Dating and falling in love in Rune Factory 5 is a different experience from other simulation games like Stardew Valley, and it can make the mechanics more fulfilling for players. Rune Factory 5 is a hybrid JPRG and farming simulation game that combines slice-of-life mechanics with interesting combat. Players can grow crops, raise monsters, and build relationships with a large cast of NPCs, all while battling through dungeons for rare items. However, the dynamic combination of mechanics is a driving force in the satisfaction of character relationships in the game.
Like other farming and slice-of-life simulation games, Rune Factory 5 offers dating and marriage between the main character and a selection of eligible NPCs. Unlike Rune Factory 4 and other previous titles, players can marry any eligible romance candidate, regardless of their gender. Because of this, players can build relationships and date any character while also developing meaningful friendships with the NPCs they don't choose to pursue in a romantic partnership.
Several of the features surrounding romance and dating in Rune Factory 5 are similar to games like Stardew Valley. Players must build a relationship up before they can commit and date a specific character. They are able to give gifts to the characters, boosting relationships with "liked" and "loved" items, and they can speak to the character daily for cute and interesting dialogue. "Disliked" gifts can damage relationship progress, requiring players to pay attention to the preferred choices of those they want to date. However, Rune Factory 5 gameplay uses several different mechanics outside of these basic tasks to help create a bond between the player's character and the NPCs, making the romance aspect of gameplay more rewarding than Stardew Valley.
Rune Factory 5 Let's Players Fight Alongside Their Romantic Partner
Combat is an important part of standard gameplay in Rune Factory 5. Players will need to battle through dungeons to obtain loot from chests and monsters, as well as to advance the overarching narrative and complete sidequests. While it is possible to take these challenges on without help, players have the ability to invite NPCs along with them. Players can have a party of up to 4 NPCs or monster companions, but often taking a potential romantic partner can create a rewarding dungeon-crawling experience.
The opportunity to spend extra time with each dateable Rune Factory 5 character in a setting that isn't scripted, or part of a daily walk cycle, is an exciting way to add depth to the relationships between playable characters and NPCs. Additionally, each NPC has dialogue that triggers during combat, giving players a chance to learn more about their personalities. Players can also adjust their fighting style to complement that of their partner, as each dateable NPC in Rune Factory 5 has a preferred weapon type and abilities. This makes each romance unique not just in dialogue, but in the adventures, the players and the character have together.
Rune Factory 5 players can also build unique memories and moments by inviting their characters along for adventures, with each dungeon and each new area offering different experiences with the dateable NPCs. Because of this, no two players will have the same romantic journey with the same NPC, adding a level of personalization not found in games like Stardew Valley. While the gift-and-date method of many simulation games is quick and easy on a list of daily in-game tasks, the less formulaic relationship building offers a level of immersion that can be more satisfying for many players.
Rune Factory 5 Character Voices, Models, & Portraits Are More Expressive
Rune Factory 5's romance can also be more enjoyable for players due to the 3D models and 2D portraits that offer expressive reactions from dateable characters. Unlike Stardew Valley's pixelated art and gritty character designs, Rune Factory 5 opts for an anime-influenced style that allows NPCs to be both bright and emotive. While these style differences can be preferred differently based on the players, the large, 2D portraits offer expressive reactions to dialogue that are both rewarding and endearing for those pressuring a romantic relationship.
Additionally, Rune Factory 5 includes voiced character dialogue that is not available in games like Stardew Valley. While the text dialogue and character expressions on models and portraits convey a good deal of emotion, the addition of voices helps bring the characters to life. Voices add an extra level of immersion to important moments, like the NPC's response to being asked to date, or be married, to the main character. It can also be fun to hear the frustration, upset, or joy in dateable characters when they are involved in combat, event competitions, or daily tasks that don't involve the main character.
While Rune Factory 5 provides players with a detailed and enjoyable dating experience, there are a few setbacks that can be frustrating. Unlike Stardew Valley, players do not have the ability to fully customize their character when starting a new game. They must play as the default male or female character, and will only be able to change their outfits once the game begins. The lack of character customization damages the replayability of Rune Factory 5, as gamers build deep and important relationships with a specific character, and playing through again puts the identical main character with another NPC. This can be jarring after building a complex and unique relationship with another NPC in a previous save.
Additionally, Rune Factory 5 limits the way players can respond to dialogue options as the main character, with the response options potentially not aligning with what the player might actually want to say. This makes the experience as the main character feel less personalized and can detract from the immersion of building relationships with Rune Factory 5's dateable NPCs. To help fix this, a patch introducing more dialogue options could greatly benefit those wanting more choices when responding to their in-game partner.
Despite these setbacks, Rune Factory 5 offers players a surprisingly detailed and emotionally impactful romantic journey when playing through the game. the developers of titles like Stardew Valley could take several of these aspects into consideration for future slice-of-life games, and begin steering away from the gift-based romance and linear relationship progression that has remained a staple in similar titles over the years. Hopefully, future games similar to Rune Factory 5 will continue to develop personalized romantic relationships, giving players further unique ways to connect with NPCs while exploring new stories.
