Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny For Wii

Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny has been scheduled for release on the Wii and PS3 for North America sometime later this year. For those of you that have never heard of this series, prepare to be informed. Rune Factory is a series that I love, based on another series that I adore: Harvest Moon.

Speaking of Harvest Moon, have you ever played it? It’s a series that has appeared across numerous systems, but mostly on Nintendo platforms and handhelds. At its core, it’s a farming game that is simple, yet somehow addicting. But Rune Factory takes the classic Harvest Moon gameplay, and adds monster and magic to give it a fantasy twist.

Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny is a fun kind of RPG. In this game, you will have two protagonists: Aden and Sonja. These two are lifelong friends, and one day they find themselves trapped in one body, and in a place they have never seen before. It’s a bit better than the cliché amnesiac who doesn’t remember whom he is or where he is from, but they make up for it.

First off, you get to ride on a golem, named Ymir. With him, you are able to travel the oceans, battle monsters, and of course grow some veggies. There are around thirty islands to explore with different seasons for growing plants, and a rather interesting assortment of characters. You can even woo a few of the characters, for those of you who are interested in video game dating.

Also, since some of you might already play this series, you will be able to play as a girl as well as a boy. You have to find Sonja’s body first, but it is possible to play either gender. Another new feature is that the equipment you put on, besides weapons, can be seen on your character as you play. Don’t worry too much though, since you can toggle them on or off if you decide to wear a strange assortment of items. There are quite a few new features and activities in this game not seen in previous Rune Factory titles, but you will have to wait to find out!

You have to see it to really get a feeling for the game. Here are a few videos from GameTrailers from E3 that show the farming aspect, as well as how to control Ymir.

Please tell me what you think. The game graphics are fun, with plenty of action for those who just want to hack at monsters. Would you like to see more of this game?