If there’s anything a game can do to make a good first impression, it’s having its dual protagonists riding huge dragons in what feels like a cataclysmic event.
Having no skin in the game as far as Rune Factory as a series is concerned, it felt as though I’d skipped a whole host of chapters and was getting ready for the final battle between good and evil, and then… my character woke up.
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Release date: June 5, 2025
Rather than charging into battle atop a mythical creature, I found myself cleaning up weeds and harvesting wood. The surprising part, however, is that in doing so, I came to fall in love with the depths of Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma’s systems.
There’s combat here, sure, but in the 25 hours I spent in its charming world on Nintendo Switch 2, the biggest draws were getting to just the next upgrade for my burgeoning town, offering just the right gift on a character’s birthday, and enjoying quality time with its cast.
Rhythm is a dancer
Still, I’m getting ahead of myself. As I mentioned, I’ve never played a Rune Factory game before, but with multiple Switch 2 games dropping into the laps of gamers, I wanted to kick the tires somewhat even before this review in hopes of filling a knowledge gap.
Waking from a dream, my amnesiac hero finds himself in the quaint Spring Village. Here, the sacred tree has stopped blooming, and I was tasked with cleaning the place up in hopes that better times would return.
As it would happen, the protagonist is an Earth Dancer, able to tap into natural forces (isn’t that always the way?), allowing them to wield divine instruments that help plants grow and push back against a sort of blight that’s strangling this once-vibrant world.
That narrative setup leads into the main mechanic of Guardians of Azuma: Village management. If the game itself were a sacred tree, its village customisation and management tools would be the central trunk–absolutely everything feeds into it, and that’s what helped me sink so many hours in so quickly.
Making friends…
In the game’s opening hours, you’ll be led by the hand through all sorts of smaller pieces of village stewardship. You’ll meet its inhabitants to grow social bonds (more on that shortly), and spend time building up a designated area for fields and small buildings.
It doesn’t take long to build a couple of relatively humble abodes to help bring in new villagers, or harvest crops that can be sent elsewhere to raise capital for your village. In fact, before long, there’s the same kind of satisfaction you find in any other management game, as things tick along nicely.
The more villagers you can, the more they’ll be able to help with chores and tasks, and each has individual perks that help them fall more naturally into roles like Loggers, Farmers, or Miners.
Seeing my small patch of farmland from the game’s first hour gain a whole host of villagers to work on the harvest, or adding my first blacksmith, felt perfectly paced. The carrot on the proverbial stick of “I just need to get to the next upgrade” kept me up past 2 AM more than once, and there’s a really cosy quality to Guardians of Azuma that makes it a natural fit as a Switch 2 launch game.
…and influencing people
In between your daily routine of tidying things up, bossing people about, and trying to make a bit of gold, you’ll also have the chance to grow friendships with your companions and even branch out into romance with them.
This is achieved by making an effort to converse with them regularly, fulfilling any requests they may have, and eventually working with their likes and dislikes to select suitable gifts or suggest suitable activities.
It’s not as strictly structured as something like Persona, and while there is a day/night schedule (complete with debuffs for staying up late), it’s easy to fit multiple social engagements into one day.
They say 'it takes a village', and I loved watching my relatively small patch of farmland grow into a bustling production line of crops being picked, weapons being crafted, and making coin via trading.
That’s a good thing, because many of the characters are just so fun to talk to. Ulalaka, the divine spirit of the game’s first village, is relaxed and cordial but holds some deeper fears about the state of the world and her diminishing powers. And, while some characters are certainly more one-note (Murasame is the relatively generic swordsman, while Takumi is the affable, boisterous carpenter), they’re all brought to life with exuberant voice acting and great regionalisation.
A special shout-out, too, to Woolby. The game’s comic relief could have felt more irritating given how much he’s on screen in certain scenes, and I had feared he’d be akin to Persona’s Teddy or Morgana, but I ended up genuinely enjoying his appearances, and he didn’t grate much at all.
Laying down the law of the land
You’ll want to spend time chatting up your cohorts, too. There are around two dozen romance options, but once any of their bond levels hit 1 (which is very, very easy to do), they’ll be able to accompany you on expeditions out of the village.
That’s important because while your town is busy working on items and weapons you can take out into the world with you, there are monsters to slay.
While the bright art style may suggest similarities, it’s not quite as deep as in something like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Many enemies can be felled with a few swings of your sword, but there are plenty of weapons to unlock, each with their own skill trees.
That applies to your party, too, so leveling your social bonds can be the difference between rolling into a boss fight with a relatively slapdash squad or with a team of hardened veterans.
There’s a breeziness to the action-based sword-swinging and bow-firing, and the option to slow time when you nail a ‘Perfect Dodge’ and follow up with a whirlwind flurry of attacks feels just as good here as it has in recent Zelda titles.
Some enemies will even turn into villagers, making seeking them out (and various other bonuses in the areas outside your village) a worthy endeavour.
Rinse, repeat
While there’s always something to do, be it a notjiceboard request or working towards the next village upgrade, the game’s structure won’t be to everyone’s liking.
Each chapter essentially adds a new village, and if you’ve not had a great deal of fun managing the minutiae of harvesting and selling crops in the first one, you’ll probably struggle to find the fun in the following villages.
Each comes with its own unique challenges, characters, and mechanics, but the overarching mechanics remain the same. That’s something I had a blast with, just constantly min/maxing my time, but it won’t be to everyone’s tastes.
I also found that there are some frame rate drops while playing on a TV at 4K, but those weren’t an issue in handheld. Given the option to sit back and do some village management while watching TV, though, I can see the latter being the way most people enjoy Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma.
Should you play Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma?
Play it if...
You’re looking for something to scratch that Animal Crossing itch
Rune Factory isn’t quite as cutesy, but it does offer plenty of management systems for your villages. And yes, you can just walk around pulling up weeds as if Tom Nook is watching over you.
You want something to sink hours into
Between finding materials, recruiting villagers, restoring your home, and much, much more, it’s easy to get lost in Guardians of Azuma’s series of interwoven mechanics.
You’re looking for a great starting point for the series
I’ve never played a Rune Factory game, but it’s a series I’ll be keeping an eye on in the future. It’s easy to follow right from the jump.
Don't play it if...
You’re looking for a deep story
Guardians of Azuma’s story is relatively by-the-numbers, but a strong cast of characters and great voice work help it feel more than the sum of its parts.
Accessibility
As far as I could see in the settings, there are no additional subtitle sizes on offer, but you can auto-pause dialogue when a sentence is finished. You can also adjust the speed at which subtitles appear.
Button mapping is very flexible, too, meaning players can customize their button inputs as much as they’d like, and the game does a great job of keeping button tooltips on screen, too.
How I reviewed Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma
I played Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma for 25 hours, completing the main story and mopping up a whole host of side quests.
I did so on Nintendo Switch 2, switching between docked with my Sky Glass TV and playing in handheld mode, and making use of the Switch 2 Pro Controller. It marks one of my favorite Switch 2 experiences alongside The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild, as well as Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, but up next it’s Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition.
First reviewed June 2025
