This is the review for the PS4 version of Defiant Development’s Hand of Fate.
In Hand of Fate, players collect equipment, items, artifacts and enemies as in-game collectible cards in a card based RPG; then play their deck, bringing to video game life a beautiful 3D world in which gamers make difficult decisions. Sometimes their choices have unexpected consequences and players must crush their foes utilizing a third person action-adventure combat system. The more bosses a player defeats, the more cards they obtain.
Players must tread with caution as Hand of Fate incorporates rogue-like elements. If a gamer dies before defeating a level’s boss the player must start from the beginning of that stage in their next play through. Each subsequent play through is unique as levels are procedurally generated via luck of the dealer’s draw.
Graphics
Hand of Fate has a very unique art style that enhances the gameplay. Not too realistic yet not too cartoonish, the graphics and design of the characters make the player feel as if they are playing some sort of card game or RPG. The levels look fantastic, with beautiful textures and lighting. There is also a large variety of levels, from caverns to castles, the player is sure to stay entertained by the graphics alone. We gave the graphics a 5 / 5.
Sound
Hand of Fate has a great sound effects throughout the game. Unique sounds come to life when players are attacking enemies, with armor clinking against weapons. The cards shuffling and being dealt has a nice and crisp feel to it, immersing the player into the game. Overall we gave the sound a 4.5 / 5.
Gameplay
The gameplay of Hand of Fate is perhaps the most unique aspect of it. Elements of a card playing game, rpg, and third person action game are all combined into one. Players start out creating two decks, one that has weapons, armor, and items, and the other which have events that your character takes place in throughout the game. Cards are placed on the table to create a path that the character can take, leading up to the boss card. When players make their way to the boss, they might be presented with two options. Pick the wrong option and you lose some health, pick the right option and you might gain an item. When players land on enemy cards, the game transfers from a tabletop card playing game to a third person action game, where the character has to defeat the enemies in order to advance. The combat system is pretty simple, revolving around a dodge/counter method. Once you defeat the boss, you have the option to play again. The game has very high value due to the fact that it can be replayed many times without appearing boring. This is because each play-through presents a new combination of weapons, items, and events sure to keep the player having fun. We gave the gameplay a 5 / 5.
Controls
Hand of Fate‘s controls will revolve mainly around the combat system. As mentioned in the gameplay section, the combat system is a dodge/counter one that makes the player react to the enemies attacks rather than just button mashing and attacking with no strategy. This adds to the difficulty to the game, making it more fun rather than being able to proceed by just attacking randomly without some planning. We gave the controls a 4 / 5.
Overall
Overall, Hand of Fate is a very unique game. As previously mentioned, the game combines tabletop card playing, RPG, and third person action elements into one product. This game also has a very high replay value due to the fact that each play-through is completely different than the previous one. With beautiful graphics and strategic gameplay, Hand of Fate will have players loving their experience with the game.
4.5 / 5
And here is the official game trailer:
Hand of Fate is available for PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Related: Hand of Fate at PAX Prime, Trailer and Screenshots
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