Fairy Fencer F: Dark Advent Force Reviews
The bugs as well as the fact that all roads lead to a grindfest can be hard pills to swallow if you don’t already have a connection to the cast of Advent Dark Force but on the balance of probabilities, there’s still more than enough shine and sparkle in the game to warrant you giving it a spin.
Despite all its flaws, however, I cannot completely count out Fairy Fencer F. It is dated and may not be a great game or even a good game all things considered, but overall I would consider it a pretty okay choice if you're simply browsing the eShop in search of a quick “junk food” JRPG. There's not a lot of substance to it, but it will at least keep you busy and entertained in some form for the twenty or so hours it will take you to complete a single route.
For such a story-heavy RPG, Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force gives little incentive to invest in its rather unoriginal plot. It would be one thing if the story acted as an homage to the RPG narrative of yore, but it simply follows the tired "good god/bad god" routine without bringing anything new to the table. Battles themselves are too easy to take advantage of a potentially good battle system, and poor, underdesigned dungeons rip away any possible depth the gameplay could have had. Newcomers to the genre might be able find something to appreciate about Advent Dark Force despite its flaws, but diehard fans are hard-pressed to find much exciting about a port of an already unimpressive 2013 JRPG.
Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force benefits from great sound design and artistic direction, and is uplifted by a story that's interesting to sit through, and, at moments, hilarious.
Make no mistake, Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force is a big step up, and its changes are good ones. Even if it will cost more upon release, should you seek to get involved with the original, this is the entry to do it with. However, the stitch-marks where things were added in after the finished game are quite clear and unhidden. On the whole, though, it is a welcome improvement over the base title.
You may well have missed Fairy Fencer F on its first round, but it is nonetheless a worthy JRPG, and it’s great having it on the current generation PlayStation.
Though it more often feels like a Director's Cut than a true remake, 'Advent Dark Force' nonetheless turns a flawed PS3 RPG into a stronger experience overall, making it the absolute best way to play 'Fairy Fencer'.
Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force is a worthwhile adventure for both those who are looking for an enjoyable JRPG to kill some time and fans of the original who want to experience it in a new light.
Fairy Fencer F definetly has its flaws, like the bland story and clichee characters that Neptunia did way better and smarter, it just can´t make the characters or humour appeal to me since it offers nothing new or innovative. Mixed with a very repetitive Gameplay and grinding mechanics it definetly is not for everyone but the excellent combat system and way of customization that furies offer you, really let it stand out from other Compile Heart games.
If you already were a fan of the original game, there is enough change here to warrant at least some consideration towards picking the title up. If you missed the PlayStation 3 release a couple of years ago, Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force is the definitive version of the game to play. With enough tweaks to make several aspects of the game feel fresh again, there is not enough of an overhaul that it should alienate those who enjoyed the game the first time around, making it easy to recommend to all RPG fans.
Interesting title, many content and good combat system. Maybe a little repetitive in the long run.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It felt so good being back in the world of Fairy Fencer F, as it’s definitely my favorite Compile Heart release to date. I truly hope they continue to explore this world with future releases, as there’s so many more stories to be told here. It’s also their most beautiful game available on PlayStation 4 to date. Even if you aren’t a fan of their other releases, you owe it to yourself to play this one if you’re a fan of JRPG’s.
Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force is a solid, fun JRPG experience with a strong anime flavor and many hours worth of content. If you're a fan of turn-based RPGs and pulling off stylish, over-the-top moves with finesse, this is a great game to look into.
To conclude, you'll never be bored with all the stuff that's jam packed into this game. The story and characters are colourful and fun to play through and the combat keeps on giving you more and more. Yeah, maybe the jokes can get a little corny and over repetitive at times, but I always seem to have a smile glued to my face. I give this game an 8 out of 10.
Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force is a fairly deep JRPG that is, unfortunately, held back by several key components. The story and cast are just not good enough to incentivize long-term play despite the excellent character customization and combat systems. Unless you adore lazy, food obsessed-men and a healthy dose of boob-jiggling physics, then you’re in for a real cinematic treat. Furthermore, the performance issues and overall poor quality of graphics in the field prevent you from fully appreciating the exploration and combat aspects of the game – that of which will make up the majority of your game time. Although you can easily get dozens of hours out of this game, I cannot wholeheartedly recommend it on Switch unless you know exactly what you’re getting in to first.
The plot is largely uninteresting and the characters are annoying, especially on the only route that most people will play through. The game pokes fun at RPG conventions, but it also plays them completely straight. The sole innovation lies in the fairy and fury systems, which work well together, but it isn't enough to keep the battles from blurring into an unmemorable mess.
Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force provides enjoyable gameplay, memorable characters, and a branching story good enough to warrant multiple playthroughs – and hey, isn’t that all that matters?
Building upon the original release, Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force includes new characters, combat and endings. While there are some typical anime tropes and cliches, you'll find a great cast of characters who offer witty banter on a lighthearted journey.
If you are looking for a new RPG that feels like many popular titles and presents itself in a very anime way, this game is for you. Solid playtime shows around 30 hours or so for the first play through, however new game + and three story lines make the replay value very worth it.
Whilst this may be a time killer whilst you wait for the next big RPG, this won't be an RPG you'll remember fondly.