There’s something really attractive about the Fate franchise that few other series capture. The urban fantasy settings, seeing various mythological and whatnot figures duking it out and the deep characterization every character receives are just some of the things I love in those stories, whether they’re in games or anime. I’ve been an avid fan of the various Fate works for a while, but Fate/Zero, with its fantastic cast and very intriguing themes, while my first, is still my favorite. And of course, we can’t talk about Fate without mentioning the ever-popular mobile game Fate/Grand Order, which dominates Fate, and a lot of people’s wallets, and has spawned hundreds of character designs and tons of lore.
Fate/Samurai Remnant is a product of the post-FGO era, where even greater emphasis is put on the characters and the franchise was brought to a much bigger, and global, audience compared to its earlier days. I’d argue that the raison d'être of the game is to be a gateway to works that might seem intimidating, while it is also something that contains a lot of fanservice, for those of us who can’t have enough of it. And you can see that from the very classic setup, where there’s a sort of Holy Grail War happening, and you take the role of a Master, fighting his way to the truth along with his Servant. So, let’s dig a bit deeper into it.
The game features seven Masters and seven Servants, of the classic seven classes, all of them taking part in the Waxing Moon Ritual, the game’s Holy Grail War, for their own reasons, nefarious or righteous, and there’s a lot of scheming, alliances, and betrayals. You have Masters that fight for their bloodline or for a higher purpose, some that fight to save what they hold precious, and others that fight to enact revenge. As mentioned, anyone familiar with the franchise probably will see a lot of elements that they recognize in this story, as it’s very much a classic setup, and this extends to the way the Master/Servant pairings are handled, where the relationships vary. Sometimes the Servant might be treated as nothing but a tool, or the relationship might just exist due to their alignment of interests, but in other cases, they’re an equal, even a true friend to their Master. I feel all these complex relationships are a huge part of what makes Fate so interesting, and for the most part, you’ll get plenty of it in this. And really, this shouldn’t come as a surprise when key creative figures behind it are big Fate fans, with the franchise’s creators acting as supervisors as well.
The writing of most of the Masters is one of the game’s high points for me, but what stands out is the relationship between Miyamoto Iori, the protagonist, and his servant, Saber. While, initially, they don’t seem to decline much from what you’d expect a main duo to be in a Fate installment, I think they have some of the most interesting developments as the story progresses, and without revealing too much, I think they end up being a truly unique pair while they also stay true to the spirit of the series.
Other than the seven regular Servants, one of the game’s twists is that there are also eight masterless Servants, who are called rogue Servants, bringing the total count to fifteen. Overall, the servants are a mix of existing characters, mostly from Fate/Grand Order, along with completely new ones. I’d say the selection is decent, and it’s certainly a smart choice to increase their numbers as they’re pretty much the face of the game. That said, while there are some really good choices in the roster, like Miyamoto Musashi or the Rogue Saber, others, mainly from the rogue ones, are baffling. With a cast of characters as big as this, it’s not a surprise that not everyone will shine through the game’s writing in the same way, some of them end up being just there.
Fate/Samurai Remnant is a rather fast-paced story, with development after development. It misses a bit of that slow setup you’d often see, but it doesn’t lack any of the big moments the series is known for, and I think it won’t disappoint anyone expecting flashy action. While the game isn’t a technical marvel or anything, I was very impressed at the action animation and the effort put into it at times. Moreover, in a traditional Fate manner, the story branches at several points, requiring multiple playthroughs to see every route. While that might sound annoying, it’s totally worth it as there are major differences in the last couple of chapters and the conclusion, and thankfully, a lot of the stress in the subsequent playthroughs is alleviated as everything new is clearly marked as such, so you can safely skip anything you already read.
At this point, I think it’s worth talking about the most unique aspect of the game, which is actually its setting, Edo Japan. This isn’t really the norm for Fate at all, which usually goes for modern settings, but it’s very much a welcome change of pace. There’s a valiant effort to bring this era to life, and the game’s structure allows the player to explore a variety of real-life locations, while through the story you often get to interact with the townsfolk. From the brothels of Yoshiwara to the traditional Ueno, and from the busy Asakusa to the various temples and shrines hidden around the mountains, even if you can’t do much in every area, there’s a lot of attention to the details and a lot of neat historical facts. This setting also allows the game to use a lot of historical figures, besides the Servants, along with real historical events as part of its plot, and while a lot of that might go over someone’s head unless they’re a history buff, I found it very cool.
A reason behind the game’s overall cohesiveness is Koei Tecmo and its team of Omega Force. Koei Tecmo has a lot of experience with historical Japanese settings, as seen in series like Nioh or their various Warriors games, and I feel they were a great fit for a game like this one. Omega Force is mainly known for their musou games, and while Fate/Samurai Remnant borrows elements from them, like controlling relatively big crowds through combat or doing flashy moves, it’s not a musou, but rather its own kind of action game.
For the most part, you control Iori, who has various combat stances, skills, and spells, allowing for great versatility in the way you choose to play. Combat is rather fast-paced, with dodging and counters being important mechanics, and relying on combos of light and heavy attacks. The fights are either against groups of enemies or bosses, usually Servants, and take place in small, closed arena-like areas. Stances offer specialization and unique types of combat, like, for example, there’s a stance that is good for crowd control or another that adds magic to the combos. While it might feel a bit awkward at first, when you don’t have many skills unlocked, I grew fond of the combat, as there’s generally a good sense of progression through the various skill trees and the rhythm of it is fun. You can also summon Saber or one of the rogue Servants and play as them for a limited time, and while their mechanics aren’t as deep as Iori’s, the sense of power you get with them is pretty nice.
A part of the combat loop is trying to break magic shields around bosses or strong enemies, before being able to actually damage them, and this is mainly accomplished through Servants. This is probably a point that kind of soured me on the combat overall, as it’d often feel that you can’t do much other than some basic combos and dodging, throwing a spell here and there, while waiting for the bars to fill to break the shield and do real damage with a Servant. Fights often felt repetitive and they lasted more than they should, while even in the hardest difficulty, the challenge never felt satisfying. It’s rather risk-free, especially with how lenient the use of items is. There's a good variety of enemies, but also, they don’t feel that they require a different approach. Furthermore, the spell system feels very limiting, as it relies on a resource that might require extra steps to replenish, but at least Servant skills serve the same purpose most of the time and you can use them effortlessly. I don’t think the combat is bad, it can certainly be fun, however, it is probably the game’s lowest point for me, and that’s mainly because of its inherent repetitiveness.
On another note, while you’ll use Servants plenty of times while playing as Iori, during the story you often get to play as various other Servants as well. As said, the sense of power with them is a step above the usual, and each one plays adequately differently than the other, though not everyone is equally fun to play as. The game also features side quests, called Digressions, where you often get to either fight against a specific Servant or play as them, and they expand each character’s story, though not everyone gets the same amount or the same quality of stories.
Lastly, the game wouldn’t really be the same without Rei Wataru’s striking art, which accompanies the dialogues. For the various Fate media, an artist is inextricably linked with their characters, and I feel a lot of their personality comes through that artwork, especially for the original characters of this game. Of course, the performance of the voice actors and the overall direction do their fair share of elevating the game as well, as expected of Fate.
In conclusion, as a Fate fan, I felt surprised and very much pleased with the overall quality of Fate/Samurai Remnant. Even if I didn’t like some of the story beats, the writing is really good and there’s a plethora of great moments that will leave a strong impression. It’s a title with a lot of effort put into it and even if the combat might drag a bit, it’s still a fun game. I think a fan, or even someone getting into the series, will have a great time with it. It is roughly 30 hours long, with a few more needed to see every ending, but its pacing will make even that a breeze. Very much something I’d recommend to anyone looking for a cool setting, a nice story, and fun characters!
Fate/Samurai Remnant is a product of the post-FGO era, where even greater emphasis is put on the characters and the franchise was brought to a much bigger, and global, audience compared to its earlier days. I’d argue that the raison d'être of the game is to be a gateway to works that might seem intimidating, while it is also something that contains a lot of fanservice, for those of us who can’t have enough of it. And you can see that from the very classic setup, where there’s a sort of Holy Grail War happening, and you take the role of a Master, fighting his way to the truth along with his Servant. So, let’s dig a bit deeper into it.
The game features seven Masters and seven Servants, of the classic seven classes, all of them taking part in the Waxing Moon Ritual, the game’s Holy Grail War, for their own reasons, nefarious or righteous, and there’s a lot of scheming, alliances, and betrayals. You have Masters that fight for their bloodline or for a higher purpose, some that fight to save what they hold precious, and others that fight to enact revenge. As mentioned, anyone familiar with the franchise probably will see a lot of elements that they recognize in this story, as it’s very much a classic setup, and this extends to the way the Master/Servant pairings are handled, where the relationships vary. Sometimes the Servant might be treated as nothing but a tool, or the relationship might just exist due to their alignment of interests, but in other cases, they’re an equal, even a true friend to their Master. I feel all these complex relationships are a huge part of what makes Fate so interesting, and for the most part, you’ll get plenty of it in this. And really, this shouldn’t come as a surprise when key creative figures behind it are big Fate fans, with the franchise’s creators acting as supervisors as well.
The writing of most of the Masters is one of the game’s high points for me, but what stands out is the relationship between Miyamoto Iori, the protagonist, and his servant, Saber. While, initially, they don’t seem to decline much from what you’d expect a main duo to be in a Fate installment, I think they have some of the most interesting developments as the story progresses, and without revealing too much, I think they end up being a truly unique pair while they also stay true to the spirit of the series.
Other than the seven regular Servants, one of the game’s twists is that there are also eight masterless Servants, who are called rogue Servants, bringing the total count to fifteen. Overall, the servants are a mix of existing characters, mostly from Fate/Grand Order, along with completely new ones. I’d say the selection is decent, and it’s certainly a smart choice to increase their numbers as they’re pretty much the face of the game. That said, while there are some really good choices in the roster, like Miyamoto Musashi or the Rogue Saber, others, mainly from the rogue ones, are baffling. With a cast of characters as big as this, it’s not a surprise that not everyone will shine through the game’s writing in the same way, some of them end up being just there.
Fate/Samurai Remnant is a rather fast-paced story, with development after development. It misses a bit of that slow setup you’d often see, but it doesn’t lack any of the big moments the series is known for, and I think it won’t disappoint anyone expecting flashy action. While the game isn’t a technical marvel or anything, I was very impressed at the action animation and the effort put into it at times. Moreover, in a traditional Fate manner, the story branches at several points, requiring multiple playthroughs to see every route. While that might sound annoying, it’s totally worth it as there are major differences in the last couple of chapters and the conclusion, and thankfully, a lot of the stress in the subsequent playthroughs is alleviated as everything new is clearly marked as such, so you can safely skip anything you already read.
At this point, I think it’s worth talking about the most unique aspect of the game, which is actually its setting, Edo Japan. This isn’t really the norm for Fate at all, which usually goes for modern settings, but it’s very much a welcome change of pace. There’s a valiant effort to bring this era to life, and the game’s structure allows the player to explore a variety of real-life locations, while through the story you often get to interact with the townsfolk. From the brothels of Yoshiwara to the traditional Ueno, and from the busy Asakusa to the various temples and shrines hidden around the mountains, even if you can’t do much in every area, there’s a lot of attention to the details and a lot of neat historical facts. This setting also allows the game to use a lot of historical figures, besides the Servants, along with real historical events as part of its plot, and while a lot of that might go over someone’s head unless they’re a history buff, I found it very cool.
A reason behind the game’s overall cohesiveness is Koei Tecmo and its team of Omega Force. Koei Tecmo has a lot of experience with historical Japanese settings, as seen in series like Nioh or their various Warriors games, and I feel they were a great fit for a game like this one. Omega Force is mainly known for their musou games, and while Fate/Samurai Remnant borrows elements from them, like controlling relatively big crowds through combat or doing flashy moves, it’s not a musou, but rather its own kind of action game.
For the most part, you control Iori, who has various combat stances, skills, and spells, allowing for great versatility in the way you choose to play. Combat is rather fast-paced, with dodging and counters being important mechanics, and relying on combos of light and heavy attacks. The fights are either against groups of enemies or bosses, usually Servants, and take place in small, closed arena-like areas. Stances offer specialization and unique types of combat, like, for example, there’s a stance that is good for crowd control or another that adds magic to the combos. While it might feel a bit awkward at first, when you don’t have many skills unlocked, I grew fond of the combat, as there’s generally a good sense of progression through the various skill trees and the rhythm of it is fun. You can also summon Saber or one of the rogue Servants and play as them for a limited time, and while their mechanics aren’t as deep as Iori’s, the sense of power you get with them is pretty nice.
A part of the combat loop is trying to break magic shields around bosses or strong enemies, before being able to actually damage them, and this is mainly accomplished through Servants. This is probably a point that kind of soured me on the combat overall, as it’d often feel that you can’t do much other than some basic combos and dodging, throwing a spell here and there, while waiting for the bars to fill to break the shield and do real damage with a Servant. Fights often felt repetitive and they lasted more than they should, while even in the hardest difficulty, the challenge never felt satisfying. It’s rather risk-free, especially with how lenient the use of items is. There's a good variety of enemies, but also, they don’t feel that they require a different approach. Furthermore, the spell system feels very limiting, as it relies on a resource that might require extra steps to replenish, but at least Servant skills serve the same purpose most of the time and you can use them effortlessly. I don’t think the combat is bad, it can certainly be fun, however, it is probably the game’s lowest point for me, and that’s mainly because of its inherent repetitiveness.
On another note, while you’ll use Servants plenty of times while playing as Iori, during the story you often get to play as various other Servants as well. As said, the sense of power with them is a step above the usual, and each one plays adequately differently than the other, though not everyone is equally fun to play as. The game also features side quests, called Digressions, where you often get to either fight against a specific Servant or play as them, and they expand each character’s story, though not everyone gets the same amount or the same quality of stories.
Lastly, the game wouldn’t really be the same without Rei Wataru’s striking art, which accompanies the dialogues. For the various Fate media, an artist is inextricably linked with their characters, and I feel a lot of their personality comes through that artwork, especially for the original characters of this game. Of course, the performance of the voice actors and the overall direction do their fair share of elevating the game as well, as expected of Fate.
In conclusion, as a Fate fan, I felt surprised and very much pleased with the overall quality of Fate/Samurai Remnant. Even if I didn’t like some of the story beats, the writing is really good and there’s a plethora of great moments that will leave a strong impression. It’s a title with a lot of effort put into it and even if the combat might drag a bit, it’s still a fun game. I think a fan, or even someone getting into the series, will have a great time with it. It is roughly 30 hours long, with a few more needed to see every ending, but its pacing will make even that a breeze. Very much something I’d recommend to anyone looking for a cool setting, a nice story, and fun characters!