It looks like the game formerly known as Rune Factory Oceans is indeed making its way in North America according to Siliconera (though Natsume has not updated its American website with the news yet).
Hiro Maekawa, Natusme President and CEO said:
We know our loyal fans have been patiently awaiting news of a North American release for Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny, so we are thrilled to announce that the latest entry in the fan-favorite series is on its way. Better still, this entry is coming to both the Wii and PlayStation 3. Featuring a vast region to explore, a wonderful cast of characters, and a huge variety of activities to enjoy, Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny is sure to make waves!”
Wow! And I've been on a crazy Rune Factory kick over the past week too.
RFF is a great game and I'd like to say I'm extremely excited about this...but a few importers' impressions leave me feeling a tad cold. I'm going to do some more research on it now that I know it's coming.
The lack of hands-on farming in this one makes it more gaiden than garden but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I say play Frontier or one of the DS games for the farming, and enjoy this more for its exploration, action-RPG, character sim qualities.
I still have never played any RF or HM game, but I did get the SNES on the VC recently. I'm guessing I'll have my fill of farming by the time this game comes out...
I think Frontier burnt me out on the farming aspect a bit, but that was more because of the Runey system than anything else. Micro-managing it was a time-consuming chore, though the rewards are quite nice.
I need to read more about this one. I'm cautiously optimistic. I'm only 53 hours (or so) into Rune Factory Frontier, so I've got plenty to do.