Welcome to the world of an Earth Dancer. We are destined to save the world and rejuvenate it in our way. Can we accomplish said task? Let’s set out on this worldwide adventure in Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma!
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma
Release date: June 4, 2025
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 (reviewed), Microsoft Windows
Developer: Marvelous
Series: Rune Factory
Publishers: Marvelous, XSEED Games, Marvelous Europe Limited
*Special thanks to The Marvelous USA PR Team for the Switch 2 review key*
Intro/Story:
From the official website:
The Celestial Collapse—a calamity caused by a colossal object crashing into the eastern lands known as Azuma. The devastating impact sent fragments of terrain to the skies above and the seas below. With the earth shattered, the power provided by the runes ceased to flow. The gods of nature vanished soon after. Mountains crumbled and fields withered, leaving the people with nothing…not even hope.
You awaken, startled by a dream of dueling dragons. You don’t remember how or why, but a voice resonates within you.
“Accept the power of an Earth Dancer. Use this power to save the land.”
In Guardians of Azuma, you awaken as an “Earth Dancer” at a long-abandoned shrine in the mythical land of Azuma, shattered by a cataclysmic meteor strike. Tasked with restoring balance, you journey through four distinct seasonal regions (which are based on the real seasons of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter), each tied to a nature deity. Your goal in Guardianship of Azuma is to rebuild the sacred trees in these Seasonal regions/villages and revive their guardian spirits. There is much more to do after reviving the guardian spirits, but I will leave that to the player to experience on their own. Along the way, you’ll encounter a colorful cast of villagers and gods whose personal stories range from lighthearted to unexpectedly poignant, giving the narrative both warmth and depth.
The narrative during my playthrough was fantastic for the story being delivered. It was paced well, and it does its job. How does the gameplay hold up? Let’s take a look.
Gameplay:
Here is the breakdown of Guardians of Azuma, as there is quite a bit of gameplay to learn:
- Village Management & Farming: Rather than personally tending every crop (you can do that if you desire, but it’s about management!), you delegate farming, fishing, mining, and crafting to the townspeople you recruit. You plot out buildings and fields on a grid, assign villagers to roles, and upgrade their tools to improve efficiency. An end‑of‑day report lets you tweak assignments to maximize output. This is essential in the village management.
- Combat & Exploration: Combat is a fast-paced action‑RPG system. You have two weapons (swords, dual blades, bows, or mystical “sacred treasures”) and can switch between melee and ranged styles to exploit enemy weaknesses. Additionally, you can have up to three allies join you (by choice if you want) during the combat and exploration. Speaking of exploration, it spans sprawling islands and floating skylands, each unlocked by earning the appropriate seasonal treasure and offering secrets like hidden shrines and resource nodes.
- Crafting & Progression: While you still craft potions and tools, much of the heavier construction is handled by assigning villagers to build workshops, factories, and shops. Character growth is streamlined into clear skill trees: invest points in weapon specialties or life skills to shape your hero’s strengths.
- Social & Romance: Bonding with villagers feels more organic, and you spend in‑game time on outings like beach trips or restaurant visits. As relationships deepen through voiced bonding events, you unlock the option to court any of the 15 romanceable characters (including the seasonal gods), all fully voice‑acted.
I reviewed the game on the Switch 2, so I can speak to the performance for Switch 2. The Switch 2 Edition has a steady frame rate of a smooth 60 fps and ups the rendering resolution, all while minimizing load times. It even adds optional mouse support for precision in village layout, though touchscreen and controller inputs work just as well. This is the first game I tried the mouse features, and it worked surprisingly well.
Visual and audio
Visually, the game adopts a vibrant, anime‑inspired look, with each island drenched in seasonal hues, pink blossoms in Spring, fiery maples in Autumn, and so on. Character models and environments pop, and full animations during combat and festivals bring the world to life. On the Switch 2, the higher resolution and HDR-like color boost make every scene even more striking, though the aesthetic remains broadly in line with modern JRPGs.
Audio-wise, the soundtrack blends sweeping orchestral pieces with gentle, melodic village themes that underscore each season’s atmosphere. Nearly all character interactions are fully voiced in both English and Japanese, bringing emotional weight to bonding events and festival scenes. The voice cast delivers strong performances that complement the game’s blend of lighthearted banter and dramatic moments.
Wrap-Up/Conclusion:
Guardians of Azuma is packed with content: village building, farming, dungeon exploring, crafting, festivals, and heartfelt character stories. However, if your heart lies in hands‑on farming, you may miss the series’ classic crop‑tending grind. Similarly, combat is designed to be accessible rather than punishing, which might underwhelm action‑RPG purists.
These types of games are not my cup of tea, so when I was allowed to try them out, I took a chance. I am happy to report that Guardians of Azuma is probably one of the best games I have played this year. If you own a Nintendo Switch 2, you owe it to yourself to get this game and give it a try. The charm, simulation, and everything in between are fantastic.
Until next time, Mgs2master2 out!
*Special thanks to The Marvelous USA PR Team for the Switch 2 review key*
Score: 9/10 – Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma reinvigorates the series for both newcomers and longtime fans. The Switch 2 enhancements polish an already expansive package, making this a standout farm‑RPG experience.