Fate/Extella Link Reviews
I can say that this is a musou game that I’ll actually go back to after this review is done…which, I believe, is a hell of a seal of approval for a game in this genre. Here’s hoping the next inevitable entry in the Extra/Extella series steps it up even further.
Whether you are a fan of the series or not, Fate/EXTELLA LINK is rather fun, it's filled to the brim with action, and allows for fans both new and old to familiarize themselves with a healthy roster of well-established servants. It ensures that no one encounter will ever be experienced exactly the same and sets itself leagues ahead of some of its competitor titles, making it an absolute must-have for Musou fans.
Overall, this is an incredibly fun hack’n’slash game. Perhaps it could do more with the Fate brand, expanding on the story and character development, but that is not the draw of this game. The combat is the obvious star of the show, supported by the characters and the systems to develop their skills and powers. I believe that fans of the Fate series will enjoy this particularly as they will have more background knowledge and be happy to see more of the characters. That said, anyone who enjoys musou-style games will likely not regret buying this game.
While there’s quite a lot to understand about Fate/EXTELLA Link in the end your enjoyment is likely to hinge on the frantic and crazy combat...
With the big Nintendo-related hack and slash franchises (Fire Emblem and Hyrule Warriors) already present on Switch, the Fate/EXTELLA titles don't usually get a lot of attention. But the Fate series is sneakily popular, largely due to the popularity of the Grand Order mobile game, and fans of Fate will find a good time here. For everyone else, your enjoyment of Fate/EXTELLA: LINK will largely depend on your tolerance for anime stereotypes.
Despite carrying some nice improvements over its predecessor in the gameplay department, Fate/Extella Link offers a disappointing story. Overall though, the combat is fast, easy, and fun to grasp and leads to an enjoyable hack-and-slash game with some charming anime aesthetics.
Even though Fate/Extella Link feels a lot like its predecessor, it's still a much-improved game that'll keep you hacking and slashing for hours.
GOOD - Fate/Extella Link features lots of improvements over the previous release, but it still suffers from some of the pitfalls the last title had and does have a steep learning curve for those unfamiliar with the franchise. Hack and slash action aficionados will find a lot to like here!
Divisive in nearly every facet, Fate/EXTELLA LINK is a game that lovingly caters to its demographic, however limited it may be.
Fate/Extella Link is a major step in the right direction for this Dynasty Warriors spinoff series. It takes the ideas of the original and executes them all even better than before. Unfortunately, the story still flounders a bit, putting too much focus on new hero Charlemagne and not enough on the beefy supporting cast, and it's still a little repetitive at times, but the new Skill systems help ease that monotony a lot. Fate/Extella Link is fun and flashy as hell, and even though it still has some issues and annoyances, it's guaranteed enjoyment for any Fate fan.
As far as Warriors-style action games go, Fate Extella Link is near the top of the pile on PS4 -- it's a robust and refined sequel that fans of the genre shouldn't miss out on. The process of levelling up, collecting skills, and bonding with your favourite Fate characters is both satisfying and rewarding, and although repetition does become a factor later on, the flashy combat has enough kick to keep you engaged. While it could be argued that Link should do more to evolve beyond its predecessor, it's still hectic hack and slash fun from start to finish.
While more playable and mechanically sound than the original Fate/Extella, Fate/Extella Link fails to tell an engaging and memorable story, thus falling short of the standards set by other spin-offs.
Fate/Extella Link improves upon Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star in nearly every way, even if it still struggles in many areas.
Good old fashioned and accessible Warriors-style action wrapped in a story full of pre-established lore from the Fate series. Particularly great for those new to Musou.
Whilst the muddled story that immediately assumes you know the lore found in previous titles limits the draw of the campaign, Fate/EXTELLA LINK easily provides a surprisingly deep, content-rich adventure that is certain to become a time-sink should you let yourself go unchecked.
The game does get repetitive fast, but the fast-paced action and short missions are enough to keep players thoroughly entertained, especially in short bursts.
The hard thing about review a Dynasty Warriors game is how important is the mindless fun aspect. For Fate/Extella Link, it just feels so robotic that it's hard to get excited. Defeat countless enemies to see numbers go up, just for the sake of seeing numbers go up. Online will help fight this, as the human element will at least shake them up, though it's hard to say how many people will actually play. In the end, you have a hollow game with a confusing story, making it hard to suggest, unless you're a big fan of the series or just want some mindless fun before doing something.
Fans of Fate will enjoy this, it's basically fanservice. The Musou style gameplay has been used for many franchises in Japan across the years, with popular series like One Piece, Kamen Rider, and Gundam all receiving games that give fans the chance to play with their favourite characters.
Fate/Extella Link continues offering the same entertaining blend of musou action and RPG-like progression, in a package that is bigger and better. Still, unless a big fan of the franchise, it's not exactly a must-have, as it mostly feels like an improvement that generally keeps things annoyingly safe.