I know this is a bit unrelated, but every new release I have played this year has been disappointing to some degree for me. Of the 2022 releases I've been looking forward to, Rune Factory 5 is the first that didn't let me down. In some ways I think that is making me look a lot more fondly at this game than I otherwise would have. Not saying it isn't a legitimately good game (It certainly is), just know I may be looking at it through some rose-tinted glasses right now.
That said, Rune Factory 5 follows in series tradition as you have Amnesia and awake is some small town. As an Earthmate, you seem to have a natural affinity with Nature, and while in town you become a farmer and help out the folks with their daily lives, and also fight monsters from time to time. It combines all the fun of farm life you get from Story of Seasons with action RPG combat and a solid crafting system. A lot is going on in any one of these games, but they typically give you a good balance so it's not overwhelming.
There is one thing I am getting out of the way now as it's easily the biggest problem with Rune Factory 5. The main series has typically been a largely 'Top Down' affair for the camera, but this game has gone full-on 3D environments. This has the issue of making everything you do feel less accurate. The fully adjustable camera and the fully 3D world do not do the games any service when accuracy in your actions is vitally important to making the gameplay smooth. I don't know why the team felt the need to make the game fully 3D like this, rather than the 3D environments and models while keeping the top-down view, but it is the biggest detriment to gameplay this entry makes. The game also suffers from a lot of performance issues. Framerate slowdowns are very common, the targeting feels wonky sometimes, and other issues are all fairly minor, but are all consistent throughout the game. Nothing that breaks the game mind you, but the ever-present nature them drags the experience down a lot.
Once you get over the performance bugs, you do get a very enjoyable game. It's got all the things that have made past entries enjoyable. Everything in this game has a stat that can be leveled up to make you stronger as both a fighter in the Action RPG sections of the story as well as improving your farming ability. You can level skills in all farming equipment, weapons, magic, as well as skills related to Sleep, bathing, eating, and walking. Sounds silly at first, but makes a strange kind of sense as the healthier you keep yourself the stronger you become. Just playing the game in any facet will always have an impact on other aspects of the game, even if it is very minor.
Diving into dungeons also gives you access to more material that can be used to craft better tools and weapons, which in terms helps you with your farm. Better farming and ranching lets you cook better meals which can not only be used to heal or make money but also boost stats to help with the dungeon crawling. It's always been the strength of Rune Factory, all the mechanics, however different, all feed into each other. It keeps the varied nature of the gameplay still feeling connected.
One of the new mechanics, however, is kind of bad. One of the unique things about this game is the Capture seal. Weaken an enemy and throwing the seal can temporarily bind the enemy. This also has the chance of convincing the monster to fight for you briefly or drop an item. Wanted Monster Quests this is required to get the best item, but all it boils down to is weakening an enemy and just keep throwing seals until the fights over, and considering you capture monsters for your barn the same way you always have anyway the temporary alliance aspect of it feels redundant. The mechanic adds nothing to the game, but conveniently it's largely ignoble.
The story and characters are all simple and charming, and it's not something I think needs a deep dive. If you like simple and charming characters and stories it will not disappoint. When judging the cast of these games, I always think of how many of the potential bachelors and Bachelorettes I'd be interested in courting, as marriage is still a thing in these games. I effectively hated no characters, and there were two of the ladies I liked and it wasn't until the main plot of the game was nearing its end I decided to go with Ludmilla over Beatrice and were I interested in courting one of the men I can see at least two I wouldn't mind trying my hand at. So with four I liked, and an overall cast of characters where I didn't dislike anybody in town, I think this is solid.
What I am a bit bothered by is the aspect of Marriage isn't that important. Maybe I was spoiled by Rune Factory 3, but whereas in that game it becomes core to the plot, your actual relationships in town and the main plot are pretty much disconnected entirely. Even talking along characters to fight alongside you in dungeons is pointless because the game just kind of acts like you do it all alone anyway and they see none of the story going on. Where the mechanics all feel intertwined, the same cannot be said about the main narrative and the stories involving the other townsfolk.
I am happy Rune Factory 5 even came out, something I never thought was going to happen back when the company's financial issues become known sometime after Rune Factory 4. It seemed like it was now a dead franchise, and we do have a good game with it coming back. But I can't sit here and say it doesn't have its share of issues. Honestly, even with just the performance aspect of the game, I can see a lot of people not wanting to touch this one. It really should handle smoother than it does, and it feels there isn't an excuse for that. But I still had fun playing through it, and while the climax was rushed for it, following through on the Ludmilla romance was very satisfying. If you have a fairly high tolerance for sub-par performance, Rune Factory 5 is still a satisfying experience.