Hand of Fate 2 Reviews
Hand of Fate 2 is an interesting fusion between deck building games mechanics and the worl of Interactive Fiction. Defiant Development has created a nice fusion between narrative driven game with a high number of player choices.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Your fate is decided by a scattering of cards across a table; dice rolls mean death or fortune and your next step could warp you to an insurmountable brawl. Hand Of Fate's mix of strategic planning, random chance, and meaty combat is both rewarding and addictive. Fighting lacks complexity and doesn't quite stand up to the eventual repetition, but this game within a game is still well worth your time overall.
Clever developments to gameplay and visuals make this sequel an exciting progression that can become an act of patience when the numbers stop going your way.
Hand of Fate 2 was an excellent spin on the ARPG when it came out in late 2017. It's even better now that it's on the Switch. The same issues are still present, namely that combat can be too simplistic, and there are just so many games on the console that Hand of Fate 2 could easily be overlooked. I hope that instead, Defiant's sequel sees a lot of new players, as it's a series I hope to see continue to evolve.
Hand of Fate 2 merges tried and true conventions and creates a unique experience. While the individual components lean on the simpler side of things, as a whole the game is greater than the sum of its parts. It's a game that's best played in small chunks, making it a very good entry to the Switch library!
Updated graphics, additional gameplay mechanics, and engaging storytelling make Hand of Fate 2 an enjoyable gaming experience.
A great way to spend your evening while listening to fascinating stories, participating in their creation and trying to finish all levels with best results.
Review in Russian | Read full review
The original Hand of Fate was a game I had heard a lot about, but never got around to. The Switch is encouraging me to go back and pick up a lot of these titles, and this is one worth grabbing a hold of. Just be sure to watch the cards and choose your battles wisely, and you'll have a tale that will live on through the ages.
The original Hand of Fate had a Vita port planned, which sadly never came to fruition. Hand of Fate 2 on Nintendo Switch shows just how good that port could have been. It's so absurdly addictive and utterly unique. It improves on the original in every way and is a truly unique experience. It takes elements of so many different types of games and mashes them together; a process that usually results in a metaphorical goopy mess, but here it's somehow turned into gold.
As a sequel, there are some solid improvements made that result in an overall better game. The deck building is better now and there is more variety of cards added. Writing feels more concise but the combat is still rather shallow and the load times for each battle don't really help the flow of the game. The effort to port it to the Nintendo Switch is a success without any major flaws or drawbacks holding the game behind compared to the other console versions.
Offering more of the same, but for the better, Hand of Fate 2 is more of what you liked, none of what you didn't over the original. Defiant Development have done exactly what you need to do for a sequel, improve and cut out the fat. The improved missions and importance of character creation and development make it feel more personal and like your story, rather than playing someone else's. Hand of Fate 2 offers a lot of variety you would have to play several other games to get in the quality that's available here.
So overall, the surprise success has spawned a fitting sequel in Hand of Fate 2, with deeper RPG elements, interesting lore and some really great challenges which all feel different. The tabletop side and the new action elements blend together well to keep the excitement levels high, as do the new mini-games to test your nerve, skill and luck.
It's amazing to see a game like Hand of Fate 2 on the Switch, as it makes perfect sense for portability and presentation. While the sequel is everything from the original Hand of Fate and more, I'd still like the original end up on here for completeness. Defiant Development have done a great job at making the game work well on the Switch to be comparable to the other systems the game appears on. You'll likely not play anything like Hand of Fate 2, and is absolutely worth the purchase no matter where you can get it.
Hand of Fate 2 is one of the most diverse, unique games I've played in quite some time. It's rare to find a developer doing something new these days, but Defiant Development successfully mixes the 3D action genre with a card and board game. If you're looking for a weird, dark fantasy card game with intense action in between, don't sleep on Hand of Fate 2!
Hand of Fate 2 is a great game as a sequel and as a standalone game. Expand the proposal of the first part and improve everything previously seen. It's a lot of fun to dive into its mix of deck management, classic RPG, and combat. If you liked the first part or you are simply attracted to being able to recall those games of Dungeons and Dragons making decisions and throwing dice, do not stop trying it.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Hand of Fate 2 understands what makes a good sequel. It both improves and expands upon the core gameplay of its predecessor while staying true to its original recipe. Good efforts were made to retain as much freshness as possible with the addition of companions, a more narrative-focused campaign and, naturally, new cards and mechanics.
Hand of Fate 2 has stellar writing, fun deck building, and interesting stories. What it doesn't have, however, is good combat. While I have grown to find the combat manageable, it should be fun and exciting. It stands as an odd blemish that has been carried over from the original while everything else as been prettied up. Still, I recommend giving Hand of Fate 2 a chance, especially if you never played the original. Even with the lackluster combat there is plenty to enjoy here.
A nice mixture of card RPG and real-time combat, Hand of Fate 2 offers near endless gameplay that's genuinely fun and atmospheric.
Hand of Fate 2 improves on its solid predecessor, but it's a couple of cards from a royal flush.
The quality of the overall experience is held back by the repetitive combat. It's a shame, too, as if this area of the game was improved, Hand of Fate 2 could have been something truly special.