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If there’s something a sport can do to make a very good first impression, it’s having its twin protagonists driving enormous dragons in what seems like a cataclysmic occasion.
Having no pores and skin within the sport so far as Rune Manufacturing unit as a sequence is worried, it felt as if I’d skipped an entire host of chapters and was preparing for the ultimate battle between good and evil, after which… my character wakened.
Evaluate information
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Change 2
Accessible on: Nintendo Change, Nintendo Change 2, PC
Launch date: June 5, 2025
Relatively than charging into battle atop a legendary creature, I discovered myself cleansing up weeds and harvesting wooden. The stunning half, nonetheless, is that in doing so, I got here to fall in love with the depths of Rune Manufacturing unit: Guardians of Azuma’s methods.
There’s fight right here, certain, however within the 25 hours I spent in its charming world on Nintendo Switch 2, the most important attracts have been getting to simply the following improve for my burgeoning city, providing simply the precise reward on a personality’s birthday, and having fun with high quality time with its solid.
Rhythm is a dancer
Nonetheless, I’m getting forward of myself. As I discussed, I’ve by no means performed a Rune Manufacturing unit sport earlier than, however with a number of Switch 2 games dropping into the laps of players, I wished to kick the tires considerably even earlier than this assessment in hopes of filling a data hole.
Waking from a dream, my amnesiac hero finds himself within the quaint Spring Village. Right here, the sacred tree has stopped blooming, and I used to be tasked with cleansing the place up in hopes that higher occasions would return.
As it will occur, the protagonist is an Earth Dancer, capable of faucet into pure forces (isn’t that at all times the way in which?), permitting them to wield divine devices that assist crops develop and push again in opposition to a type of blight that’s strangling this once-vibrant world.
That narrative setup leads into the principle mechanic of Guardians of Azuma: Village administration. If the sport itself have been a sacred tree, its village customisation and administration instruments could be the central trunk–completely the whole lot feeds into it, and that’s what helped me sink so many hours in so rapidly.
Making buddies…
Within the sport’s opening hours, you’ll be led by the hand via all types of smaller items of village stewardship. You’ll meet its inhabitants to develop social bonds (extra on that shortly), and spend time build up a delegated space for fields and small buildings.
It doesn’t take lengthy to construct a few comparatively humble abodes to assist usher in new villagers, or harvest crops that may be despatched elsewhere to boost capital on your village. Actually, earlier than lengthy, there’s the identical type of satisfaction you discover in some other administration sport, as issues tick alongside properly.
The extra villagers you’ll be able to, the extra they’ll have the ability to assist with chores and duties, and every has particular person perks that assist them fall extra naturally into roles like Loggers, Farmers, or Miners.
Seeing my small patch of farmland from the sport’s first hour achieve an entire host of villagers to work on the harvest, or including my first blacksmith, felt completely paced. The carrot on the proverbial stick of “I simply must get to the following improve” stored me up previous 2 AM greater than as soon as, and there’s a very cosy high quality to Guardians of Azuma that makes it a pure match as a Switch 2 launch game.
…and influencing folks
In between your day by day routine of tidying issues up, bossing folks about, and making an attempt to make a little bit of gold, you’ll even have the possibility to develop friendships together with your companions and even department out into romance with them.
That is achieved by making an effort to converse with them recurrently, fulfilling any requests they might have, and ultimately working with their likes and dislikes to pick appropriate items or counsel appropriate actions.
It’s not as strictly structured as one thing like Persona, and whereas there’s a day/evening schedule (full with debuffs for staying up late), it’s straightforward to suit a number of social engagements into at some point.
Finest bit
They are saying ‘it takes a village’, and I beloved watching my comparatively small patch of farmland develop right into a bustling manufacturing line of crops being picked, weapons being crafted, and making coin through buying and selling.
That’s a very good factor, as a result of lots of the characters are simply so enjoyable to speak to. Ulalaka, the divine spirit of the sport’s first village, is relaxed and cordial however holds some deeper fears in regards to the state of the world and her diminishing powers. And, whereas some characters are actually extra one-note (Murasame is the comparatively generic swordsman, whereas Takumi is the affable, boisterous carpenter), they’re all dropped at life with exuberant voice appearing and nice regionalisation.
A particular shout-out, too, to Woolby. The sport’s comedian aid may have felt extra irritating given how a lot he’s on display screen in sure scenes, and I had feared he’d be akin to Persona’s Teddy or Morgana, however I ended up genuinely having fun with his appearances, and he didn’t grate a lot in any respect.
Laying down the legislation of the land
You’ll need to spend time chatting up your cohorts, too. There are round two dozen romance choices, however as soon as any of their bond ranges hit 1 (which may be very, very straightforward to do), they’ll have the ability to accompany you on expeditions out of the village.
That’s vital as a result of whereas your city is busy engaged on objects and weapons you’ll be able to take out into the world with you, there are monsters to slay.
Whereas the brilliant artwork fashion might counsel similarities, it’s not fairly as deep as in one thing like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Many enemies could be felled with a couple of swings of your sword, however there are many weapons to unlock, every with their very own talent timber.
That applies to your social gathering, too, so leveling your social bonds could be the distinction between rolling right into a boss struggle with a comparatively slapdash squad or with a group of hardened veterans.
There’s a breeziness to the action-based sword-swinging and bow-firing, and the choice to gradual time once you nail a ‘Good Dodge’ and observe up with a whirlwind flurry of assaults feels simply nearly as good right here because it has in current Zelda titles.
Some enemies will even flip into villagers, making in search of them out (and numerous different bonuses within the areas exterior your village) a worthy endeavour.
Rinse, repeat
Whereas there’s at all times one thing to do, be it a notjiceboard request or working in direction of the following village improve, the sport’s construction received’t be to everybody’s liking.
Every chapter basically provides a brand new village, and for those who’ve not had quite a lot of enjoyable managing the trivia of harvesting and promoting crops within the first one, you’ll most likely battle to seek out the enjoyable within the following villages.
Every comes with its personal distinctive challenges, characters, and mechanics, however the overarching mechanics stay the identical. That’s one thing I had a blast with, simply always min/maxing my time, however it received’t be to everybody’s tastes.
I additionally discovered that there are some body fee drops whereas enjoying on a TV at 4K, however these weren’t a problem in handheld. Given the choice to sit down again and do some village administration whereas watching TV, although, I can see the latter being the way in which most individuals get pleasure from Rune Manufacturing unit: Guardians of Azuma.
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Accessibility
So far as I may see within the settings, there aren’t any further subtitle sizes on supply, however you’ll be able to auto-pause dialogue when a sentence is completed. It’s also possible to alter the pace at which subtitles seem.
Button mapping may be very versatile, too, which means gamers can customise their button inputs as a lot as they’d like, and the sport does an amazing job of retaining button tooltips on display screen, too.
How I reviewed Rune Manufacturing unit: Guardians of Azuma
I performed Rune Manufacturing unit: Guardians of Azuma for 25 hours, finishing the principle story and mopping up an entire host of aspect quests.
I did so on Nintendo Change 2, switching between docked with my Sky Glass TV and enjoying in handheld mode, and making use of the Switch 2 Pro Controller. It marks considered one of my favourite Change 2 experiences alongside The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild, in addition to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, however up subsequent it’s Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition.
First reviewed June 2025