Rune Factory 3 Special launches on September 5

Return to the Rune Factory this September

Marvelous and XSEED have locked in a launch date for the remastered Rune Factory 3 Special. This updated version of the Rune Factory 3 heads to Nintendo Switch and PC on September 5, 2023.

Special is a remastered version of the original Rune Factory 3, with updated graphics and redesigned character models. The original was released on Nintendo DS back in 2009, the update looks to bring Rune Factory 3 Special visually in line with the other updated farming game, Rune Factory 4 Special. You can see the new visuals at work in today’s trailer:

Alongside the updated look, there’s been some new features added as well. There’s the Newlywed Mode, which is unlocked after you’ve married one of  the 11 eligible candidates in town and opens up some standalone adventures. There’s also a “Hell” difficulty level, meant to challenge veteran players. Can’t say I dream about heading off to a farm and tending it on “Hell” mode, but to each their own.

Fantasy farming life

If you’re unfamiliar with the series, Rune Factory is a farming life series in the same vein as Harvest Moon / Story of Seasons and Stardew Valley. It usually sets itself apart, though, with a more fantasy setting and RPG mechanics. While you do farm, you’ll also get into long story sequences and dive into dungeons. For a more recent comparison, Square Enix’s Harvestella felt like a game made in a similar vein.

Rune Factory 3 was generally well-received at the time, and for series fans, having a refreshed entry is neat. It still feels like we’re in a swell of farming games though, so we’ll see how Rune Factory 3 Special fares in a more crowded genre later on this year.