Fate/Samurai Remnant Game Cover
It might not be an actual Holy Grail War, Fate/Samurai Remnant's Waxing Moon Ritual delivers a bombastic, action-packed musou game with a narrative that gripped me for dozens of hours.

"Fate/Samurai Remnant" is an action RPG where you can experience the digital deluxe edition content, including a season pass for additional episodes and bonus equipment. The game features a story set in the Fate universe, allowing you to play as a samurai. A demo is available to try the early stages of the game on Apprentice difficulty. Note that some Season Pass content requires reaching a certain point in the game.

Reviews

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 986 reviews
story187 positive mentions
grinding13 negative mentions
  • Engaging story with well-developed characters, making it a great entry point for newcomers to the Fate series.
  • Fun and varied combat mechanics that blend Musou-style gameplay with RPG elements, allowing for strategic play.
  • Beautiful graphics and art style, along with a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • Repetitive gameplay, especially in boss fights, where enemies can feel like damage sponges.
  • Limited playable characters, with most gameplay focused on the main character rather than the servants.
  • Technical issues such as language settings and performance problems on certain platforms, which can detract from the experience.
  • story434 mentions

    The story of "Fate/Samurai Remnant" has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising its emotional depth, character development, and engaging narrative typical of the Fate series. While some players found the pacing slow and the gameplay repetitive, the rich storytelling and well-crafted characters kept them invested. Overall, it is considered a solid entry in the Fate franchise, appealing to both fans and newcomers, though some critiques highlight a lack of originality and depth in certain plot points.

    • “The story is engaging and feels like it is its own unique story, while drawing inspiration from the existing Fate (specifically FSN, UBW, and HF) stories.”
    • “Fate/Samurai Remnant is everything you could want from a Type-Moon game: enjoyable, challenging gameplay, a fantastic story with interesting characters, wonderful artwork all throughout, visual novel-style story delivery, excellent voice acting (in Japanese), and very impressive cutscenes for key moments.”
    • “This is a must for any fan of the Fate series as this provides a story the quality of which holds up to Type-Moon's standard with its own unique identity carved in the familiar and beloved setting of the Holy Grail War.”
    • “The story quickly becomes incredibly boring.”
    • “The game itself is very repetitive and relies heavily on copy-pasting and retreading through the story, which is a hallmark for both Fate and Musou games.”
    • “The story is mediocre; I don't know how good the story of other Musou games is, but I find this to be below Type-Moon. The bad ending feels like it should've been the true ending because of Iori's nature.”
  • gameplay190 mentions

    The gameplay of *Fate/Samurai Remnant* has received mixed reviews, with many praising its depth and mechanics compared to typical musou games, while others find it repetitive and simplistic. Players appreciate the blend of hack-and-slash combat with RPG elements, as well as the engaging story and character interactions, though some criticize the pacing and the reliance on cutscenes. Overall, it is seen as a solid entry in the Fate franchise, particularly for fans, but may not appeal to those unfamiliar with the genre.

    • “The combat is surprisingly deep for a musou-type game and has some super difficult bosses that will catch you by surprise if you don't learn the mechanics.”
    • “Fate/Samurai Remnant is everything you could want from a Type-Moon game: enjoyable, challenging gameplay, a fantastic story with interesting characters, wonderful artwork all throughout, visual novel-style story delivery, excellent voice acting, and very impressive cutscenes for key moments.”
    • “The gameplay is very fun and gets much deeper as you go.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, the basic combat mechanics of dodge like hell and stance systems were enjoyable; however, it can devolve into spam consumables and servants if you don't self-impose a challenge.”
    • “But alas, this game is a flawed piece of entertainment with a good story buried under a pile of bloated gameplay and filler fetch quests.”
    • “The gameplay is yet another musou game with a band-aid on it in a terrible attempt to pretend it is an action RPG in the musou engine that has made copy/paste trash but with whatever IP logo on the same game since the early 2000s.”
  • graphics83 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant art style and character designs, while others note that the overall visuals feel dated and reminiscent of older console generations. Performance is generally stable, but some players experience freezing issues and sluggishness on lower-end systems. Despite these drawbacks, the game's cutscenes and sprite work are highlighted as standout features, contributing to an overall enjoyable visual experience.

    • “The game welcomes you with striking visuals and immersive background music that sets the tone of the game right from the start.”
    • “Graphically, it's a treat; animations are just wonderful, art is brilliant, and the visual effects are just on point.”
    • “The graphics enhance our visual experience with its bright anime art style, bringing the Edo era to life.”
    • “The graphics during regular gameplay are very, very, very dated.”
    • “This brilliant identity is however held back by the frankly mediocre technical aspects of the game's software, especially when it comes to environment graphics.”
    • “Graphically, it's passable, looking as if it was developed primarily for the Switch.”
  • music57 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, featuring a dynamic soundtrack that complements various atmospheres, from tranquil town settings to intense combat scenarios. Many players appreciate the extensive voice acting and the memorable original tracks, although some express disappointment over the in-game accessibility of the soundtrack and artbook. Overall, the music is considered a standout aspect, contributing significantly to the game's immersive storytelling and emotional depth.

    • “The game welcomes you with striking visuals and immersive background music that sets the tone of the game right from the start.”
    • “The OST features a lot of new songs unique to the game, many of which are simply city background music, but they do a great job of capturing the tranquility in places like Torikoe Shrine, while also capturing the tension in story moments where all sorts of bad things are happening.”
    • “Amazing music, performances, story, visuals, characters, everything!”
    • “Music was unremarkable.”
    • “Also no NPC music at all, besides saber, sad.”
    • “In my 8 hours, the first thought that comes to my mind is sleepy music while running from point A to B in an endless maze-like town that looks the same in every corner.”
  • optimization15 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it offers consistent performance and high frame rates in performance mode, some players experience jitter and frame drops, particularly on certain hardware configurations. The graphics are considered outdated, resembling older console titles, but the game runs smoothly for many users without significant bugs. However, issues like inconsistent combat mechanics and locked frame rates in high-quality settings detract from the overall experience.

    • “Graphics/performance: 10/10. All settings were maxed out and I found no graphical issues or a single thing out of place.”
    • “People have been saying about bugs and all, but so far I encountered none of it. Performance-wise, it goes butter smooth.”
    • “The dodge and counter system is chance/stat based, resulting in inconsistent performance that ends up ruining any attempt at learning a crucial aspect of the combat system.”
    • “Performance-wise, it seems to jitter a bit on my RTX 3070 and i5 9600K, although it could be due to it being on my HDD.”
    • “Only complaint so far is that the game’s locked at 60 fps for best graphic quality; granted, you can use performance mode for 120 fps, but in some specific cutscenes, characters look noticeably pixelated.”
  • grinding15 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience. While some appreciate the skill trees and the reduced grind in later playthroughs, many criticize the tediousness of battles, particularly against spongy bosses, and the excessive requirements for leveling up and unlocking content. The grind can feel draining and unnecessary at times, especially for those aiming for 100% completion.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “It's very draining and tedious to fight one battle and then run across the other side of town to fight that second fight.”
    • “The unlock requirements for all the digressions are a pain, and by the time you've done your third playthrough to finally finish grinding monsters to make commissions happy, you won't know what to do with the money you get anyway.”
    • “Leveling up the workshop requires too much grinding in my opinion, and honestly, it should be easier to max out.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of absurdity and character interplay, with players finding amusement in the protagonist's unexpected strength and the comedic dynamics with servants. The whimsical enthusiasm for swords and the playful tone of certain characters, like Musashi and Jalter, contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere that resonates with players, making for genuinely funny moments throughout the experience. Overall, the humor is both quirky and engaging, enhancing the game's appeal.

    • “This interplay between the characters led to some genuinely humorous moments.”
    • “Funny and epic story.”
    • “Musashi makes me feel very funny (in a good way).”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing frequent crashes and freezes, particularly during cut-scenes and skill menus. While others report a smoother experience with minimal issues, the overall consensus indicates that the game was released in a buggy state, leading to sporadic graphical glitches that, while not game-breaking, detract from the experience.

    • “I play this on my Steam Deck, and it runs great.”
    • “The game maintains a steady frame rate, providing a smooth experience.”
    • “I've had no crashes or bugs, which makes for a very stable gameplay.”
    • “I have loved what I've been able to play of the game thus far, but whatever hours I do have were despite constant crashing and freezes from cut-scenes and in particular the skill menus.”
    • “It runs well on high graphics, but it simply freezes in certain situations.”
    • “The game was released in a buggy state.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    The game offers high replayability through features like New Game Plus, which introduces additional bosses and unlocks new content, as well as multiple story routes and expansions that add new playable characters. Players appreciate the nostalgic feel reminiscent of PS2-era games, with many noting a perfect score for replayability. However, some players feel that the limited playtime with certain characters may detract from the overall experience.

    • “The new game plus adds additional bosses and elements to the game that give it high replay value.”
    • “The expansions also add entirely new playable servants, sometimes several, which certainly adds to the overall replayability of the game.”
    • “As it also has multiple routes and new game plus (which also unlocks more digressions not available on your first playthrough), replayability is great.”
    • “You spend 95% of the game as Iori, with 3% as Saber and 1% as the rogue servants by spending a gauge in battle. The rest are playable at certain points in the story for only about 5 to 10 minutes.”
    • “It takes me back to the PS2 era in terms of game replayability, and that is not a good thing.”
    • “The expansions also add entirely new playable servants, but they don't significantly enhance the overall replayability of the game.”
  • character development7 mentions

    Character development in *Fate/Samurai Remnant* is generally well-received, with praise for the character designs and their translation into 3D models, as well as the effort to connect characters to 17th-century Japan. However, some reviews note that the main character lacks depth and certain character arcs feel rushed or inconsistent, which detracts from the overall narrative experience. Despite these issues, the game's strong visual presentation and voice acting help to elevate the characters.

    • “All of this is augmented and amplified by the masterful animation, art direction, and character design of the servants and cast.”
    • “The character designs translate well into 3D models, and the stylization on said models works really well.”
    • “I also liked that the developers invested extra efforts to create characters related to 17th century Japan.”
    • “The story is mostly great with a couple of caveats, namely a weak main character and some character developments that felt rushed and out of left field.”
    • “Fate/Samurai Remnant, however, has no outstanding flaw in any aspect of game development, be it gameplay, character development, writing, etc.”
    • “Character designs have returned to that grounded Fate/Stay Night and Fate/Zero style.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    The game elicits strong emotional responses, with players reporting multiple instances of crying due to its impactful storyline and character dynamics. The third DLC is particularly praised for fostering a wholesome alliance among characters, while the overall narrative includes tragic moments that enhance the emotional depth of the experience.

    • “Made me cry like 3 times.”
    • “But the third DLC is actually a very nice way to bring the cast together in an oddly wholesome, temporary alliance.”
    • “There are also some genuinely emotional moments in the game, such as the tragedy that happens near the end of chapter III.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its dynamic soundtrack, which enhances the experience with ambient music in towns and intense tracks during combat. Players are captivated by the immersive setting that allows them to actively participate in the war for the holy grail, a unique feature not previously explored in anime or manga adaptations.

    • “The game also has a dynamic soundtrack that fits the atmosphere, from ambient background music of various towns to intense music that heightens the tension during combat scenarios.”
    • “What charmed me about it was the whole atmosphere and the possibility of taking part in the war for the Holy Grail. Until now, there were anime and manga, but there was no such game where you actually play as a master.”
    • “The atmosphere of the entire game feels flat and uninspired.”
    • “The game also has a dynamic soundtrack that fits the atmosphere; however, the overall ambiance feels disconnected and fails to immerse the player.”
    • “What charmed me about it was the whole atmosphere and the possibility of taking part in the war for the Holy Grail, but ultimately, it lacks the depth and engagement that I expected.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization of the game has been criticized for resembling a cash grab, with users expressing frustration over the lack of quality and depth in favor of profit. Despite being labeled as a non-cash grab compared to other recent titles, players urge caution in spending to avoid supporting what they perceive as a trend of low-effort, fan-targeted monetization strategies.

    • “Save your money and don't encourage them to keep going for cheap cash grabs like this.”
    • “Fate is my favorite series, and that is all the more why it is so infuriating to see cheap anime fan cash grabs rather than a game that does the series justice.”
    • “First non-cash grab anime game in recent years (take notes, JJK: Cursed Clash).”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
4-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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