Fate/EXTRA is an RPG based on a popular anime series. Play as a high school student who notices that something is not quite right about the world. You’ll soon discover that reality is fabricated and the virtual world is used as a training ground for a great war. The story is a bit more interesting than that, but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone.

First thing you should know about this game is that it is HEAVILY story based. I spent the first hour wading through text before even exploring the first training dungeon and battles. So if you want a game you can just jump right into, this may not be for you. The other thing you should know is that there are branching storylines with multiple endings, and the game could end abruptly depending on your choices. In fact, before you start the game, it’ll warn you to keep multiple save files in case this happens. While I’m glad there is a warning about this, I can’t help but think of those ‘choose your own adventure’ books I tried reading as a kid and could never get the good ending. Luckily you can save at nearly any time, which is good for a portable adventure.

Of course, the battles are the gameplay meat and potatoes of any RPG, and the mechanics seem pretty interesting in this one. It’s just too bad it takes so long to get to them. Anyway, you have three basic moves: Attack, Break, and Guard. Each one is effective in counterattacking another move, so it’s basically a fancy rock-paper-scissors battle. By reading the pattern of your opponent’s attacks, you can choose a string of six of your own. If you can land three attacks in a row, you’ll get an extra turn. Later on, you’ll be able to use special skills as well, but that’s the battles in a nutshell.

While the theme of the game and storyline decisions didn’t really float my boat personally, I can imagine anyone who enjoys the anime would love this. Plus anyone who likes game series such as Devil Summoner, Persona, or the Shin Megami Tensei RPG series that Atlus poops out will want to check this out as well. I will say that I did enjoy the jazzy background music, and the special edition of this game does come with a soundtrack and artbook and is only ten dollars more, so I’d recommend getting that if you can.

Kid Factor:

Fate/EXTRA is rated T for Teen with ESRB descriptors of Drug Reference, Fantasy Violence, Language, and Sexual Themes. Most of these are just in the text only, but the best reason why this game is better suited for teen gamers is the complexity of the story and slower paced gameplay. With the high school setting and angsty storyline, it almost seems tailor-made for teen anime fans anyway.

Tags: Game Reviews