Resonance of Fate is one of the most satisfying RPGs I’ve played in recent times. This latest effort from Sega and tri-Ace, for the most part, is a very traditional Japanese RPG, but with some interesting twists of its own. For starters, it does not have any magic, and the combat revolves around flashy acrobatic gun battles. Intricate armour and elaborate costumes are replaced by jeans, leather jackets and shades. There are no long drawn-out cutscenes or unnecessary exposition, and it also has a very interesting exploration mechanic. But the real highlight is its challenging and surprisingly deep battle system that constantly tests your skills throughout the game and even beyond that.
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The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world, where most of the land is uninhabitable due to harsh weather conditions. In addition to that, lethal diseases that lead to mutation and death run rampant. Most of humanity has confined itself to a massive mechanical beanstalk-like structure known as Basel, a steampunk world full of spinning gears and clockwork. Although set in the future, the towns and many of the NPCs have a distinct Victorian look that gives the game its own unique style. Combine that with gun-battle sequences that wouldn’t be out of place in John Woo flick or The Matrix and you have a very interesting mix of genres. It’s a refreshing change from the usual RPG worlds and storylines, and it provides a great backdrop for all the stylized action.
The story revolves around three “Hunters”, guns-for-hire who take up odd jobs for the rich folks of Basel in exchange for money. The entire game is divided into chapters, each with a single story mission and a sizeable number of optional side-missions. You are free to do missions in any order and you can grind for experience as much as you like. However, side missions do not carry over to subsequent chapters and must be completed before you advance. Most of the early chapters revolve around doing random jobs for your clients, such as fetching a rare wine bottle or getting some specific items for a sculptor. The plot only starts to develop towards the end and while the story itself isn’t anything to write home, it’s still a lot better than most other JRPGs, and more specifically, tri-Ace’s own Star Ocean series.
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Unlike other games from the genre, there are only three members in your party for the entire game. But that’s actually a good thing. It keeps the narrative focussed on the three leads and gives them room to develop and eventually become likeable. You have the wisecracking leader of the pack – Vashyron, who is played by the guy who always plays the wisecracking hero – Nolan North, Zephyr – the standard-issue emo-kid with issues (only less “hope”-less), and Leanne – a newbie in the hunting business and the game’s female lead. The voice acting is generally good across the board, which is a welcome change, but the writing is a bit amateurish in places, especially since most of the game’s humour comes from crude sexual jokes. The game also has a rather quirky style and is filled with some bizarre moments that keep it from getting boring throughout the considerably lengthy adventure.
Much like other tri-Ace titles, the game’s main appeal comes in the form of its excellent battle system. It’s challenging and at the same time very addictive. I won’t actually go into the explaining the battle system itself, but it’s a very interesting combination of traditional turn-based battles and some of the mechanics found in strategy RPGs like Valkyria Chronicles. There are no menus or commands to be found here. All actions can be carried out with just the controller buttons. There is a heavy emphasis on the positioning of your characters and use of cover in the battle arenas. Your main weapons of choice are guns, but you can also use grenades or special ammo for your guns, which is essentially Resonance of Fate’s equivalent of elemental attacks.
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That’s just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a lot more to the battle system and you will constantly find yourself trying out new strategies while trying to beat a particularly nasty group of enemies or a massive boss. It’s interesting to note that the entire battle system is open right from the start of the game. Unlike other RPGs, it does not slowly teach you the mechanics, but lets you discover them for yourself. There is a brief tutorial that explains most of it, but it’s surely not adequate. Newcomers and even longtime RPG fans may get overwhelmed by the battles in the beginning of the game. Enemies can be relentless, while you’re still fumbling with the basics. But with enough persistence, things will begin to click and the battles that frustrated you will start becoming highly enjoyable. Overall, much like the games of the past, it requires some amount of commitment from the player.
Next page: IVG Verdict
