Rune Factory 5 is a very fun "get to town and do all the things" game, which has been cleaned up significantly from it's initial release on Switch. The PC version of the game is clean and crisp, allowing players to address settings before even booting the game up. With a ton of fun activities and places to explore, Rune Factory 5 has a little something for everyone, and is appropriate (and fun) for all audiences. Farm, explore, romance, capture monsters; every activity is gently charming. Well worth a look for adults, but good luck keeping the kids away from it.

A welcome return for the series that fans will eat up. The clunky framerate and the lifeless town are obvious flaws, but the game itself is the kind of fantasy farming experience I've been clamouring for ever since the last game came out.

I am at a loss for words when it comes to Rune Factory 5. I had a lot of fun, but it comes at a price. In order to truly enjoy the game I have to get over the horrible optimization. It's not game breaking, but frustrating doesn't begin to cover it. The RPG mechanics are fun, so is the farming. While not the update to the series I was hoping for, there is still fun to be had for the die hard fans who simply have to play it. Everyone else might want to enter with care.