Return to the Fate universe for an action-packed sequel to The Umbral Star starring Charlemagne.
Fate/Extella Link
Marvelous
Price: $49.99
Platforms: PS4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch, PC (reviewed)
MonsterVine was provided with a PC code for review.
When I reviewed Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star in 2017, I was overwhelmed by my sudden introduction to a world where figures from history, folklore, and mythology are summoned as spirits called Servants in an artificial environment called SE.RA.PH. on the moon, but I was a bit more prepared this time. Fate/Extella Link provides a brief overview of events, as well as a glossary of terms, although it isn’t quite as reliant on knowledge of the universe as the previous game was.
Picking up shortly after the events of The Umbral Star, this new entry in the series finds SE.RA.PH. in danger from a new threat, as a conqueror appears with the ability to brainwash Servants and also create copies of them. The player character and their Servants are joined by Charlemagne, who leads them on a mission to overcome this new foe.
Fate/Extella Link is a musou-style action game where you’ll easily slice your way through minor enemies and then take on the more powerful Aggressors and enemy Servants to capture sectors of the battlefield. However, despite having the same core gameplay, it avoids the previous game’s repetition in favor of a more exciting and fast-paced system. Gone is the tedious grind of killing enemies to capture sectors repeatedly until the boss appears. Instead, you almost always have clear objectives, whether it’s taking out an enemy Servant capable of ranged attacks on other sectors, searching for an assassin hidden somewhere on the battlefield, or clearing the path for an ally to reach a specific location.
The combat is smooth and responsive. In addition to your basic light and heavy attacks, you have special skills on a cooldown meter, and you learn more as you level up. Certain skills also trigger a Rush Attack on enemy Servants, allowing you to deal even more damage. As you fight, you’ll build a meter that lets you trigger your Moon Drive to temporarily increase your power, and fighting while in the Moon Drive state builds a separate gauge that lets you trigger your Noble Phantasm. The Noble Phantasm is a flashy, devastating attack that usually wipes out all enemies on the screen except bosses, and each Servant has a different one. Servants normally level up by battling, but since there’s a large roster to pick from, you can also use the in-game currency to level up.
Between battles, you’ll spend time at your central hub, where you can talk to your Servants for dialogue that changes based on the plot. It also gives you access to three menus: My Room, the Barracks, and the Strategy Room. My Room lets you switch or customize your active Servant, see any new dialogue based on your bond level, and craft Mystic Codes (equippable items for the player character that let you buff/heal/etc. your Servant in battle); the Barracks lets you visit each Servant to see any new dialogue based on your bond level; and the Strategy Room lets you switch or customize your active Servant, accept side missions to increase your bond with Servants, and head into battle. While the hub world is a great idea, there’s an unusual amount of overlap that makes some parts, especially My Room, feel redundant.
The story is much shorter and more straightforward than the epic plot of The Umbral Star. Instead of following three distinct routes, your path changes based on choices you make, with a convenient flowchart that lets you revisit any unlocked stage whenever you want. There’s less of an emphasis on storytelling, but it still has some interesting moments and fun character interactions. Being able to talk to each Servant as your bond increases is especially nice, although new dialogue comes a bit too infrequently. In addition to the main story, there are also bonus missions you can play through that show alternate versions of events or feature more lighthearted premises. Finally, the PS4, Switch, and PC versions have a four-on-four competitive multiplayer option, where you pick a Servant of your choice with pre-set ability options and battle other players, although at the time of my review the multiplayer battles were not yet populated.
Fate/Extella Link was pitched as a side story focused on Charlemagne, with a full sequel to The Umbral Star also planned. With that in mind, it accomplishes its task well and introduces many excellent features that I hope to see carried over to the next game.
The Final Word
You won’t find the same epic scale of storytelling here as in its predecessor, but Fate/Extella Link excels with superb battles and sets down the groundwork for what could be an even better sequel.
4/5 – Good
