Fate/Extella Link (Nintendo Switch) Review

By Athanasios 16.04.2019

Review for Fate/Extella Link on Nintendo Switch

The 'Fate' universe has gone a long way from its humble, visual novel beginnings, as it's now a multi-media franchise, complete with anime, manga, videogames, as well as a bunch of Dakimakura. One product in particular, Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star, was a Dynasty Warriors-like hack 'n' slasher - one that was a bit rough around the edges, but generally a fine instalment, especially for fans of the genre, as well as this specific world. Its sequel, Fate/Extella Link, is, without a doubt, the better game, but do the improvements on offer make this feel more like a heavily updated version of the original, rather than a new title altogether? After taking a look at it on the PS4, Cubed3 checks out the Switch version.

The story takes place in a simulated world, where humanity spends its days alongside self-aware, AI programs, with many of them actually being famous historical figures - mostly the battle-ready ones. Continuing right after Fate/Extella, it revolves around a certain Karl der Große, who is acting all archenemy and stuff, with a young hunky man who goes by the name of Charlemagne being the one who will help you stop him from doing whatever he wants to do.

Now, it should be mentioned that the info that will be thrown at you need some getting used to if not experienced with the franchise. Yes, it's one of 'those' type of games that sort of require playing previous instalments first, and which can soon turn into a BlazBlue-like bloated mess; something that's common in many action or role-playing titles that have a strong anime vibe.

On the bright side, there's not much boring exposition here, or dialogue sequences that end up looking like endless walls of text, and the whole adventure has a pretty neat pacing, with it ending at the best time possible. Too bad that, other than the two main characters, Charlemagne and Karl, the rest of the (impressive) cast are there just to be there, either as foes or allies, and never really get as much involved in what is happening in the story mode. Story, shmory, though. The name of the game is musou-ing one's way through hordes of enemies, right?

Screenshot for Fate/Extella Link on Nintendo Switch

This doesn't bring much new stuff to the table, yet it refines what's already on it. Apart from it generally controlling better, it also less... obstructed by its mechanics, with special abilities being less of a hustle to activate, and a battlefield that doesn't overstay its welcome, which is a real blessing, considering how monotonous such games can become after a while. Sure, things eventually get repetitive here, as well, but Link greatly encourages constantly changing your setup, and experimenting with mixing and matching skill loadouts.

There's also more content on offer, both in terms of missions, as well as characters and equipment, although a large part of the latter is basically recycled material from the previous chapter. The graphics get a decent boost, with character models in particular looking much better. The Switch version has sacrificed the lighting and shadow effects a bit, and the action can get a little blurry at times, but, as a whole, this looks alright.

Fate/Extella Link still isn't the perfect Fate videogame, but it's definitely better than what came before it, something that the fanbase will surely appreciate. The only big issue here is that, while this is a sequel that even "outsiders" can find plenty of enjoyment in it, this was mostly done with the fans in mind - and even some of those might be somewhat disappointed, as fanservice alone won't be enough for them to open their wallets in order to get something that is basically a major upgrade, rather than something really new.

Screenshot for Fate/Extella Link on Nintendo Switch

Cubed3 Rating

6/10
Rated 6 out of 10

Good

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.

Developer

Marvelous

Publisher

Marvelous

Genre

Action

Players

1

C3 Score

Rated $score out of 10  6/10

Reader Score

Rated $score out of 10  0 (0 Votes)

European release date Out now   North America release date Out now   Japan release date Out now   Australian release date Out now   

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