Rune Factory 2

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Rune Factory 2

Developer(s) Neverland Co., Ltd.
Publisher(s) Marvelous Interactive (Japan)

Natsume (USA)
Ubisoft (Worldwide)

Distributor(s) Ubisoft
Designer(s) Yoshifumi Hashimoto
Platform(s) Nintendo DS
Release date JP January 3, 2008[1]
Genre(s) Simulation, RPG
Mode(s) Single-player
Rating(s) CERO: A (All Ages)
Media Nintendo DS Game Card

Rune Factory 2 (ルーンファクトリー2?) is the sequel to the simulation/role-playing video game Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon, and was developed by Neverland Co., Ltd. and Marvelous Interactive Inc. for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console.

According to the official introduction in the website, Rune Factory 2 is not officially counted as a member of the Harvest Moon series (which they have removed the series name as well, unlike its prequel).[citation needed] The official artwork also said Rune Factory 2 is one of the Harvest Moon Series spin-off.

Currently, the game is released only in Japan, while release dates for other regions are yet to be announced.

Contents

[edit] Story

The sequel to the original Rune Factory is set several years after Raguna and friends defeated the evil plans of the Sechs Empire. Things are at peace again in Norad Kingdom. In the village of Alvanna, a boy named Kyle has become old enough to travel on his own. Right before he begins his adventures, a strange premonition of doom begins to appear as a strange lady named Mana makes an appearance.

[edit] Developments

Instead of having to press start to enter the inventory to change accessories and armor, there are now touchable tabs in the lower left-corner of the DS touch screen. Tapping on these tabs will open up a larger window, where the player can easily equip the items they need. There is also a gauge on the upper screen to show how much water is in the watering-can. You can also control your character with the stylus or the D-pad. Another change to the game play is the ability to take on RPG-style quests involving the townspeople.

The story is separated by two parts, while the first half involve Kyle, the second half will involve Kyle's son (or daughter, depends on player's choice in the first half).

[edit] Characters

[edit] Bachelorettes (First Half)

Mana is the first girl you meet in Alvanna Village. She is very energetic. She lives with her father, Douglas, at the town's seed shop, Pumpkin. After the school is built in the second-half of the game, she becomes the teacher.

Alvanna's fortune-teller. She has a tendency to say "My prediction came true!" when different events happen. However, her weather prediction is always true, and even has the ability to change it. She can predict the next day's weather, tell you the location of a person, and tell you how close you are with someone.

The idol of the village. Julia runs the bath house, Wisdom. She is a kind yet relatively quiet girl.

  • Rosalind Remnand Viviajyu - Character Voice: Kozue Kamada

Prodigy. Similar to Bianca from the first Rune Factory, she is a polite yet somewhat spoiled girl. She lives at the Viviajyu Mansion in Alvanna.

Dorothy is shy and quiet, and is often seen at Natalie's clinic. She is always seen holding a small dog doll. She is a competitor in the Fishing Tournament.

Yue is a foreign peddler, and sells food and other items with her. She can be seen at the front of cave entrances. In the second-half of the game, you can buy kitchen utensils and other things for the school.

When Cecilia from the original Rune Factory grew up in Kardia and decided to study abroad, she came across Alvanna Village. She is very thoughtful and sweet. She is a half-elf, which was also revealed in the original Rune Factory. She works as a maid in the Viviajyu mansion.

[edit] Boyfriends/Girlfriends (Second Half)

When the story advance into the second half, the major character's children will take appearance in the game. Though it is not officially counted as a marriage, boys can choose Kanon or Lamria as a girlfriend, while girls can choose Orphas, Roy or Rean as boyfriend. Muu and Suu are available to both boy or girl's route.

Both Kanon and Roy appear in the first half of the story but become candidates for a boyfriend/girlfriend when the player reaches the second half of the game.

It is noted that the parent's combination below are the default combination. Whenever the player marries a bachelorette other than Mana, Alicia, or Yue, Yue will automatically replace the mother role of the original child.

  • Kanon - Character Voice: Ai Bandou

Kanon is Dorothy's younger sister. Unlike Dorothy's timid personality, Kanon is lively and energetic. Many of her quests involve playing games with her, such as Shadow Boxing or Rock, Paper, Scissors.

An active boy who likes playing with Kanon. He dislikes studying.

  • Rean - Character Voice:

Barrett and Dorothy's son. With the way he dresses, people tend to mistake him for a girl. Unlike his parents, he is afraid of fishes. He likes Hotcakes.

  • Orphas - Character Voice: Hidemi Anzai

Jake and Cecilia's son. Like his father, he dislikes humans.

  • Lamria Remnand Viviajyu - Character Voice: Mayu Yamaguchi

Max and Julia's daughter, influenced by her grandfather, she seems to develop a good sense of food. She seem to know some "Tulip" tale around Kardia, which mentions Mist from Rune Factory. She likes Pizza.

  • Suu and Muu - Characters' Voices:

The twin daughters of Ray and Rosalind. They are usually seen together. Suu is the more active of the twins while Muu is quieter.

[edit] Other Characters

  • Douglas - Character Voice: Takahiro Fujimoto

Douglas sells seeds at Pumpkin, the town's only seed store. He is overprotective of his daughter, Mana and tries to get rid of any boys that try to marry her.

  • Natalie - Character Voice: Mayu Yamaguchi

Natalie runs Alvanna's clinic. Sometimes, she argues with her daughter, Alicia, as she thinks fortune telling is not scientific.

  • Godon - Character Voice: Te Inada

Godon runs Alvanna's church and is the father of Dorothy and Kanon. A hearty man. Many of his quests involve getting various ores.

  • Jake - Character Voice: Ryouhei Nakao

He is an elf who works in Tanya's weaponry, and is mildly spiteful towards Kyle and calls him "human". Jake is a skilled swordsman and is protective of Cecilia.

  • Endore - Character Voice:

The owner of the inn "Swallow", Endore is Jake's father.

  • Ray - Character Voice: Hidemi Anzai

Ray is Alicia's younger brother. He is a bit quiet, but is often very nice and peaceful.

  • Barrett - Character Voice: Masaru Suzuki

Barrett is a quiet person who tends to be avoided by the villagers. Rumors of violence surround him but the truth is unknown. He participates in the Fishing Tournament. He becomes a teacher in the second half of the game.

  • Bry - Character Voice: Te Inada

Bry is Alvanna Village's mayor and Barrett's father. He and Barrett seem to have a hard time understanding each other though. He can build monster huts for you to store dungeon monsters in, and later on in the game, build the town's school.

  • Max Remnand Viviajyu - Character Voice: Ryouhei Nakao

Rosalind's older brother. Very clearheaded.

  • Helijaques Remnand Viviajyu - Character Voice: Takahiro Fujimoto

The town's gourmand and father of Rosalind and Max. He is the judge during food-related festival. He is always looking for something to eat and is similar to the original Rune Factory's gourmet, Jasper.

  • Tanya - Character Voice:

The owner of the weapon shop and Roy's mother. Her quests on the town bulletin board involve defeating different monsters, and unlike other villagers' quests, you can keep coming back to re-do them for more money.

[edit] Merchandising and Pre-order Bonus

Rune Factory 2 has had multiple manga series to help promote the game, in such magazines as Dengeki Nintendo DS, Monthly Wings, Dragon Age, and Dengeki Maoh. There is also a novel being sold based on the game. If players pre-ordered the game in Japan, they would receive a free CD with three mini-dramas as well as an 18-page art book.

[edit] Reception

Famitsu scored the game 7 / 8 / 7 / 8 which equals 30/40, which is lower than the original Rune Factory's score of 33/40.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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