Kyle Miller writes "The original Rune Factory title debuted in 2007 as the first "fantasy" Harvest Moon, complete with action RPG mechanics, dungeons, swords, and orcs. While the fantasy elements complemented the farm simulation well enough, there were too many inconveniences and rough edges for it to be considered a great game. This time around, the developers had the chance to pull a few weeds from an otherwise healthy garden. Unfortunately, in the process, developer Neverland overlooked the locusts that came swarming in at the same time. As a result, Rune Factory 2 is a mix of improvements to interface and presentation and downgrades to combat and overall design. The resulting game is no more worthwhile than its predecessor and, perhaps, even slightly less enjoyable."
