Fate/Samurai Remnant Review – Iori’s Bizarre Adventure

Leaping right into a spin-off of the Fate franchise with out prior information is daunting, contemplating the way it’s unfold over so many video games and media initiatives. Fate/Samurai Remnant acts as an excellent introduction to the franchise whereas being an superior motion RPG in its personal proper, one which juggles numerous totally different programs with out ever feeling overwhelming whereas holding its foremost fight system satisfying, particularly for anime followers (and for those who’ve picked this up, likelihood is you’re.)

The story of Fate/Samurai Remnant is ready in 1600’s Japan throughout the Keian Rebellion. A younger samurai named Miyamoto Iori is thrust right into a battle referred to as the Waxing Moon Ritual, the place seven people battle one another for the prize of getting a want granted. Every of those seven “Masters” is given a Servant, a mystical being who fights alongside them, all of whom are primarily based on historic or mythological figures, comparable to Jeanne D’Arc. Iori is given Saber, an amnesiac Servant with mastery over water, and the 2 should survive the machinations of the Waxing Moon Ritual as extra enemies encroach upon their house.  

Key Particulars

• Launch Date: September 29, 2023
• Platform: Nintendo Swap, PC, PS4, & PS5
• Value: $59.99
• Developer: Omega Drive
• Writer: Koei Tecmo

The Battle System Is The Spotlight Of Fate/Samurai Remnant

Whereas Fate/Samurai Remnant is an motion RPG, its fight system has so much in frequent with Musou video games, as you’ll typically face giant teams of humanoid or monstrous enemies, with reinforcements arriving in waves over the course of battle. Some elite models and managers take significantly extra injury, with greater enemies possessing a “Shell Gauge,” which must be depleted earlier than you may correctly injury them.

Happily, Iori has numerous weapons at his disposal. You will have two swords which you can improve over the course of the sport, together with totally different combating kinds which you can change mid-battle. Iori has entry to magical spells, although these are powered by gems you earn over the battle, that are depleted upon use. 

The primary gimmick of Fate/Samurai Remnant is the Servants, as you’ll have Saber by your facet all through a lot of the recreation, in addition to different Rogue Servants that you simply unlock over the course of the story. You’ll be able to have two Servants with you directly, and so they carry out a number of capabilities tied to their Affinity bar, which grows in battle. This enables them to carry out highly effective tremendous strikes and offers you short-term management over them in battle.

This all would possibly sound like so much, however the numerous programs work collectively nicely, holding fight feeling contemporary all through the sport’s runtime. The flashy anime particular strikes are spaced out sufficient that they don’t overwhelm the expertise, as you’ll wish to save them from interrupting enemy assaults. Juggling the entire programs in fight is all about using all of your choices as finest you may, whereas attempting to outlive enemy onslaughts. It’s a wonderful balancing act, however Fate/Samurai Remnant pulls it off, and the fight by no means will get boring.

There are some points with the fight system, certainly one of which is meals gadgets. You’ll be able to heal at any time by consuming meals, which is finished instantly by way of the pause menu. This causes the identical difficulty Ultimate Fantasy XVI had, the place you may refill on gadgets earlier than a battle and outpace your enemies all through therapeutic. Fate/Samurai Remnant would have been improved if there have been limits on what number of meals gadgets you can carry or if therapeutic was tied to an animation that enemies might interrupt, as the present system makes fight so much simpler.

The dodging mechanic additionally feels barely off. You’ll be able to carry out a touch dodge by urgent R2, and for those who keep away from a blow on the final second, Iori can carry out a Riposte that offers a ton of harm. The problem is that the sprint feels barely delayed, and you may’t cancel out of actions, forcing you to play extra conservatively than you’d prefer to, particularly in a flashy anime-style fighter. 

Balancing Exploration With Fight

Exterior of the battles, you’ll be exploring totally different cities and areas, in addition to performing quests, upgrading your workshop, looking for new gadgets, and interacting with NPCs. The overworld design isn’t that fascinating, although it’s restricted by the setting, with most of the ramshackle cities feeling interchangeable. 

Fate/Samurai Remnant makes use of a ability level system for Iori and the Servants, permitting you to unlock talents unfold throughout a number of totally different timber. Your property/workshop may also be upgraded by spending cash and discovering uncommon gadgets. These features collectively be certain that you’re at all times regularly enhancing over the course of the sport, and you’ve got a motive to maintain combating and ending quests. 

There’s additionally an overworld battle system, the place the cities are linked by leylines, and you progress Iori & his Servants throughout the board. You will have a house base, and also you hyperlink totally different city nodes collectively, combating enemies for management over totally different areas and strategically reducing off their hyperlinks will allow you to wipe out all of their models in particular areas. This mode is plenty of enjoyable and gives a unique approach of breaking apart the fight sequences. Nonetheless, I’ve one grievance: generally, you’ll have an extended cutscene or battle in the midst of certainly one of these sections and overlook what you had been initially doing once you return to the mode. 

Exploring The Story Of The Waxing Moon Ritual

As Fate/Samurai Remnant is its personal factor, you don’t should be accustomed to the opposite entries within the sequence to grasp what’s happening. The ideas and characters are laid out clearly, and for those who’re an anime fan, it is best to get on board with the Waxing Moon Ritual fairly rapidly, as there are plenty of acquainted features to the story. 

Fate/Samurai Remnant could be an motion recreation, however the story and its characters are a few of the highlights of the expertise. The overarching narrative and pacing have the texture of a TV present, with the mysteries and revelations regularly being revealed and the fight appearing as an excellent filler for the heavier moments or longer dialogue scenes. There are additionally branching paths by the story and a number of endings so that you can search out. 

One main disappointing side is the shortage of an English dub, as this can be a dialogue-heavy recreation with prolonged cutscenes, which implies it’s important to be prepared for lots of studying, and this generally is a tempo killer when leaping from motion scenes. Then once more, the sheer bulk of the textual content could be why there isn’t any English dub. 

The Verdict

Fate/Samurai Remnant works as a wonderful introduction to its franchise. Just a few points apart, the fight system is improbable and pulls off the troublesome process of remaining enjoyable over a prolonged runtime, which is one thing that comparable titles can battle with. The story can also be excellent and acts as the principle motivator so that you can pull out your sword as you push ahead into the subsequent mob of enemies.