In Resonance of Fate, your adventure takes place in a dark, gritty cyberpunk world where survival is key. You’re for hire, and you will take any job that is available. This is the kind of place where crime and gangs thrive, and no one does anything to stop it. Welcome to Basel; a towering (albeit enormous) multiplexed skyscraper-like structure that stretches high up into the heavens, overlooking the desert wasteland we once called Earth.
Basel is the last standing structure left on Earth after mankind spent years destroying and poisoning the environment; it is now uninhabitable and incapable of sustaining life. The few that survived built Basel as a new beginning of sorts; a place that provides power and water so there is never any need to return to the surface. Basel is mankind’s safe haven; it is high enough off the ground above all the toxins, where life could be reborn.
A place with so many people is bound to have crime and lowlives, and Basel was built with this very idea in mind. The multi-story complex has multiple tiers housing the rich and those with stature in the highest part of the complex, while leaving the mid levels for the middle class and the bottom half for people of no social stature at all. Your economical and social status determines how far away you are from all the death and decay, and it also means cleaner air and for most, a better quality of life.
You start off with three heroes: Vashyron, Zephyr and Leanna; they live in the lower city of Ebels doing whatever it takes to make rubies (money) in a very unforgiving world. Whether it’s freelancing or taking on dirty jobs, they do whatever it takes to survive in Basel.
Resonance of Fate is a massive world; there is so much to do it can feel a bit overwhelming at times if you decide to explore.
The world map is comprised of hexagons, but it works really well. I find it fun to travel; you don’t move like you would on a standard fantasy/role-playing world map (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing). I love the old-school, pen and paper Dungeons and Dragons feel you get from playing on the world map. As you travel on the world map, you will unlock different areas, useful items, and even dungeons that you can explore. Plus, you will be randomly attacked.
Since Basel is a multi-level complex, don’t be surprised if you find yourself wandering around in confusion until you figure out what to do next. Basel has countless elevators connecting other levels, so finding your way to other sections isn’t as much of a mystery as some other things.
When you don’t feel like leveling via random attacks or searching the open world for rare and / or special items, you can always grind experience in the arena.
The arena is a place where you can battle it out for extra money, experience, and even coins. The higher your ranking becomes in the arena, the more coins and money you will earn. There are three sets of coins you can earn: bronze, silver and gold. These coins can be cashed in at the arena for items, equipment, and even mods. Some of the equipment is rather steep, but the rewards will outweigh the time you spend in battle. Besides grinding on the world map, the arena seems to be the best source of extra income over and above the side quests/missions you can partake in.
The combat system in Resonance of Fate has to be the coolest I have ever seen. I have always been a sucker for turn-based role-playing games, and Resonance of Fate delivers on that and then some. The main combat system is turn-based with the ability to control what happens. I know it sounds rather strange, but I will explain. When you initiate a move command, you will have control over the attack and movements of that character. For instance, you can make your selected character shoot while he is running or jumping over a blockade while in combat. You are given a lot of freedom in the combat system. Since Resonance of Fate is also tactical, you have to plan your attacks accordingly to the situation at hand.
The same battle tactics will not always work for you in every battle. The game is always mixing things up and the battles never get stale. If you coordinate your attacks properly and form a triangle, you will be able to perform a tri-attack which will allow all three of your party members to perform a tag team attack. This attack will devastate your opponent with just a few hits and will also save your hero gauge.
Your hero gauge is a meter that will allow you to perform running attacks and tri-attacks. For example: if you attack an enemy while moving across the battlefield and you do not kill an enemy in the process, you can lose some of your hero gauge. If you lose your hero gauge, you will be vulnerable to any and all attacks, and you will not be able to perform a tri-attack or anything long distance (i.e. running/attacking maneuvers).
You will have to be careful of what you do and mindful of your enemy. The battles you encounter in Resonance of Fate are not that easy at first, but once you understand the combat system, you will have no problems whatsoever taking down your foes. There is a slight learning curve; it will take a few battles to get the hang of things, but there is also a very nifty tutorial in the arena that will walk you through the battle process. If you begin to struggle, the arena might be a good place for you to visit.
Resonance of Fate also has plenty of side missions that can be found in the Adventure Guild in the center of Ebels. Here you will find extra quests along with a Bestiary manual that keeps a record of every creature and goon you have fought. This is a good resource of information to find out what creatures drop, so you can return to certain areas to farm materials in the future if you need something for crafting.
One feature I really liked is the ability to upgrade your weapon. There are countless mods such as scopes, magazine clips, cross hairs, etc., at your disposal for your modifying needs. When you add a mod to your weapon, you actually have to install it on the weapon yourself. How cool is that?
In the very beginning, the only place you can save the game is at a place called Home Sweet Home (which is located in the city of Ebels). After a short time, you will be able to place stations on the world map that will allow you to save from that location. Eventually, you will find places in the world that will allow you to camp and rest. When you camp and rest, you will have the option to save as well.
Resonance of Fate’s graphics matches its theme; they are dark, grungy, and very metallic. The city seems to be drawn in 2D with 3D features, while the character models are designed in 3D. The character models are beautiful and customizable in every way. While in town, you can completely transform each of your characters in any Boutique shop. You change everything from hair color, eye color, to every piece of clothing your character wears. You can spend a bulk of your playing time just changing your character’s fashion.
The beautifully orchestrated music really sets the tone for this cold and metallic world. Like the movie Bladerunner, the music sometimes gives you that distant, futuristic feeling. This is why I have always been fascinated with cyberpunk thrillers. In some ways, they remind me of the cult hit Bladerunner. Of course, RoF is a bit different in that respect, but the cyberpunk theme is still present. The weapon sound effects are spot-on realistic and change with each weapon you use; no cheesy sound effects here. Each weapon has its own unique sounds, it is what sets them apart.
I really liked the English dubbed voices. The voice actors did a fantastic job; their voices really fit the role of their characters. For those who would rather not listen to the English dubbed voices, you have the choice of switching on the original Japanese dubs and enabling the English sub option. If you’re a fan of cyberpunk action RPGs then I strongly recommend grabbing a copy.
Resonance of Fate will run you about 55 hours of gameplay if you stick to the main story. If you do the side quests and extensively explore the world map, you are looking at 100+ hours of actual gameplay time. This is a title that will keep you grinding endlessly with a story that doesn’t quit until the end.
James ‘ Daripp3r’ Pittaro
Price: $59.99
Platform: Xbox 360 (Also available for Playstation 3)
Developer: Tri-Ace
Publisher: Sega
Developer’s– website
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |   |
| Resonance of Fate's graphics are gritty and metallic. | |
| Sound | |
| The orchestrated music really sets the tone for the adventure. | |
| Gameplay | |
| The combat system is intuitive and fun. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| There is over 100+ hours of actual gameplay in Resonance of Fate. | |
