Marvelous Entertainment recently released some new info on the 4th portable installment of their successful Harvest Moon spin-off series Rune Factory. No release date has been given as of yet, but the game will come out some time in 2011 and it’s extremely likely that Natsume will once again bring the game to the US and Europe.
In this 3DS-exclusive installment, you take control of either Les or Frey. At the beginning of the game, your character falls out of an airship and onto a dragon, losing his (or her) memory on impact. The dragon then somehow arranges your character to be regarded as the prince/princess of the country, giving you a little more freedom than previous games in the series and allowing you to construct buildings and institutions like pharmacies or smithies. For an introduction to some of the new systems employed in the game, check after the jump.
The Sweetheart System will allow you to have multiple sweethearts or lovers at the same time. Rune Factory games up until now had a linear progression, where you go from friends to married couple with a single person; this time around, the system is a little more…lenient.
The Picnic System will allow you to take a person that you like (or a monster that you befriended) out for a walk and an adventure. Interestingly enough, the article doesn’t list “picnicking” as an available activity…
Unlike previous games, you’re not locked down on a grid when planting crops, allowing you to plant them in whatever formation you want. You can even grow giant crops if you put enough love and affection into it.
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Posted by: Andrej
Posted on: July 5, 2011
Drej is a volunteer writer for The Daily DL. He's been into gaming since he was 3 years old and thus knows a thing or two. When he's not busy playing games, watching obscure movies or being an cynic, he tries to write descriptions of himself in the third person that won't make him look like the nerd he actually is. He also knows Japanese and isn't afraid to use it. 
I can not believe I almost missed this. Thank you for this update. I am a big fan of the Rune Factory series. While you can say it is my “guilty gaming pleasure” I simply enjoy the mechanics.
This does not though increase my desire for the 3DS as of yet. Just the desire to play a Rune Factory game.
The 3DS, and Vita are both a wait and see for now. They both have great potential, but $250 is a bit much for me. My early adopter days are far beyond me. I want substance, and know that my money isn’t going to be wasted on a port machine. Which the 3DS so far is acting like mostly, and the Vita can share the same fate as it’s little brother PSP.