Hand of Fate Reviews
The 'Hand of Fate' game from Defiant Development blends roguelike, deck-building, hack-and-slash, and tabletop elements for an extraordinarily unique journey.
A fun, unconventional RPG with interesting new ideas that aren't entirely overshadowed by its repetitive nature and stale combat.
Hand of Fate delivers a fun, atypical RPG experience that lets you act out the scenarios of a trading card game.
Discovering the secrets behind the cards and creating different dungeon mixes results in a well-designed, original experience
Hand of Fate blends various elements of role-playing games and card games into a single, satisfying romp.
Hand of Fate isn't perfect, but its various systems click together with rare elegance. Few antagonists are quite so compelling or vexing as The Dealer, and his theatrics help to sell the game's odd conceit
What makes Hand of Fate so very special is that it does very successfully bring one very human emotion to bear: hatred. I'm gonna give you what for, Australian Raistlin.
Hand of Fate is unique, offering an addictive and incredibly entertaining experience that anyone can enjoy.
From the graphical detail of each piece of equipment, to the dialogue of The Dealer which rarely repeats itself, Hand of Fate pays attention to every last nook and cranny, carving out a niche all its own and bringing Defiant Development into the much-deserved spotlight. This is one conceptual experiment that thoroughly works and anyone who clamors for innovation in gaming needs to sit down at the table and play a hand.
These gripes are incredibly minor though when you evaluate the rest of the game. Defiant has done a fantastic job of marrying together two very different flavours of game, presenting it a stylish package that feels one part adventure book, one part action brawler. The potential for expansions and sequels further down the line is immediately apparent so, hopefully, this won't be the last time we're dealt into Hand of Fate.
Aside from some problematic resource balancing and some unavoidable repetition, Hand of Fate is a clever game of risks and rewards that is well worth getting dealt into.
Fortunately the missteps in the combat do little to impact my overall enjoyment of the Hand of Fate, and my spats of bad luck did little to deter me from playing further. I was hard pressed not to immediately start up a new session right after I would die, just to see. Just to check what the deck might have in store for me. Some sessions would last less than ten minutes before my health was drained. Some would nearly see the hour mark before a stupid decision sent me cavorting to my death. And sometimes, just sometimes, I would successfully make my way through to the boss and defeat it, each victory feeling like a true triumph and another chapter closed on a tale that I was creating for myself, all with a mysterious man in a mask and a deck of cards. Hand of Fate may not be that game that is shoving the visuals and story down your throat, but Defiant Development is allowing my imagination to be a part of their development team in order to help craft my own tales of failure, success, and luck, and that right there is a fantastic hand to me.
Hand of Fate is a shining example of what ID@Xbox can bring to the console. The game's ability to provide the same gameplay over and over again, while still making every encounter feel fresh and challenging, is what makes the experience completely addictive. I was so sucked into the game that I literally got off my couch and sat cross-legged in front of the TV so that I could concentrate more. For those who thrash through the game's Story mode, the never-ending Endless mode provides an extra challenge to see just how far you can go. I have a distinct feeling that this game will remain installed on many consoles for a long time.
Hand of Fate comes so close to being something really special – an unexpected concoction of genres and ideas that meshes together superbly to create a really fun experience that's both involving and rewarding, at least in short bursts. But, unfortunately, its potential is cut short by a lack of options and awkward third-person game segments that should really know better.
With a rough play time of 11 hours for the full story mode and an endless mode that can last even longer, for 20 bucks it's a pretty great deal for adventure fans and RPG players. I highly suggest picking Hand of Fate up.
For those that have played deck-building games or Dungeons & Dragons will know, sometimes it just comes down to the luck of the draw or the roll of the die. Some may find the game easy while others may just rage quit due to the unfairness of the draw. Those who stick with it will find a great combat system and well thought out mechanics that should have you coming back for hours on end.
Hand of Fate is a devastatingly addictive adventure game that mixes card collecting with fast-paced third-person action and board games. Although full of disparate ideas, the game is never confusing. It has a few technical issues and I would have preferred a way to continue, but none of that should keep you from experiencing Hand of Fate.
Hand of Fate mixes deck-building with hack 'n slash dungeon crawling in a way that's fluid enough for casual fans to enjoy, but lacks the complexity for veterans of either genre to really sink their teeth into.