Do you recommend buying the game?

[LittlePureWater]

I've enjoy playing RF5 and it was my first RF game I've ever played. RF4 seems interesting, I've read numerous reviews and many titled this game as the best RF game. What do you think, do you recommend the game?

[Fel]

The combat is a bit worse than in RF5 due to a lack of dodge and relatively big characters (and enemies) compared to the size of the places.
On the other hand, special attacks and spells feel less out of place (spells root you in place in RF5 when the rest of the combat stuff is all about moving around) so you can pick playing a spell caster if you want.
In RF4, combat is closer to the 2D top-down action games (like zelda and such), solid but not all that ground-breaking either.

Since it is full 2D, the precision of the actions related to farming and other non-combat stuff is much higher, which is a big plus in a game where it makes up for a good half of the game.

You also have access to farm plots that are in a specific season all year (in the 4 main areas outside of town), which opens up a lot of possibilities for getting crops and flowers.
There are also flowers that take more than a season (in length) to grow but only grow during that season, making those fields a great place for those.

Most of the interesting males and females are mariage partners in this one, it was one of my big complains in RF5 that most of the interesting ones are either too young or already parents or otherwise not available as partners, leaving a relatively boring cast to pick from (and one that comes quite a bit late in the story).

The maps have way less "big but mostly empty areas" to traverse as well.


I enjoyed RF5 overall (even when playing on switch, with the performance problems in several places) but there are many times where I couldn't avoid thinking how RF4 did it a bit better.

[LittlePureWater]

Originally posted by Fel:

The combat is a bit worse than in RF5 due to a lack of dodge and relatively big characters (and enemies) compared to the size of the places.
On the other hand, special attacks and spells feel less out of place (spells root you in place in RF5 when the rest of the combat stuff is all about moving around) so you can pick playing a spell caster if you want.
In RF4, combat is closer to the 2D top-down action games (like zelda and such), solid but not all that ground-breaking either.

Since it is full 2D, the precision of the actions related to farming and other non-combat stuff is much higher, which is a big plus in a game where it makes up for a good half of the game.

You also have access to farm plots that are in a specific season all year (in the 4 main areas outside of town), which opens up a lot of possibilities for getting crops and flowers.
There are also flowers that take more than a season (in length) to grow but only grow during that season, making those fields a great place for those.

Most of the interesting males and females are mariage partners in this one, it was one of my big complains in RF5 that most of the interesting ones are either too young or already parents or otherwise not available as partners, leaving a relatively boring cast to pick from (and one that comes quite a bit late in the story).

The maps have way less "big but mostly empty areas" to traverse as well.


I enjoyed RF5 overall (even when playing on switch, with the performance problems in several places) but there are many times where I couldn't avoid thinking how RF4 did it a bit better.

Sounds great, I appreciate the response.

[Mackenzie]

Originally posted by Fel:

The combat is a bit worse than in RF5 due to a lack of dodge and relatively big characters (and enemies) compared to the size of the places.
On the other hand, special attacks and spells feel less out of place (spells root you in place in RF5 when the rest of the combat stuff is all about moving around) so you can pick playing a spell caster if you want.
In RF4, combat is closer to the 2D top-down action games (like zelda and such), solid but not all that ground-breaking either.

Since it is full 2D, the precision of the actions related to farming and other non-combat stuff is much higher, which is a big plus in a game where it makes up for a good half of the game.

You also have access to farm plots that are in a specific season all year (in the 4 main areas outside of town), which opens up a lot of possibilities for getting crops and flowers.
There are also flowers that take more than a season (in length) to grow but only grow during that season, making those fields a great place for those.

Most of the interesting males and females are mariage partners in this one, it was one of my big complains in RF5 that most of the interesting ones are either too young or already parents or otherwise not available as partners, leaving a relatively boring cast to pick from (and one that comes quite a bit late in the story).

The maps have way less "big but mostly empty areas" to traverse as well.


I enjoyed RF5 overall (even when playing on switch, with the performance problems in several places) but there are many times where I couldn't avoid thinking how RF4 did it a bit better.

Not sure I entirely agree with this assessment. There is very much dodging and i-frames in RF4 and when used with skill can make glass cannon builds exceptionally viable. Many attacks are cancellable into a dodge or chainable into other attacks mid-animation. The combat is very fluid and highly polished. I would argue better than RF5's combat in every way, but at the very least on par with it.

[Mackenzie]

Originally posted by LittlePureWater:

I've enjoy playing RF5 and it was my first RF game I've ever played. RF4 seems interesting, I've read numerous reviews and many titled this game as the best RF game. What do you think, do you recommend the game?

As for an answer to the original question, RF4 is indeed widely contested as the peak of the RF franchise. Staggering amount of content, the highest quality of life features and very fun. Amazing character cast and brilliant story and plot depth... the same of which can't be said in full confidence for RF5. RF5 is great, but it is a solid point or two lower on the out of 10 scale.

[LittlePureWater]

I recently bought RF4, and it has been phenomenal. I appreciate everyone's response.

[Fel]

Now you'll be joining us in the search of games like this, and fail to find any that really captures the essence of this series.

[Mackenzie]

Stardew and Harvest Moon will never be the same again for me. It's an unfortunate side effect, but this franchise just takes the bar and yeets it into the stratosphere.

[ElZavier]

RF 4 is indeed Peak Factory 4

[Cyax]

Originally posted by LittlePureWater:

I've enjoy playing RF5 and it was my first RF game I've ever played. RF4 seems interesting, I've read numerous reviews and many titled this game as the best RF game. What do you think, do you recommend the game?

Played on switch version and 100% recommend