Fortune Summoners
- January 30, 2012
- Lizsoft
- 30h median play time
Get on SteamFortune Summoners is a charming action RPG set in a fantasy world with dungeon exploration and real-time combat. Follow the story of three girls: Arche, Sana, and Jenni, as they uncover the mysteries of their homeland. With a unique skill system and various abilities to learn, players can customize their characters to fit their playstyle.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The controls are tight and the combat is weighty and slick, making players feel like a badass when taking on hordes of enemies.
- The game features a charming story with cute characters, providing a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic JRPGs.
- The AI for both enemies and allies is surprisingly competent, making battles engaging and requiring players to strategize.
- The game suffers from several technical issues, including compatibility problems on modern systems and lag in fullscreen mode.
- The difficulty curve can be punishing, especially for new players, with enemies that can easily overwhelm if not approached carefully.
- The lack of a map and vague directions can lead to frustrating backtracking and confusion about where to go next.
- story294 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Fortune Summoners" is characterized by its light-hearted and charming narrative, centered around a young girl named Arche attending a magical school, which is filled with cute characters and whimsical adventures. While some players find the plot simple and predictable, many appreciate its endearing qualities and humor, despite the game ending on an unresolved cliffhanger. Overall, the story is engaging enough to keep players invested, though it may require attention to detail to navigate effectively.
“The story is wonderful, full of surprises, but each sub-plot resolves satisfactorily.”
“I absolutely adored both the story and the art style of the game.”
“The story is charming and I found myself excitedly loading the game just to experience the next little nugget of story in cute Arche’s life.”
“The story is mediocre and the music just doesn't excel at all.”
“The story is nothing special; it doesn't have a good overarching plot or any overarching plot really, you just follow three little girls and their adventures.”
“Sadly, the story is and will always be incomplete, as the game ends in a cliffhanger that obviously would lead into subsequent games, but the developer stopped making games after this one wasn't successful enough.”
- gameplay135 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Fortune Summoners" is a blend of side-scrolling action RPG mechanics that can be both engaging and challenging, requiring players to master its clunky controls and combat system. While some players appreciate the depth and charm of the gameplay, others find it frustrating due to its steep learning curve and occasional design flaws. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic titles, but may not appeal to those unfamiliar with its demanding mechanics.
“The gameplay is really good and has tons of depth.”
“The gameplay is fun; you'll find a few puzzles that will slow you down, but the worst thing is it's not always clear where to go.”
“Cute, classy, and charming; Fortune Summoners will draw you in and spit you out once you've taken in the entertaining story, mesmerizing characters, and addicting gameplay.”
“Unfortunately, the battle mechanics are nothing short of frustrating.”
“The actual gameplay ranges from subpar to mediocre most of the time.”
“The gameplay is brutally demanding of precision and exact button timing to the point where the entire combat system feels like a giant disjointed string of quick-time events rather than smooth and fluid action.”
- graphics93 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the charming pixel art and 16-bit aesthetic that evoke nostalgia, while others report significant technical issues such as low frame rates, graphical glitches, and problems in fullscreen mode. Despite these drawbacks, the overall visual style and character designs are often described as delightful and well-executed, contributing positively to the game's appeal. However, the performance issues detract from the experience, making it difficult for some players to fully enjoy the graphics.
“Fortune Summoners has a number of redeeming factors, such as its well-designed characters, decent story, and outstanding graphics for a 2D JRPG in the late 2000s.”
“The sprite art is just lovely; you can see a lot of love went into the graphics.”
“This game was thoroughly enjoyable with a pleasant atmosphere and beautifully done pixel graphics.”
“You can't play in fullscreen mode without all the graphics overlapping each other and bugging out, and to even get it working on an Xbox controller you have to read through the discussion page to find a solution.”
“Don't attempt to play full screen, it's completely broken with text overlapping and broken graphics.”
“This game looked interesting, but I was unable to play it due to low frame rate, graphics glitches, and crashes.”
- music80 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its charm and fitting atmosphere, particularly in town and dungeon settings. While some tracks are described as calming and enjoyable, others note a lack of variety and repetitiveness, especially in battle themes. Overall, the soundtrack is generally considered pleasant but not particularly memorable, contributing positively to the game's overall experience.
“The music is top-notch and I enjoyed every soundtrack.”
“The battle music is nice, and the dungeon music fits the location.”
“The music system dynamically changes songs perfectly in tune with the gameplay, adding more immersion into the entire setting.”
“The story is mediocre and the music just doesn't excel at all.”
“The music is likely the worst part of the package.”
“The stock music sounds alright but in this case the lack of variety just made me want to turn it off.”
- humor30 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its cute and silly dialogue, endearing characters, and a light-hearted tone that often elicits smiles and laughter. Players appreciate the blend of funny interactions, tongue-in-cheek references, and occasional adult jokes, which enhance the overall enjoyment despite some gameplay challenges. The comedic elements, particularly the character dynamics and humorous writing, contribute significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
“Arche is so cute and funny, and I find myself smiling, laughing, or face-palming because of how silly the conversations can be.”
“The game features a lot of hilarious and endearing dialogue (as to be expected from the wizards of Carpe Fulgur) and is basically a side-scrolling 2D sword-swinging, magic-using old-school RPG.”
“The story is very good as well and provides tons of funny and equally adorable moments.”
- grinding29 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- -7 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that grinding in the game is a mixed experience; while some players appreciate the challenge and the need for strategic progression, many find it tedious and excessive, particularly due to high enemy health and the requirement for backtracking. The level and currency caps are seen as a double-edged sword, limiting mindless grinding but also making progress feel slow and frustrating. Overall, the game may appeal to those who enjoy a challenge, but the grinding can detract from the enjoyment for others.
“The game is not grindy; you level up very quickly inside the dungeons while completing your current missions.”
“Grinding feels rewarding, as each session brings significant progress and new abilities.”
“I appreciate how the game balances grinding with engaging content, making it enjoyable to level up.”
“Even regular enemies have a relatively high amount of HP, making it time-consuming and tedious to progress at earlier levels.”
“The story itself isn't all that long, and the game limits your grinding by imposing level and currency caps that are slowly lifted as you progress through the game - grinding truly feels like a high-effort low-reward type of thing since the experience requirement to gain one level is incredibly high and it'll take an absurdly long time to farm currency to get all the gear one wants/needs.”
“The fights are tedious, excessive, and way too difficult for a game of its design; the RPG elements are practically nonexistent, and the exploration is boring and uninspired.”
- optimization13 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, particularly on modern Windows operating systems, where players report issues such as low FPS, stuttering, and graphical glitches. Many users recommend adjusting performance settings or playing in a small window to achieve smoother gameplay, but overall, the experience can be frustrating, especially for those using multi-monitor setups. While some players found it manageable on older systems like Windows 7, the lack of updates for non-Japanese versions exacerbates the performance problems.
“I spent most of my initial dungeon runs in a low performance, high efficiency set of settings designed to conserve MP rather than fight with maximum power, lending towards deeper expeditions rather than ease of combat.”
“Your character's appearance and the performance of their equipment are not linked, so you can customize your look without hindering battle performance; I really liked this.”
“Since this game is quite old, please tweak the game performance to suit your PC technology through a guide so it runs buttery smooth; if not, it's unplayable.”
“Common issues, especially in Windows 10, include low FPS, multi-monitor lag, broken graphics, and stuttering.”
“Unfortunately, this game just has ridiculously bad performance.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its charming, cute, and colorful aesthetic, evoking nostalgia through its warm town setting and engaging characters. Players appreciate the elegant storyline, pleasant music, and beautifully crafted pixel graphics, which collectively enhance the immersive experience. The combination of a whimsical atmosphere and challenging gameplay keeps players captivated for extended periods.
“The game itself brought me a lot of nostalgic feelings, from the atmosphere of the town and the people.”
“This game was thoroughly enjoyable with a pleasant atmosphere and beautifully done pixel graphics.”
“The overall atmosphere was cute, colorful, and warm.”
“The atmosphere of the game is very charming.”
“The cute art, the gameplay, the atmosphere, and the brutal difficulty made me literally not stop playing it until the point where the sun is shining and I realize that I just played it for 6+ hours straight.”
- character development6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the engaging storylines and the growth of characters throughout the gameplay. While some critiques mention limitations in the protagonist's intelligence, the overall sentiment highlights a fun experience bolstered by cute character designs and a charming visual aesthetic.
“Good storyline, good character development, and challenging gameplay; what else could you possibly want?”
“Love the character development and it's just a fun game in general.”
“I probably would have quit halfway through if I didn't have someone cuddly cooing over the girls' character developments.”
“There is also decent character development and puzzle components, if you don't mind the protagonist being a little girl with the IQ of a grapefruit.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke a range of feelings, from laughter to tears, through its charming characters and heartwarming story. While some players feel a sense of disappointment due to the lack of sequels or additional content, many appreciate the game's engaging narrative and the lessons it imparts about friendship. Overall, it resonates strongly with fans of action RPGs who enjoy simple yet impactful storytelling.
“There are adorable characters and it teaches you friendship. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry; so emotional and yet funny.”
“Cute characters with swords and magic, a story that's heartwarming and light, yet engaging, with a difficulty that reminds me of the classic JRPGs.”
“A must-have for lovers of action RPGs and simple, yet heartwarming stories.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the replayability offered by the diverse control styles of each playable character, enhancing the overall experience. However, the absence of randomly generated dungeons, available in the deluxe edition, limits some replay potential. Overall, the game provides significant value and replayability for its price.
“Having each playable character control differently allows for lots of replayability.”
“Much longer than I thought for a $10 game and even has replay value.”
“It does not offer the randomly generated dungeons that are included in the deluxe edition for added replayability.”
“Much longer than I thought for a $10 game, but it lacks significant replay value.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with users reporting low frame rates, graphics glitches, and frequent crashes, which hinder the overall experience. While the gameplay is generally solid, the technical issues detract from its playability.
“This game looked interesting, but I was unable to play it due to low frame rate, graphics glitches, and crashes.”
“The game has serious technical glitches; I shouldn't be running 10-20 fps on a platformer that occupies an eighth of my screen.”
“The gameplay itself is fairly solid, but the game client can be a little buggy at times.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users have expressed frustration with the game's monetization, particularly highlighting issues with controller support that was advertised but not functioning properly.
