Almost 5 months since it's release and only in the last few weeks have I found the time to play it.
For those not familiar with the first RF game please read here, otherwise carry on.
Differences between this and it's predecessor:
Overall, it's more positive. There are definitely fewer graphical glitches than there were although you still have to suffer some slowdown when there are 4 monsters on screen.
There are 4 different areas you can visit outside the town, each is permanently in a different season and is accessible from day one. To start with, you can only get to certain parts of each area, with other routes being blocked off in a variety of ways. I'm assuming these will be openable in the future. Anyone who's played one of the other bokumono/HM games in the series will know that they are highly time consuming to play and after what must have been at least 10 hours play I've only just finished the first season of the first year.
The town follows the usual pattern: church, public bath, smithy, shop, inn, hospital, mansion and mayor's house. With a variety of different girls to woo. Only one character is the same as the first game, the then child Secilia, who left her town after growing up and is now living and working here.
One difference I should explain further is the notice board. This is where the townsfolk post tasks they need doing. They seem to be a lazy lot as you are the only one who actually pays attention to the board and does the work. Doing tasks gets you into the good graces of the person and gets you a small cash reward, although sometimes they also give you a tool which you can use around your farm. This is where those who can't read Japanese need a guide on what to do.
While doing a task once I stumbled onto a small bug in the game. I had been asked to fetch an item dropped by a certain enemy. The person told me exactly which enemy in which part of which area to get it. Thus making it all too easy. I got the item and went back. They gave me 5000G and then realised that my bag was full and I couldn't take the tool they were giving me. They told me to clear some space and come back WITHOUT taking the money back. I sold a few bits and returned to receive another 5000G and the tool. Happy days, I could now buy more seeds.
The game doesn't offer enough reward. You work and as a result you level up a skill and can do more is the way it should be. By letting you water a 3x3 square off the bat you kind of lose that satisfaction have having to press the button fewer times. Same goes for the touch screen. I used to tell my character which patches to water and he'd water them in the order I poked them. No more. Shame but not such a big problem.
I am enjoying playing this and look forward to new features, like continuing the game in the role of your own child (odd I know) and going to school. On par with RF and still addictive in it's own way.
Update:
I just got married! On the 19th day of the first summer. It kind of felt a little fast but I can live with that. Mana is my beautiful bride. She was always talking about me building a school and her being the teacher. After marrying the game continued as before, though the wedding took up an entire day.
Still not able to cook/forge/etc. yet.
Anyway, I've noticed more differences since I posted this originally.
-When you have the watering can equiped there is an extra icon on the bottom left of the screen showing how much water is left.
-When watering you are unable to waste water. Watering anywhere but on dry fields doesn't decrease the water in your can.
-When it rains you don't have to water ANY fields, no matter where they are.
-The sign by your monster hut shows you the daily consumption of food, total food store, how much each individual monster likes you and if they are ready to give eggs/milk/wool.
I'll keep adding more as I go.
For those not familiar with the first RF game please read here, otherwise carry on.
Differences between this and it's predecessor:
- You can now see the minutes on the clock. This means very little but time feels like it passes more slowly than before. This is all in the mind though, as side-by-side comparisons I've done show that time passes about 40% faster.
- You start being able to plough/water large areas. This means from the start farming is nearly effortless, but you have to harvest crops manually.
- You get all necessary items rather quickly. This is through the new task system. You do jobs for people and they reward you. Similar to Animal Crossing in a way.
- Item level-price relations have been adjusted. So now you can't get 60'000 by selling a single gemstone. Not a bad way to slow down progress but a big difference in profits from the first incarnation.
- When you use the quick item select system but holding L and pressing A/B/Y or X time doesn't continue like it used to, and monsters don't attack you.
- Rocks only respawn once a day, not every time you enter an area/dungeon.
- You seem to have TOO much energy. Your Rune Points barely get used and you feel like you should be doing more.
- There's no cooking/forging or creating at the start of the game.
- You get all the items TOO quickly. The game seems to throw everything at you in one go.
- Touch screen usage for farming is all but gone, you have to point yourself in the right direction and press A. How archaic.
Overall, it's more positive. There are definitely fewer graphical glitches than there were although you still have to suffer some slowdown when there are 4 monsters on screen.
There are 4 different areas you can visit outside the town, each is permanently in a different season and is accessible from day one. To start with, you can only get to certain parts of each area, with other routes being blocked off in a variety of ways. I'm assuming these will be openable in the future. Anyone who's played one of the other bokumono/HM games in the series will know that they are highly time consuming to play and after what must have been at least 10 hours play I've only just finished the first season of the first year.
The town follows the usual pattern: church, public bath, smithy, shop, inn, hospital, mansion and mayor's house. With a variety of different girls to woo. Only one character is the same as the first game, the then child Secilia, who left her town after growing up and is now living and working here.
One difference I should explain further is the notice board. This is where the townsfolk post tasks they need doing. They seem to be a lazy lot as you are the only one who actually pays attention to the board and does the work. Doing tasks gets you into the good graces of the person and gets you a small cash reward, although sometimes they also give you a tool which you can use around your farm. This is where those who can't read Japanese need a guide on what to do.
While doing a task once I stumbled onto a small bug in the game. I had been asked to fetch an item dropped by a certain enemy. The person told me exactly which enemy in which part of which area to get it. Thus making it all too easy. I got the item and went back. They gave me 5000G and then realised that my bag was full and I couldn't take the tool they were giving me. They told me to clear some space and come back WITHOUT taking the money back. I sold a few bits and returned to receive another 5000G and the tool. Happy days, I could now buy more seeds.
The game doesn't offer enough reward. You work and as a result you level up a skill and can do more is the way it should be. By letting you water a 3x3 square off the bat you kind of lose that satisfaction have having to press the button fewer times. Same goes for the touch screen. I used to tell my character which patches to water and he'd water them in the order I poked them. No more. Shame but not such a big problem.
I am enjoying playing this and look forward to new features, like continuing the game in the role of your own child (odd I know) and going to school. On par with RF and still addictive in it's own way.
Update:
I just got married! On the 19th day of the first summer. It kind of felt a little fast but I can live with that. Mana is my beautiful bride. She was always talking about me building a school and her being the teacher. After marrying the game continued as before, though the wedding took up an entire day.
Still not able to cook/forge/etc. yet.
Anyway, I've noticed more differences since I posted this originally.
-When you have the watering can equiped there is an extra icon on the bottom left of the screen showing how much water is left.
-When watering you are unable to waste water. Watering anywhere but on dry fields doesn't decrease the water in your can.
-When it rains you don't have to water ANY fields, no matter where they are.
-The sign by your monster hut shows you the daily consumption of food, total food store, how much each individual monster likes you and if they are ready to give eggs/milk/wool.
I'll keep adding more as I go.