Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon announced for DS

Natsume’s Rune Factory series has carved a nice little niche for itself thanks to a winning combination of farm life simulation and RPG action. Today, the third title in the series has been announced for DS, Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon. 

Rune Factory 3 puts players in the role of a hybrid who must unite two warring clans. New to the series will be allies who can join you in battle, and a new monster form that can be unleashed to use powerful special attacks. An all-new multiplayer mode is also on the cards, allowing up to three players to conquer dungeons. It’s set for release later this year.

Sounds like a treat for people with enough time on their hands. I played the Wii Rune Factory and really liked it, but it’s a tough nut to crack into. How many of you can resist getting sucked back into the time consuming world of monsters and turnips?

Burlingame, Calif., June 8, 2010 – Natsume Inc., a worldwide developer

and publisher of family-oriented video games, announced today that

Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon will be released for the

Nintendo DST later this year. The Rune Factory series combines the fun

and rewarding gameplay of Harvest Moon with the fantasy and excitement

of an action-RPG, offering Harvest Moon fans and traditional RPG

players the best of both worlds.

 

 “We can’t wait to give fans their first look at this title at the

upcoming E3 tradeshow,” said Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO at

Natsume. “This game has a powerful story, a compelling new cast of

characters, and a lot of exciting new features. It’s the best and

deepest Rune Factory yet!”

 

The people of Sharance and their horned Univir neighbors are embroiled

in a bitter conflict. An age-old hatred between humans and monsters

divides them. Micah is an adventurer with an unusual secret: he’s half

monster! He’ll have to unite the humans and the Univir in time to stop

the growing evil force that threatens to destroy them both!

 

Rune Factory 3 introduces a number of exciting new features to the Rune

Factory series: befriended villagers will now join you in battle and

lend you their unique skills, players can transform the main character

into his monster form to unleash a savage new arsenal of fighting

moves, and the game’s new multiplayer mode lets up to three players

work together to conquer unique dungeons packed with rare items and

fearsome monsters.

 

Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon will make its first public

appearance at this month’s E3 show in the Los Angeles area and will

ship to retail later this year.