Resonance of Fate Review
I'm going to compare this game to final fantasy 13, since I finished that immediately before starting this one.
Resonance of Fate doesn't have as many breaktaking cutscenes or professional voice actors as FF13. It doesn't have as much polish or slick graphics like FF13 either. So how come I rated FF13 as a 3/5 and this as a 5/5? Not that resonance of fate is a perfect game, but I actually had fun playing it.
Resonance of Fate clocked in at around 58 hours, slightly longer than FF13. The main attraction for this game isn't the story or cutscenes or graphics, but the gameplay. The battle system is unique and does have a bit of a learning curve, but once you get used to it, you'll never look back to the "auto-battles" of FF13. Basically you have to select a path for your characters in battle and do "hero actions" while charging up your gun to inflict damage. Also, you can overlap these hero actions with your two other characters to create a "tri-attack." This can be difficult to orchestrate at first, but once you do, you'll be rewarded with a bullet-frenzied assault, tearing your enemies to pieces as your three characters navigate the triangle path you've laid out. Another element to consider is that machineguns inflict "scratch damage" which doesn't do anything until you combine it with handgun "direct damage" to kill your enemies. Handguns don't do much damage, so you have to organize both types of weapons to kill your enemies. Also you can use grenades that inflict status effects and knockbacks. This is the main attraction for resonance of fate: the strategic and jaw-dropping explosive combat.
Another fun element is customizing your guns and characters. You can buy/find/collect-from-missions different parts to enhance your guns' charge rate and magazine count, among other properties. This can lead to pretty bizarre looking weapons once you stack up a ton of barrels, magazines and scopes, but unfortunately the mods don't show up in the battle graphics (maybe in resonance of fate 2 they will?). Also, most of the missions in the game are optional, so you can play this as straightforward or fully as you want. You can even choose when you want to advance to the next story chapter, incase you want to find more items or do more missions first.
The "game world," despite being relatively small, is actually a lot more fun to explore than FF13, because you can do it however and whenever you want. You can uncover items, dungeons, and many optional boss battles to earn items and help trick out your characters. You can also customize their clothing with a wide array of garments to choose from.
The story isn't anything to write home about, and you might be scratching your head about some unanswered questions by the end, but it does the job. Also, the voice acting is decent, not as good as FF13 but it also gets the job done as well.
One great feature is the New Game+, which allows you to carry over your characters, skills, and guns for another play, and unlock a tough dungeon if you get bored. OR you can abandon what you've earned and progress to a higher difficulty, and repeat the process for a greater challenge.
The graphics aren't top-notch like FF13, but they are pretty good. If FF13 is a 10/10, then this would be an 7/10. HOWEVER the animations are actually really good, a lot less wooden and really smooth compared to the jerky "ATB chain" movements of your characters in FF13. Imagine doing a hero jump, your character gliding over the head of your enemy while unloading dual SMGs into them. Or emptying the clip of a .45 into their face as your character takes a rolling dive. Actually this good animation quality of the battles bumps Resonance of Fate up to at least an 8/10 for graphics.
For SEGA fans: SEGA has made a pretty good comeback these last few years... with games like Bayonetta, Yakuza and Valkyria Chronicles and now Resonance of Fate, I'll be keeping my eye on SEGA for their next big hit. They aren't afraid to take a risk, do something different, and make a great game.
In summary, for me, Resonance of Fate delivered what FF13 couldn't: fun. Despite multi-million dollar graphics and years of development, I have little desire to play FF13 again. However Resonance of Fate I'll jump back on as soon as I get the chance. If you want insane combat and customization, this is your game. If you want something new and a little bit different, this is your game. Here's hoping SEGA and Tri-Ace will deliver a sequel to this excellent experience!
Resonance of Fate Feature
- Battle in fantastic cinematic action as your characters wield firearms in a Semi-real time game play system; invincible mode - pull spectacular moves and precision attacks through this special mode designed to chain enemy attacks together
- Unique story Built around a gigantic clock tower like machine, the story will delve deep into fate and the machinery that controls it
- Beautiful environments Masterfully crafted environments pepper this title to illustrate the deep tapestry of this dystopian world
- Customize your characters and give them a unique look within the game and cut-scenes; extensive Weapon customization allows your character to have specialized weapons from parts unlocked or bought throughout the game
Resonance of Fate Overview
Face opponents in fantastic, cinematic gun battles with a fighting system that blends real-time and turn-based gameplay. Built around the gigantic machine city, the story delves deep into fate and the machinery that controls it. Masterfully crafted environments illustrate the deep tapestry of this dystopian world. Customizing your characters and weapons changes your playing experience visually and within the gameplay.
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Jul 18, 2010 02:05:24
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