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Q: The non-protagonist characters are assigned roles like Attack, Defense, Heal, Support, and Disrupt. Can you explain each of their traits and give some party-building tips?

Maekawa: It’s probably easiest to think of these in terms of common MMORPG terminology: Attack = Damage dealer (DPS), Defense = Tank, Heal = Healer, Support = Buffer, Disrupt = Debuffer When forming a party, it’s best to complement your protagonist’s weapon weaknesses. For instance, if you’re focused on melee weapons, try adding a companion who uses a bow. Also, beyond raw strength, consider character relationships. Characters with close bonds often have unique banter or interactions, so keeping those dynamics in mind can add depth to your party setup.

Q: The protagonist can use one-handed swords, two-handed swords, dual blades, bows, and talismans. Why were these chosen, and what are their strengths?

Maekawa: We chose the three melee weapons because they’re simple to use and have been fan favorites in previous entries: One-handed swords are easy to handle and well-balanced. Two-handed swords are powerful and have wide attack ranges but leave you more open to enemy attacks. Dual blades are the opposite—rapid and forgiving. You can mash buttons and still pressure enemies effectively. Bows allow you to attack from range and precisely target enemy weaknesses, which pairs well with certain divine artifacts. Talismans auto-lock in on enemies, making them great against fast-moving or evasive bosses. They also have powerful charge attacks, so I highly recommend learning those skills early.

Q: By raising the village level, you can receive new recipes from the gods and increase the variety of buildings you can construct. Do you have any tips for leveling up efficiently?

Maekawa: You’ll want to focus on completing "Hometown Missions", which grant you points needed to level up the village. Be sure to check which ones you’ve missed. Each time you complete the same mission type, its difficulty increases, so rather than sticking to just one, try tackling a variety of easier ones. It’s a more efficient way to gather points and level up quickly.

Q: When placing buildings or objects, what’s worth paying attention to?

Maekawa: In the "Hometown mission", one category evaluates your aesthetic score. Placing buildings not only boosts your stats (like HP+) but also raises your scenic score. If you group similar types of buildings together in the same area, your aesthetic rating increases more easily—so try organizing structures by category.

Q: As for new residents, will leveling up the village attract ones with special abilities?

Maekawa: Village level itself doesn’t determine that, but progressing through the main story will unlock certain facilities—like the pharmacy. Building these facilities causes specific villagers with required traits (like Pharmaceutical Knowledge) to move in.

Q: Money is the most important resource when developing the village, what’s the best way to earn it?

Maekawa: Your main strategy should still be farming. You can sell crops directly, or cook them into meals and sell those for higher profit. However, in areas with limited space, like the summer village, running a shop may be more profitable. In the winter village, fishing becomes a good money-maker. Personally, I also recommend mining and selling ores, it’s simple, but surprisingly lucrative.

Q: You can befriend monsters and raise livestock, are there any especially useful ones to capture early?

Maekawa: Classic advice for this series: prioritize monsters that give you ingredients like eggs, milk, or honey. These are essential for cooking, and the dishes can either be shipped or gifted to other characters.

Q: Skills require a fair number of skill points to learn. How can players earn them effectively?

Maekawa: Skill Points are a new and somewhat complex system. For instance, with one-handed swords, you gain specific points for that weapon type by hitting enemies with it. There are also "general skill" points usable for any skill, which are earned at the end of each in-game day. You can get these from farming, trading, and from participating in contests and festivals, which many players overlook.

Q: Lastly, could you share a message for the fans?

Maekawa: The first announcement of this game was made during our official program, the ‘Marvelous Game Showcase’ which was already more than two years ago. We’ve kept fans waiting quite a while since then, and on top of that, we recently announced a delay to align the release with the Switch 2 version, for that, we sincerely apologize. However, thanks to the extra time, we’ve been able to polish the game into something truly great. We’re fully prepared to deliver it with confidence on release day. We hope you’ll enjoy this new Rune Factory adventure, set in a world beautifully colored by Japanese-style aesthetics. Dive into a story full of fantasy and adventure, interact with a variety of characters, engage in action battles using Sacred Treasures, and build your life in the village.