Fate/Extra
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PSP
| Fate/Extra

Fate/Extra is the latest dungeon-crawling RPG to come from developer Type-Moon. Based on the popular Japanese graphic novel Fate/Stay Night, the game takes place during a tournament for the Holy Grail - which, apparently, grants wishes.

Teaming up with your magic servant, you’ll fight through waves of elimination battles against other masters and their minions.

At the start of the game you’re offered an almost Pokémon-esque choice of three servants. Your selection will then change the outcome of the game, and each servant features its own unique personality and dialogue options.

Your move

Gameplay takes place in two stages, spanning across a week of game time. The first is an investigation stage during which you have to partake in various activities to unveil your upcoming combatant’s weaknesses and technique.

At the end of each week you’ll face your combatant with the game’s almost rock-paper-scissors combat mechanic, a system offering three manoeuvres - attack, break, and guard - each weak and strong against another.

Though this mechanic does generate an element of strategy within combat as you observe your enemy’s moves before selecting your own, you’ll often find it boils down to a guessing game.

It’s a tiny world

You’ll also be required to do the odd bit of exploring, although this is a somewhat underwhelming experience, as you’re restricted to a small number of rather simple mazes that you’ll quickly move through with little trouble. Don’t expect any vast worlds to traverse.

Fate/Extra incorporates some interesting and unique ideas, and it’s greatly satisfying to invest time into researching your opponents before taking them down with the knowledge gained.

But, despite this innovative combat system, the game often feels a bit lacklustre, not least because of its shallow and uninteresting world.

Fate/Extra

An innovative step into the RPG world that fans of the series may enjoy, while newcomers will be left disappointed
Score