Hand of Fate 2

Hand of Fate 2 manages to take everything praiseworthy about the previous installment and make it even better. The challenges players face never look alike and the improved combat system manages to elevate the weakest parts of the original.

76%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, optimization

84% User Score Based on 3,923 reviews

Critic Score 68%Based on 47 reviews

Platforms

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About

Hand of Fate 2 is a fantasy role-playing game with card-based combat and decision-making. Players navigate a deck of cards that represent the world, enemies, and events they encounter. The game features an antagonist demon who guides the player through a series of challenges, with success resulting in increased power and new cards to add to the deck.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,970 reviews

story390 positive mentions

grinding131 negative mentions

Improves on the original game in almost every way, with better graphics, more varied missions, and a more engaging story.
The combination of deck-building, RPG elements, and real-time combat creates a unique and immersive experience.
The game features a compelling narrative with interesting characters and a well-voiced dealer who adds charm to the gameplay.

Combat can feel clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating moments during battles.
The game relies heavily on RNG, which can result in runs being derailed by bad luck, making it feel unfair at times.
Some encounters and challenges can become tedious and repetitive, especially when grinding for specific tokens or achievements.

story
1,604 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
72%
3%
The story in "Hand of Fate 2" is a significant improvement over its predecessor, featuring a rich narrative that unfolds through various missions, each with unique objectives and character-driven side quests. Players engage with a captivating plot involving the mysterious dealer and their companions, with the storytelling enhanced by well-crafted dialogue and immersive card mechanics. However, some players find the reliance on RNG frustrating, as it can lead to repetitive gameplay and challenges that feel overly reliant on luck rather than skill.
- “The game has a captivating story that follows your character as they challenge the dealer, a mysterious figure who controls your fate with a deck of cards.”
- “The story is engaging and I enjoyed the companions' backgrounds the most, being really varied and also incredibly helpful in and out of combat.”
- “The storytelling and atmosphere is great.”
- “Moreover, all of the quests you play are irrelevant and pointless.”
- “His background is nonexistent, he’s not being developed during the quest and the ending is meaningless.”
- “The story build up felt better than its predecessor, but the finale was worse in every way.”
gameplay
878 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
67%
4%
The gameplay of "Hand of Fate 2" has been described as a significant improvement over its predecessor, featuring a blend of card collecting, action combat, and roguelike elements that create a unique and engaging experience. While many players appreciate the variety of mechanics and the depth of strategy involved, some express frustration with the reliance on RNG and clunky combat controls, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game offers a rich narrative and diverse challenges, though it may not appeal to those who dislike chance-based mechanics or repetitive gameplay.
- “Great deck-building game with a unique twist and interesting mechanics.”
- “Furthermore, this game has some of the most unique and engaging mechanics in any game I have ever played.”
- “The gameplay excellently punctuates text-based storytelling, which was probably the main game's highlight for me.”
- “But the gameplay loop in actuality is.... boring.”
- “Because right now it all feels very repetitive: first you get sucked out of the atmosphere that the game provided because of the loading screen and the combat map feeling like a completely different thing, then the mechanics of the combat itself are very very simple and easy, which only adds to it feeling more like a chore and not a challenge; but in all honesty, even if the combat was harder, that wouldn't change the fact that I find it boring the way it is presented right now.”
- “The very worst part is that the majority of the gameplay consists of luck-based sequences.”
graphics
275 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
61%
4%
The graphics in the game have received significant praise for their improvement over the original, showcasing a vibrant and appealing art style that enhances the overall aesthetic experience. Many reviewers noted the attention to detail in character designs, environments, and card artwork, contributing to a polished and immersive atmosphere. However, some players experienced performance issues and minor graphical glitches, indicating that while the visuals are generally well-received, they may require a more powerful system to run smoothly.
- “The game is also very well made and optimized, with beautiful graphics, sound, and music.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and so is the artwork style.”
- “The attention to detail in the levels is amazing, as are the card designs and the general aesthetic of the game.”
- “The fortune-teller concept carries it, but it runs poorly on decent machines despite the combat mode visuals being limited and generally unappealing.”
- “I't riddled with bugs, your advancement on the storyline is dependent on RNG, the combat is atrocious and the graphics look like polished PS2 era stuff.”
- “The graphics are not very good either.”
replayability
146 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
53%
2%
The game boasts exceptionally high replayability, driven by its randomized levels, diverse card mechanics, and multiple endings that encourage players to explore different strategies and outcomes. While some players find the combat controls clunky and the chance-based elements frustrating, the overall experience remains engaging and addictive, with many recommending the purchase of DLCs to enhance replay value further. The introduction of endless modes and community-created content is anticipated to elevate replayability even more.
- “Replayability is very high because of the RNG nature of the individual levels and constant mini-objectives for each of the cards.”
- “The story is charming, fun, and has multiple endings, giving some decent replay value, and unlocking new stuff is both exciting and rewarding.”
- “This game has great replay value, as the encounters are randomized from a deck that you create before you start.”
- “Game also has currently really low replayability in my opinion as there is no endless mode (yet).”
- “I will warn as far as replayability there is not a lot to do now, except perhaps build a strategy for speedrunning the game, until endless mode is released.”
- “Though that gives it a certain extent of replayability, not just for the gold rewards but if the game had a very interesting map design.”
music
142 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
43%
2%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its beauty and immersive quality, while some note it can be repetitive, especially during longer gameplay sessions. The soundtrack is often described as exceptional and atmospheric, enhancing the overall experience, though some players feel the combat music lacks the intensity of the original. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's charm, with standout moments that resonate well with players.
- “The music is fantastic, the art is masterful, and the gameplay is just plain good fun.”
- “The music in this game is incredibly well-done.”
- “The soundtrack must also be highlighted as it is excellent, and quite epic at times!”
- “During combat, the music in this version is weak while in the original it is thunderous!”
- “I was disappointed with the combat music compared to the first.”
- “Some of the music isn't fitting with the game; for example, the music when you beat a final boss isn't exactly fitting to the tone, in my opinion.”
grinding
133 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
1%
98%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly due to unskippable animations and the need to repeatedly engage in combat to unlock items and tokens. While some appreciate the depth and variety of content, others feel that the excessive grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, making progression feel frustrating and unnecessarily drawn out. Despite these criticisms, some players still find the core gameplay engaging enough to tolerate the grind.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “But having to do everything over and over again until you get the luck you need to make it through is just tedious; it makes it unnecessarily frustrating and this gates the fun experience the game should provide.”
- “The quests in the game are much more varied and interesting, but they can wear on you, as some of the quests are unforgivably tedious and frustrating, especially if you want to get the true rewards.”
- “It is a mind-numbing repetition of (mostly) two or three buttons that is frustratingly tedious and entirely unsatisfying to perform.”
atmosphere
131 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
28%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its richness and depth, enhanced by engaging storytelling, charismatic narration, and well-designed visuals and music. Players appreciate the unique blend of card mechanics and real-time gameplay, which together create an immersive experience that stands out in the genre. Despite some criticisms regarding combat mechanics, the overall ambiance and thematic elements are considered the game's strongest features, making it a memorable experience.
- “It creates such a rich atmosphere that I feel is rarely seen to this level of quality.”
- “The general atmosphere of the game is probably its strongest suit; the dealer is excellently voiced and his responsive jeering and taunting immerses you in the game; the soundtrack is also well crafted for the experience.”
- “A game with an atmosphere so thick you can almost touch it, and a nice blend of 'choose your own adventure' and action RPG combat.”
- “Because right now it all feels very repetitive: first you get sucked out of the atmosphere that the game provided because of the loading screen and the combat map feeling like a completely different thing, then the mechanics of the combat itself are very simple and easy, which only adds to it feeling more like a chore and not a challenge; but in all honesty, even if the combat was harder, that wouldn't change the fact that I find it boring the way it is presented right now.”
- “The only downturn of the atmosphere is the character creator.”
- “In general, the mechanics and atmosphere remained on the previous level, but players who enjoyed the Hand of Fate will like the second one.”
optimization
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
56%
22%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its smooth performance and beautiful graphics, while others report significant issues such as frame rate stuttering, crashes, and overall poor performance on lower-end systems. Despite ongoing patches, many users feel that the game remains poorly optimized, particularly during combat and transition screens, leading to a frustrating experience for some. Overall, while the game has potential, it requires further optimization to enhance stability and performance across a wider range of hardware.
- “The game is also very well made and optimized, with beautiful graphics, sound, and music.”
- “It runs smoothly on most PCs and has no major bugs or glitches.”
- “In contrast to the previous game, it is so stable and so optimized that my nearly decade-old PC was shocked and confused.”
- “So this is a rare type of review for me, but this game is borderline unplayable due to performance.”
- “Game couldn't run on my GTX 1060, 16 GB RAM, SD and 4 GHz... was getting max 20 FPS and constant stuttering (many other people complaining about this).”
- “Overall, I think this is a good game, but it definitely has a lot of optimization issues.”
stability
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
89%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players report smooth performance with no major bugs or graphical issues, combat mechanics are frequently described as buggy, leading to frustrating experiences such as unresponsive controls and character freezes. Some users have encountered significant glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly in combat scenarios, though others have noted improvements over time. Despite these issues, many still find the game enjoyable, albeit with occasional instability that can detract from the experience.
- “Game runs great and had no bugs for me, while also having a very well balanced gameplay experience, and that’s saying a lot for a card game that has multiple 'game of chance' mechanics.”
- “The only complaint I have is that button inputs seem unresponsive at times, both in and outside combat; the game runs great besides that.”
- “The combat is buggy in general, with some enemy ranged attacks showing you can block or deflect them, only for it not to work when you attempt it.”
- “Sometimes the combat feels buggy where 9 times out of 10 everything is going smoothly but then the 10th time you end up getting caught on something in the mob of enemies and it throws you out of your groove.”
- “This game is fun and I probably will play it more often... if I can... but it's just so unstable that it becomes unplayable. This game often freezes when getting into a fight which forces me to close it.”
humor
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating clever writing and amusing encounters that add a lively touch to gameplay. While the story may not be top-tier, the witty remarks and funny moments, especially during battles, contribute to an enjoyable experience. Overall, the humor is described as sly, smart, and engaging, making the game entertaining and memorable.
- “The endless mode is hilariously time-consuming, but every moment is fun and a new adventure.”
- “I have to say, the writing in particular is funny and smart.”
- “When you enter a battle, they make remarks that make them feel more alive and made me laugh a few times.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions and loot boxes, providing a refreshing experience in a market often filled with monetization tactics. Players appreciate the absence of paid DLC, noting that the developers have opted for free updates instead, enhancing the overall value of the game. However, there are concerns about misleading advertising related to game features.
- “Nice playing a game not riddled with loot boxes or microtransactions. The first game gave us one DLC and a ton of free updates that the dev could have sold for DLC but didn't. Don't miss out on this game or the first one either.”
- “No microtransactions despite this game being perfect for it with many collectibles.”
- “The advertising for this game is false.”
- “The ads also added dice rolling, allied NPCs, and you can even select an equipment loadout before embarking on a mission.”
- “Nice playing a game not riddled with loot boxes or microtransactions... the first game gave us 1 DLC and a ton of free updates that the dev could have sold for DLC but didn't... don't miss out on this game or the first one either.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to be emotionally engaging, highlighting its rich gameplay and detailed production that evoke a cozy and heartfelt experience. The emotional depth of the game, particularly in moments of choice and anticipation, adds to its overall impact.
- “The richness of the gameplay and the excellent detail production are touching.”
- “A very cozy and heartfelt game to play.”
- “Copycat has more emotional depth than I would have considered coming into the game.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development is enhanced through unlocked choices tied to card challenges, allowing for greater flexibility in character design. Players appreciate the improved combat mechanics and the introduction of dice, which adds a layer of control over gameplay. Overall, the system encourages players to engage more deeply with their character's evolution.
- “The combat is better, with more flexibility in character design, and the addition of the dice feels like greater control over pure card draw.”
- “Some additional choices get unlocked only as you complete card challenges, at which point you likely settle on a character design.”
- “Some additional choices get unlocked only as you do card challenges, at which point you likely settled on a character design.”
- “The combat is better, but there is more flexibility in character design, and the addition of the dice feels like a greater control over pure card draw.”