Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star Reviews
The game looks fabulous on Switch, with framerates staying stable most of the time. It’s very colourful and despite the fact it doesn’t compete with some of the first-party Switch games in terms of fidelity, I was more than happy with it’s presentation. It is a good fit for Switch, as the relatively short battles have very little filler and suit short sessions well.
Fate/Extella is brilliant and graphically quite good, considering it was developed for the Vita as well as the Playstation 4. Extella really brings forth the magic of the animated series, and it seems the Musou genre was a nice fit for Fate. I would love to see more games in the series done in this style. Extella's only real problems are an uninteresting soundtrack and lack of variety in the stages and mission objectives. Fate/Extella as a whole is a fun experience that I would gladly recommend to any fan of the Musou genre or the Fate series.
While Fate/Extella suffers from repetition and does little to ease new players into the universe, its fast-paced action and exciting story are ultimately worth it.
Fate/Extella is a title that has a lot to live up to due to the immense popularity of the Fate series as a whole. However, it doesn’t do much to stray from the typical formula set forth by the countless other musou titles on the market. It sports a serviceable but unremarkable combat engine, along with a story that felt just as disposable as one of the tens of thousands of enemies I left in my wake.
While it isn't the worst, I wouldn't suggest that anyone plays Fate/Extella unless they're starving for more time with the Fate universe.
The bloated and often confusing narrative might be a bit too much for those that aren't already fans of the Fate series, but for those willing to brave the ridiculous amount of dialogue a satisfactory Musou game awaits them underneath.
Fate/Extella had some solid gameplay aspects though it was held back by how it presented the narrative and repetitive combat.
Fate/ Extella: The Umbral Star is a decent game. That being said the story could have been better and the gameplay is very repetitive.
For as much as I enjoyed Fate/Extella, I must admit that there simply isn't enough to keep most people interested in it. This is definitely one for the fans.
For better or worse, Fate/EXTELLA embodies everything that makes an anime game "anime." Characters that speak only in exposition. Fan service that creeps you out - unless it doesn't. Gameplay that is more about watching cool stuff happen than actually being fun. Owners of the PlayStation versions need not double dip. If, however, you feel your Nintendo needs a little more anime, this can be the microwave mozzarella sticks before dinner.
Fate/Extella will be a hard sell for most fans of the franchise. If you come into this expecting a setting, cast or narrative similar to any of the anime, you might be left disappointed and confused. It’s still a fun, addictive game with the flashy combat you’d expect from a Warriors-style game, but you might have to tune out the story in order to enjoy it. In a franchise where story is so key, that’s a huge bummer.
It may have the Fate name in its title, but it doesn't present itself like a Fate title. The Umbral Star tells a bonkers story that only a Fate franchise can produce. The game itself is fun and features some awesome animations, but it’s instantly dragged down by terrible team AI and almost no sense of accomplishment.
The overly complex plot is paired with some juvenile and cringe-worthy dialogue that mars the experience
With the tight action carrying the game the majority of the way, this may well be a tough sell for those who aren’t into niche Japanese titles. However, for those who enjoy fluid combat and revel in the strange and the bizarre, this may well be exactly what Galen of Pergamon ordered.
Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star is enormous and frantic. It also goes overboard at one moment too many, as it becomes a struggle to keep up with the plot, the characters and the combats. Bringing it down a notch or two would make it more balanced. As it is, perhaps only the most hardcore of purists will truly enjoy it.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Fate/Extella is a fun little dalliance in the Musou genre by the Fate series, but ultimately proves to be little more. The characters don't feel particularly deep and the story lacks enough length to give them that extra dimension. In fact, all there really seems to be enough time for is the servants doting on the master until it seems like something lewd's about to go down until they get interrupted or pull a bait and switch; this leading into a rushed parallel narrative that makes it feel like the gameplay didn't even matter in the grand scheme of things, with major exploits being taken care of off-screen.
Not awful but far from good, Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star is a title that lets down fans and keeps away newcomers with a pithy story, mediocre gameplay, and a generic art direction that betrays the franchise’s roots.
Fate/EXTELLA is out now on PC and Switch, and it’s worth your attention if you’re a hardcore Fate fan, Anima aficionado, or dying for a new Switch-based RPG. Others may just want to steer clear.
There is certainly a decent amount of content, including multiple scenarios and side stories, but if the simplistic button-mashing isn't enough of an incentive to push forward to see those story bits, consider waiting it out for the anime adaptation (which covers the first game) coming this Spring instead.
At best, Fate/Extella is kinda competent game that fans of the franchise will enjoy. It's not broken and can be simple, mindless fun in short bursts. But those not familiar with the franchise it's based on will be left in the dust. If you're a hardcore fan of Fate/Stay Night or Dynasty Warriors, you've probably decided whether or not Fate/Extella is for you. Those on the fence shouldn't really bother with this title.