Sega RPG's!
- Quills on Wheels
- Level 15
- Posts: 4452
- Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2010 1:08 pm
- Location: Land of Down Under
I have Resonance of Fate, but it is quite a difficult game and RWDebara is right, the mechanics take some getting used to. I wrote a first impressions thing for my old website, I could post it in this thread if you wanted 
I haven't completed it yet.. It's tricky ya know.
Edit: I'll squeeze it in anyway:

I haven't completed it yet.. It's tricky ya know.
Edit: I'll squeeze it in anyway:
First look at Resonance of Fate:
I love swords in my RPG’s. You may have gathered that from the very title of this website, Sword of Sega. Surely every good RPG needs some sort of sword-wielding hero, no matter what universe the world is set in, right? Even the characters of Phantasy Star, for all the technology they have, love a good sword fight.
Well, guns are cool too; if you’re some kind of flying, running, crazy John Woo-esque maniac, and that’s exactly the kind of gameplay that resonance of Fate brings to the RPG playing field.
Also known as End of Eternity, Resonance of Fate was released in the UK around the same time as Square Enix’s flagship title Final Fantasy XIII. However, those expecting a unique role playing experience were soon put off by the direction the series took within the thirteenth instalment, and Resonance of Fate became the experience that Final Fantasy fans were looking for.
The game is typical Japanese RPG fare as represented by the three main characters. Vashyron, the oldest of the three, is the wise, skilled leader who has a perverse side. Zephyr is the brooding teenager with a dark history and Leanne is the pretty girl with the mysterious past. The story is split into various chapters, each with an introductory and ending cut scene that is rather episodic in nature, showing different aspects of the world of Basel and its inhabitants. The story is never really clear about what is actually going on until later chapters, and even then it takes some working out, although it remains entertaining nonetheless.
The world itself is set upon a giant clockwork structure called Basel which is split between multiple layers stacked on top of each other and accessible through elevators. Basel is the last habitable home of humankind, powered by steampunk inspired technology and working cog constructions. The main city of Ebel reflects this steampunk charm within its architecture, orchestral musical score and the clothing which you can fully customise the three characters with. Unlike FFXIII, Resonance of Fate has a world map which can be explored, but it is rather different from what you would expect; the world itself is made of hexagon pieces which must be cleared to progress, some hexes hiding items. Time flows when on the world map and random battles are also in effect, but there are many areas which can be accessed and explored. Also on the world map are terminals, which when activated offer a variety of different bonuses to all hexes connected.
It’s the battle system that really makes Resonance of Fate unique among RPG’s though and contains a myriad of complexity. Whilst many games offer numerous tutorials and hold your hand as you explore through the various systems of the game, Resonance of Fate throws you in the deep end. I’ll admit, the first few hours of getting to grips with the game somewhat put me off, but practising within the arena for a few hours really pay off as you learn more and more about techniques throughout. The best part is everything you learn by the end game can be used at the very beginning.
Combat is turn based as you control the three main characters. There are three main weapons in the game; handguns which are capable of dealing direct damage to an opponent, machineguns which attack with scratch damage and grenades with a range of different status-inducing effects. Each character and enemy has a health bar; some enemies have multiple body parts which can be blasted away as well. Scratch damage does not hurt the opponent, but is easier to inflict than direct damage. All scratch damage can be converted to actual damage, thus the main strategy of combat involves attacking first with scratch damage and then with direct damage.
The player also has a hero gauge which can be used to perform ‘Hero Actions’. This is where the running, flying John Woo gameplay comes in, as the player can trace a line across the battle field and then blast away whilst running or flying through the air. By crossing the paths of the three characters, you can also earn Resonance points, which allows you to get each character moving at the same time via a Tri-Attack. Other elements thrown in the mix include the ability to launch enemies in the air and land a bonus shot, smacking enemies down when launched and using objects on the battle field to your own advantage, including barriers, mines, oil drums and so on. The battle system really must be seen in action to appreciate just how fluid and ingenious it is.
However, once the player’s hero gauge runs out, they enter a state called ‘Critical Condition’ where upon the Game Over screen is not far behind. Balancing hero actions with the remaining hero gauge, and also working against your enemies’ weaknesses takes some getting used to and can make the game frustratingly hard. Thankfully, you can restart a battle right off the Game Over screen, allowing you to keep trying until you get it right and when a battle runs smooth it is incredibly satisfying.
I’m still working my way through Resonance of Fate and the many challenges it offers, but there is no doubt in my mind that this game is pure genius. If you’re bored of JRPG’s and want something new, then Resonance of Fate will certainly surprise you as it proves how RPG’s can continue to be redefined. It may not have any swords, but it’s sharp enough!
- Wrath Oskvro
- Level 15
- Posts: 1517
- Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 3:18 am
- Location: Ohio, USA
- Preferred pronouns: Bruh
I wouldn't mind seeing remakes of the first 4 Phantasy Stars.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1cmXX ... T2LjS5oUOg Like guitars? Like games? Like Metal? Check my Youtoob.
- Wrath Oskvro
- Level 15
- Posts: 1517
- Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 3:18 am
- Location: Ohio, USA
- Preferred pronouns: Bruh
Well, by remake I mean something along the lines of what Square Enix did with the Final Fantasy games on the DS.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1cmXX ... T2LjS5oUOg Like guitars? Like games? Like Metal? Check my Youtoob.
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