Fate/EXTELLA

77%
Game Brain Score Based on 836 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Fate/EXTELLA Game Cover
Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star is a beat em' up done right, but can be repetitive after a long while.
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Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star is a single-player Hack and Slash game set in the virtual realm of SE.RA.PH, where Masters and Servants fight for the Holy Grail. With good graphics, enthralling story, and an epic soundtrack, players control Nero and her allies to defend against an uprising of Servants and uncover an ancient secret. However, be prepared for a lot of grinding.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

77%
Audience ScoreBased on 836 reviews
story160 positive mentions
grinding17 negative mentions
  • Engaging story with emotional depth, especially for fans of the Fate series.
  • Fun and fast-paced combat that allows for flashy combos and unique character abilities.
  • Strong character design and voice acting, bringing beloved Fate characters to life.
  • Repetitive gameplay with similar mission structures and environments, leading to potential boredom.
  • Visual novel segments can be lengthy and may detract from the overall pacing of the game.
  • Limited character interactions and development outside of the main three protagonists.
  • story532 mentions

    The story of "Fate/Extella" is a mixed bag, with many players praising its character interactions and emotional depth, particularly for fans of the Fate franchise. While some found the narrative engaging and well-written, others criticized it for being repetitive and lacking coherence, especially for newcomers unfamiliar with the lore. Overall, the game offers a decent story experience, but its pacing and reliance on visual novel elements can detract from the gameplay.

    • “Overall, I was shocked at how much I liked the characters and story.”
    • “This game has a phenomenal story, as expected with a Nasu-written Fate product.”
    • “The story is surprisingly good, knowing what type of game Extella is; it almost felt this game is more of a visual novel instead of hack and slash, you'd spend hours reading the dialogues (if you care about it).”
    • “But the story is kinda meh.”
    • “On the narrative front, the story is serviceable, though it won't be winning any awards for groundbreaking storytelling.”
    • “The story is too predictable to be genuinely interesting.”
  • gameplay217 mentions

    The gameplay of Fate/Extella has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitive nature and similarities to the Dynasty Warriors series. While some appreciate the fast-paced, hack-and-slash mechanics and the enjoyable character abilities, others criticize the lack of depth and variety, leading to a monotonous experience over time. Overall, the gameplay serves primarily as a vehicle for the engaging story, appealing mainly to fans of the Fate franchise.

    • “The gameplay gives a lot of fan service, moves look spectacular and each servant has its own combos and strengths.”
    • “The gameplay is versatile and fast-paced, and you get a lot of characters to choose from, keeping you entertained for hours.”
    • “Simply put, the combat itself is the pride of this game and I absolutely recommend it if you just want to hop into the game for an hour or so to have a quick fix of some fast-paced and addicting gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is extremely unpolished and repetitive, and about 70% of the story is just 'uoohhhh, nero/tamamo/altera is so beautiful.......'”
    • “Gameplay is very repetitive, with using pretty much a small map rotation for all of the scenarios.”
    • “Now, on to the gameplay... the gameplay feels like a terribly watered down clone of dynasty warriors, but without any of the good mechanics.”
  • graphics72 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the character design and vibrant art style, while others criticize the dated visuals and lack of variety in environments. Many players note that while the graphics may not be groundbreaking, they are acceptable for the gameplay experience, especially on lower-end systems. Overall, the visuals are seen as a blend of decent character animations and mediocre environmental graphics, with some players expressing disappointment in the technical execution.

    • “Stunning artwork.”
    • “Visuals are top-notch and the character design is fantastic, with detailed and beautifully animated characters that are true to the original source material.”
    • “The graphics have a sleek, clean look and the game performs well at 4k on my system.”
    • “The graphics are laughably bad for a 2017 game with models that look like Play-Doh and action figures.”
    • “It seems that the original developer team was using some sort of 2010 version software that they couldn't afford much more detailed graphics.”
    • “The graphics, if I must say, were a bit awful.”
  • music40 mentions

    The music in the game receives a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and fit the cyberworld theme. While some tracks are noted as memorable and epic, others are criticized for being recycled or lackluster. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a strong point, contributing to the game's enjoyment despite some gameplay shortcomings.

    • “The music fits the game really well, just like the ambient noises.”
    • “The game's soundtrack is also great, with an epic and fitting accompaniment to the game's action-packed gameplay.”
    • “The music just gets you pumped so much, making even the most tedious of fights feel like you're in the middle of a final boss battle.”
    • “The music in the NPCs is cut badly.”
    • “The presentation quality and music aren't good.”
    • “Music is also lackluster.”
  • grinding17 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often leading to boredom as they repeatedly tackle the same maps and battles. While some appreciate the engaging music and the core gameplay loop, many feel that the grind for achievements and character upgrades detracts from the overall enjoyment, making it a chore rather than a rewarding experience. Despite its entertaining elements, the grind can overshadow the narrative and gameplay, resulting in mixed reviews.

    • “I really wanted to enjoy this game; however, the fights and the overall gameplay became unbearably boring and tedious.”
    • “The pain of grinding the same 6 maps 4 times is more than enough for me to give this a negative review.”
    • “It can get quite repetitive later, especially when grinding for certain achievements.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its powerful storytelling and character development, which evoke strong feelings and investment from players. Many reviewers noted moments of heartbreak and joy, with the narrative described as a beautiful and touching emotional rollercoaster. The combination of stunning art and music further enhances the emotional experience, making it a memorable journey despite some initial confusion in the story.

    • “However, it has a pretty good story that gets pretty emotional at times; at least for me, it was.”
    • “The art in this game is beautiful, and combined with the OST, it can be emotional.”
    • “The game offers a rich story that is very easy to get emotionally invested in, with characters recognizable from across the Fate franchise.”
  • character development9 mentions

    Character development in the game is largely criticized, with many reviewers noting a lack of meaningful interactions and growth among characters, reducing them to stereotypes and clichés. While the character design and visuals are praised for their detail and appeal, they are seen as insufficient to compensate for the shallow writing and repetitive gameplay. Overall, the game's focus on aesthetics overshadows the need for deeper character exploration, leaving players wanting more substance.

    • “For starters, the character design is a standout, especially if you're into characters that bring a lot of personality (and yes, attractiveness) to the table.”
    • “It's Dynasty Warriors meets Tron, great character design (especially Nero and Jeanne) and great voice acting.”
    • “Visuals are top-notch and the character design is fantastic, with detailed and beautifully animated characters that are true to the original source material.”
    • “Moving on, apart from missing character development or interactions, the main plot is way too long for its own good.”
    • “The writing is just so terrible, every character is just a cheap rip-off of anime with no character development.”
    • “Fate Extella completely wipes any character development Tamamo ever got and replaces it with a generic 'I love you, Master, please accept me' stereotype while leaving her on the side.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The game is praised for its humor, particularly through the interactions between characters like Nero and Tamamo, which many players find hilarious and enjoyable. While the story may not reach the heights of other entries in the franchise, the comedic elements and unique character personalities contribute to a fun and engaging experience. Overall, the humor enhances the gameplay, making it a standout feature for players.

    • “Also... the back and forth between Nero and Tamamo is funny as all hell.”
    • “This game is so funny to play and enjoyable. In FGO gacha, I was so frustrated with zero luck, but in this game, your favorite servant is free.”
    • “Also, the main character Nero is so funny and cute!”
  • replayability5 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through multiple difficulty levels, various equipment and passive options, and engaging free play modes. While the narrative is a central focus, the limited number of main characters may affect replay value for some players. Anticipation for the sequel suggests that future installments may enhance replayability further with additional content.

    • “It has a lot of replayability with scores, 4 difficulty levels, and a lot of equipment/passives to equip.”
    • “I found the game mostly narrative, and while all servants are playable, only three are focused on.”
    • “You'll have fun with the inane story, and the free play modes offer a lot of replay value.”
    • “I'm excited for the sequel (Fate/Extella Link) as it promises more playable servants, more storyline, better graphics, and improved mechanics.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game is highly optimized, allowing smooth performance even on older PCs, such as those with i3 Gen 2 or 3 processors. Players report excellent frame rates, with one user experiencing consistent performance around 180fps on max settings with a modern graphics card. Overall, the optimization is praised for delivering a seamless gaming experience.

    • “The fight sequence is just smooth; you can even play it on an older generation PC like an i3 Gen 2 or 3. The game is well optimized for playing on older PCs.”
    • “This port runs smoothly on maxed settings.”
    • “It's like Dynasty Warriors, minus the gnarly optimization (the game doesn't dip below 140fps maxed out running at my ultrawide monitor's resolution with a RX 5700, usually is in the 180fps range), and plus Fate characters.”
    • “It's like Dynasty Warriors, minus the poor optimization.”
    • “The game doesn't dip below 140 FPS maxed out running at my ultrawide monitor's resolution with an RX 5700; usually, it stays in the 180 FPS range.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game's stability is mixed; while the port runs well with a standalone launcher offering various graphic options, including 4K resolution, users report bugs such as issues with name input and the ability to push enemies off the map. It is recommended to use keyboard controls initially to avoid progression issues.

    • “The port runs great, with a standalone launcher to configure resolution and various graphic options. You can even select 4K resolution if your PC can handle it.”
    • “The name input is buggy; use keyboard controls first before switching to the controller, or else you will not be able to proceed or enter your name.”
    • “It's buggy; there is a glitch that allows you to push enemies off the map into the void of the game.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Users feel that while Saber Venus has some redeeming qualities, it ultimately falls short compared to CCC and Foxtail, which they perceive as more genuine experiences. The overall sentiment suggests that the game is viewed as a cash grab rather than a fair monetization model.

    • “Especially Saber Venus was pretty good, but compared to CCC and Foxtail, this game is clearly a cash-grabbing scam.”
    • “The monetization in this game feels exploitative, with prices that are way too high for what you get.”
    • “I can't believe how much they want for in-game items; it feels like they are just trying to squeeze money out of players.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is heavily influenced by its music, which can enhance the experience for players who appreciate the style. Overall, the right musical choices contribute significantly to creating an immersive environment.

    • “The music style really enhances the atmosphere of the game, creating an immersive experience.”
    • “The game's atmosphere is captivating, drawing you into its world with every detail.”
    • “The combination of visuals and sound design creates a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that lingers long after playing.”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking any real depth or immersion.”
    • “Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is dull and fails to engage the player.”
    • “The environment feels lifeless, making it hard to get lost in the game's world.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

70% average critic score

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Play time

11hMedian play time
22hAverage play time
8-43hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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