sort of wild-eyed intersection , laden to a save period where I could pursue a relationship - edifice quest for afternoon tea house proprietress Iroha or fencer Murasame . I did n’t have meter to complete both , and prefer to finish out Murasame ’s since he actually call our outing a date . In some ways , this relationship effect did palpate remindful of ones in preceding games - like many , it was a simple excursion during which more of the swordsman ’s backstory and motivation were revealed that be active our family relationship ahead incrementally .
However , this case palpate a lot more immersive than premature games , mostly due to the inclusion body of full - vox playacting . The overall modification in perspective , from the distinctive top - down or portraiture - found conversation of the yesteryear , to a more up - closelipped setting approach where characters move throughout in third - mortal , also made a big difference of opinion . Even though it was a fairly simple successiveness about gathering chestnuts , the prospect felt more meaningful and the character seemed more animated , a alteration which will no doubt behove the overall excited impact of the game ’s tale .
Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma Is Shaping Up Nicely
A New World, Fresh Faces, & Rejuvenated Aesthetic With The Same Foundations
Guardians of Azumais a very interesting spin - off in the wayit do to interbreed its coreRune Factoryfoundations with Modern ideas . The world is not only new in the mother wit that it ’s a never - before - see region , but also in the way it go , with freestanding small town - which players are for the most part responsible for for - with outside keep scattered throughout versus a undivided hub . The presentation prior to the hands - on accent that this entryway is more focussed on exploration , and will admit environmental puzzles throughout to keep thing engaging .
Though some equivalence have been madebetweenGenshin ImpactandGuardianswhen it comes to artwork style , I think the choice to make a spin - off also front different esthetically is a strong one . Especially consider Greenwich Village building is so important , it reach sense that the visual aspect of the world would in crook be update . It aligns well with the overall aim ofRune manufactory : Guardians of Azuma , shifting focus in some areas while still keep up the core facet like fluent fighting and relationship construction to create a newfangled sort of experience for sports fan that I ’m in person quite calculate frontward to .
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