Games like Rune Factory are always a sweet spot for me. I’m not the best at time management, but I love things like exploration, combat, and a good bit of farming or life simulation as well. Kitaria Fables captures the magic of Rune Factory while offering something a little different and unique. It isn’t perfect, but it has its charm.

In Kitaria Fables, monsters once lived in harmony with the animal denizens of the world. However, an event called the Calamity caused monsters to become hostile, attacking villages and causing heroes to have to fight back. You begin after the Calamity is over, playing as Nyanza, a young soldier in service to the empire. A new Calamity is beginning, and it will take Nyanza and his allies to stop it.

Gameplay is split into two major sections. In town areas, you gather quests from NPC’s, do things like farming and crafting, and shop or upgrade your equipment. In exploration segments, you explore various environments, killing enemies and gathering materials. Side Quests are vitally important, as the side quests are often how you unlock recipes for food and new things for sale in shops.

Farming is more of a task for making money than anything. In fact, money is somewhat difficult to come by in the early game, and grinding is pretty important if you want to succeed. Personally, I think some of the requirements for ingredients in recipes are somewhat excessive, however, this is not the sort of game for people who want fast-paced progression.

Combat is very Zelda-esque. You have a roll, a regular attack (with a bow or sword), and then you have usage of abilities or magic. Magic can be crafted, giving you a variety of different options if you have the ingredients to craft the spells. It is fairly easy to set up a build that fits your playstyle. You can also play Kitaria Fables in Co-Op as well, which allows you to divide and conquer, and play with a friend.

As previously mentioned, grinding is an important part of the game. However, there is a tangible sense of progression. If you happen to die while you’re out farming materials, it really doesn’t hurt anything, because you don’t lose any money or items. The dodge window for enemy attacks is also fairly forgiving, so even if you are new to action games you shouldn’t have any trouble.

There is one major issue I have with Kitaria Fables. The font size is pretty small. I even tried turning the UI to its largest setting, but the numbers in the inventory that show how many of an item you have is very small. I noticed this while playing it docked, and I can’t imagine it being any different playing in handheld mode. The mana bar also glitches out a little bit when you move, but it is just a visual bug, it doesn’t impair gameplay.

There isn’t much more to the gameplay than what I’ve already mentioned. However, the controls are smooth, the gameplay is fun, the characters are adorable, and overall Kitaria Fables is great for adults or kids. The addition of Local Co-Op is great for people who might want to enjoy the game with a friend or family member as well.

If you like games like Rune Factory, Stardew Valley, or other farming games, you’ll enjoy Kitaria Fables. If you’re looking for something more action-oriented than Story of Seasons, but still want to get your farming fix, it scratches that itch nicely.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Kitaria Fables was provided by PQube for this review.

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Kitaria Fables

$19.99

9.5

Score

9.5/10

Pros

• Cute and Colorful Characters
• Dodge is Very Forgiving
• Beautiful Environmentss
• Challenging Combat
• You Don't Lose Anything if You Die

Cons

• Font on UI Too Small