Picked up Rune Factory Frontier last night.  Had to sell a couple old games (something I swore I wouldn't do this gen), but it was a good decision.  The game is excellent.  It's everything that was good in the DS version plus a little more, with better combat (though still not great).  So far I think the most interesting thing I've noticed is the more and more I play the less like Harvest Moon it feels.  The farming aspect is still there (not quite to a true Harvest Moon level of depth), but they've stacked so much more onto this.  There's combat, smithing, crafting, cooking, socializing, and monster training.  And while most of those things have existed in the series they've been given an extra level of depth so that they feel genuinally important instead of just side projects.

In the previous Rune Factories farming still felt llike the main job.  In fact in the first one, all you could do in the first weeks of the game was farm (everything else was introduced later).  Now it just feels like one more part of the game.  It's still important mind you, but it's getting pushed further and further from the center.  In fact, the game is really starting to feel more like Legend of Mana now minus the world creation feature with all the directions you're able to take the character.  

For the next month(s) this is likely all I'll be playing with a few minutes over We Ski and Snowboard to break things up.  I shall reach GamingGeek/HotD: Overkill proportions of annoyance with the updates as well so please prepare yourselves.