HAVING established itself as a brand with a strong fanbase in its own right, the Rune FactoryIP is no longer being promoted as just a Harvest Moonspin-off. Like other Rune Factorygames, it again blends the farming of Harvest Moon with the monster-hunting usually found in other RPGs. Rune Factory Oceans marks the
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series’ first venture onto the PS3. It sees players stepping into the shoes of Aden and Sonja, two lifelong friends who awake one morning to find their souls both now exist in Aden’s body.
This is a deep RPG that can also appeal to the family audience, so we expect it to be picked up by supermarkets. Yen Hau, Rising Star Games
To add to the confusion, their quiet town has transformed into a strange new island filled with people the duo have never seen before. It’s up to players, along with the help of huge golem Ymir, to discover what has happened.
BEYOND THE SEA
Players can look forward to taking care of crops and taming animals, but Rune Factory Oceanspromises fans the vastest world to ever grace the series, brimming with more character interaction, monster battles and opportunities for crop growth than ever before. “We anticipate a very positive reaction from retailers,” Rising Star Games’ product marketingmanager Yen Hau tells MCV. “We know the series sells well and we expect that tradition to continue and grow. “This is a deep RPG that can also appeal to the family audience, so we expect Rune Factory Oceansto be picked up by the supermarkets and form a key part of their PS3 offering, as well as all other traditional High Street retailers. “Rune Factory has set itself up as a strong brand in its own right and is growing with every iteration.”
May 4th 2012
Rune Factory Oceans
The latest in the Harvest Moon-inspired series is establishing the IP as a great RPG franchise in its own right. Billy Langsworthy looks at Rune Factory’s PS3 debut