Rune Factory: Frontier kicks off after the events that occurred in the first episode. Raguna is a young boy who, due to amnesia, has lost his memory; rescue the beautiful Mist, after past adventures together, he ended up affezionarvisi, and then it disappears from the city when he leaves to his research.
The two do not remain separated for long, and because of some particular dreams of the girl end up settling in the village where they arrived. Here Raguna learns that a great danger looming over the town: a huge whale-shaped island floating in the sky above, but the magical powers that hold it in the air are slowly fading ...
The beginning of the plot is just more elaborate cloth classic Harvest Moon series, although, however, include the classic elements of the young man who decides to take over an abandoned farm and must save the day. This is the first sign of a different attention paid to the development of the plot, in a functional way to a gaming rig revolutionized than the traditional one in the series. Rune Factory: Frontier has in fact a double nature: that of management, with all the components that have made the series famous, and an equally important action-RPG. Yes, because next to traditional activities such as tilling the land, water the seed, reap the rewards of their hard work, there will be fights with monsters of all types and sizes. The caves, which have always been the place to go to dig and break up stones to draw precious materials, are now inhabited by hostile creatures, have fled from the Primeval Forest due to the weakening of the powers that hold suspended the Island Whale, therefore daily in the activity of their hero, who, as usual, however, must be planned at various stages, would also include the running around the dungeon, defeating enemies and raising their level, so as to be able to face confrontations As more and more challenging.
The component ruolistica is not particularly elaborate: the right character can be equipped with weapons as well as armor, in an extremely traditional, to descend deeper and deeper in the dungeon but never excessively long, it must be said, absolutely valid from the point of view of the level design, and rivisitabili as many times as we want. The combat system is exquisitely mold action, therefore the focus of the action will consist in dealing with the right timing the enemies, hitting them once you have dodged their attack, the monsters are generated continuously by bright ball of energy, which should be destroyed (but reappear the next navigation) to interrupt the flow. The exploration is rendered less monotonous by simple puzzles and areas that are unlocked via special requirements, and it is never an end to the only leveling: In addition to the aforementioned minerals, you will find special jewelry (left by defeated enemies) or valuables, closed caskets. Not only that: inside the caves we can grow the products of the earth, independently of the season, as each dungeon is tied to a particular time of year. At the end of the exploration will be the most classic of boss battles, equipped with numerous items to be addressed for the recovery and proper weapons because, despite appearances, fail to provide an appropriate level of challenge, with battles never simple, to deal with strategy and prudence.
This large and important part of the game structure might be alienating and even out of place if excessively separated from the management: luckily there are fundamentals of connection points, which make the one on completion of the other, in a completely natural way and incredibly effective.
The first is the ability to tame the monsters of the caves, in order to popularize his barn with creatures from many different possibilities: there are some that can help in the work in the fields, removing weeds, cutting wood or pulling of the harvest; others that offer their fruits, such as eggs and milk, but just keep versions less productive hens and cows, others still can serve as a mount, and all other hand, can accompany the player in the exploration and in the fighting. The attachment of the creatures to be improved keeping them well-fed, spazzolandole every day and taking them out, but despite this range of actions available are unable to establish with animals, except with their favorite monsters, the emotional well present in the other episodes of the series. More than a stable with animals to care seems to be in front of a shed in which to give orders and take what belongs to us, in a mechanical way and not felt, but from the standpoint of purely fun is a perfect point of connection.
The second aspect very intriguing and improved sharply than usual is the system of character skills. Our hero in fact, the price of a modest sum with which to buy the right equipment and set it up at home, can be produced by a variety of activities for improvement over time: in addition to traditional cuisine are the forge, the cauldron for potions, the table for inventor. To produce any object you will need to have the recipe, which was donated by a local special or bought in the library proper, and of course the ingredients found in the fields, but especially in the caves, dropped from monsters or found in chests. The possible combinations are many, for each type, and explore with newly forged weapon and the bag full of food still hot from the oven is a particular satisfaction. Needless to say, such as progress in the arts coincides with better items and therefore more effective as we venture between the dangers, allowing a progression articulated, coherent and satisfactory in the various phases of the game.
With regard to the management part little has changed and some members of the gameplay actually has been simplified, providing fewer cues than in recent episodes of Harvest Moon. We have already spoken of the part related farming, but also in the relationship with the people he preferred a lighter structure: the necessary events to wed his chosen have disappeared, so just an assiduous courtship to make it fall at our feet. The same applies to the other inhabitants of the village, which will repay our efforts with them but obviously not with eternal love with objects more or less important.
Some tasty novelty lies in the cultivation system: the way it will always be the same, but there are some variables that make it more fun. Gathering the Runey, friendly spirits that inhabit the area around the town of Stilts, you can get some real miracles of various kinds: you will have days of rain or constant sunshine, it will speed up the growth of vegetables and other effects which will also affect other game situations, for example by increasing the attachment of animals against it. The Runey are placed in relation to each other, since they are of four types, and some feed on others to keep their numbers in balance, but still managed to have more of it, will improve the productivity of the soil and the harmony of nature.
The fantasy of Rune Factory: Frontier sublimates the visual appearance, in full agreement with nature ever so beautiful. Graphically the title Neverland looks great, well designed and textured polygonal models not complessissimi, but of absolute value, given the great care put into the details. Which is a clear distinctive element of a style that could almost be described romantic-fantasy. Nature is wonderfully represented, with streams flowing cheerful, leafy trees, paths through small woods and end on the shores of a lake, after passing through a beautiful wooden bridge. The imaginary bucolic is perfectly reconstructed, further enhanced by the dream-like vision of the typical fantasy. Pity perhaps for a play area in hindsight not too large and little used, since most of the things to do are resolved in a few places.
The characters that populate the town of Stilts and its surroundings are well characterized from the point of view of aesthetics, bringing even here a remarkable attention to detail, as well as their behavior is reproduced in an effective manner, making them pleasant caricatures, never anonymous. Also here is the amount lacking, because it is true that with time the village will be filled with more and more, but in games like this the abundance is always welcome.
The audio sector plays his role well, with melodies of good quality, relaxing and peaceful, in full accord with the spirit of the game, the sound effects are to shine, by the sounds of animals to the sounds of nature, like the whisper of the streams and the birds singing. Mention must be made of good dubbing that accompanies some phrases of the characters, and that it contributes effectively to their characterization.
Needless to say once again how the technique is here, as always, at the service of the rest of the scaffolding of production, but move in a world so participant further amplifies the feelings of the player. Addiction derived from gameplay is conveyed through many small elements, which together build a gaming rig deep and filled with fun, that puts the player at his accurate center and never leaves him a mere spectator. And once more the indifference of those who would look at him with a crime is not enough forgivable.
As well as the best episodes of the series increased in Rune Factory: Frontier everything is always greater than the sum of its parts, because it adds to the game structure the participation of a player who can not escape the magic of its rhythms and the charm of her appearance . The introduction of the component ruolistica is a value-added production, which breaks down a bit 'the monotony of country life, and supports with a plot finally quite complex gameplay that, in its simplicity, manages to be fresh and accessible. The excessive complexity in this context is unnecessary, tedious, so the title Neverland betting on other features, but that does not mean that it is shallow, and the ton of opportunities reserved for the player are there to witness it. Rune Factory: Frontier could be a good opportunity for anyone who has never been able to reconcile with the peculiarities of the series of Harvest Moon: really an opportunity not to be wasted.

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This review is a copy from this site

http://www.everyeye.it/wii/articoli/rune-factory-frontier_recensione_11337

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rikivizzed : Again, this is another post that is copy/pasted from the site above.
Closed for review.