It doesn’t take much to get me to try a video game. If it looks even slightly pleasing to the eye, I’ll give it a shot. Develop enough games up my alley and I’ll try things blindly. Having not experienced much of the Fate series, Koei Tecmo’s name attached to this new release sold me on it immediately. The Fate franchise spans visual novels, manga, and now, a Dynasty Warriors-style game that might bring new players into the fold. Here’s our review of Fate/Samurai Remnant for the Nintendo Switch.

Without the depth of knowledge on the Fate series to write about this entry’s place in the franchise, I’m going to approach this like a one-off release. Just know, most reviewers I spoke to as we worked through our review versions said as far as Fate games go, this is sure to please fans. That said, many of you may be like me and not have much of a background for the series. So, let’s start from the beginning. We begin in Edo, Japan circa 1651.

Miyamoto Iori, a descendant of a famous swordsman, is essentially dragged into the Waxing Moon ritual. Imagine a massive, mysterious war for some hard-to-define power and you get the gist. Iori and his partner Saber, an androgynous sidekick with terrible manners, are essentially a mismatched pair that spend the game unraveling the mystery of the Waxing Moon ritual and bonding to become quite the team. As they do both of those things, you’re playing some classic Dynasty Warriors combat in between well-produced cutscenes you won’t want to skip.

Placing Fate/Samurai in a real historical period is a fun touch that those who like the Dynasty Warriors franchise will know well. Like more recent games in that Koei Tecmo series, Fate/Samurai Remnant has you plow through hordes of enemies to upgrade your abilities and grow your power. Riposte, one of the game’s early upgrades that feature timing-based sprint attacks, immediately ups your confidence in a way that feels fitting for a protagonist who is slowly coming to live up to their famous name.

Other upgrades give you enough power to move through the game with new approaches to killing enemies. At no point was the game all that challenging, and after finishing it in about 32 hours, I didn’t die more than a few times. That said, the upgrades to your combat abilities give you enough to not feel bored. Of course, if Musou games usually bore you, you won’t be swayed by this game. Just like certain genres don’t appeal to me and I’ve stopped trying, this is not the place to give Musou games one more go. They may just not be for you.

Another fun way the game gives players plenty to do is Digressions, a sort of off-the-path sidequest opportunity. Unfortunately, you cannot return to these at will. If you play the main story far enough, some Digressions disappear and lock for you. It’s worth noting at this point in the review that the New Game+ mode is nearly required to get the full glimpse of what the game’s whole story is. I haven’t spent time in New Game+, but completionists will be happy to know there’s plenty of incentive for diving back in upon the finish of your first run.

All in all, Fate/Samurai Remnant features a gameplay style I love with plenty of cutscenes and story beats to drive your interest and intrigue. A low difficulty and Musou dressing might turn some players off immediately, but a satisfying story coupled with plenty of things to do in the game make this a great way to immerse yourself in the Fate franchise. Newcomers, old-time fans; all will likely find something to enjoy in this feudal Japan action title. The game is available now for Nintendo Switch, Steam, PS4, and PS5.

A Switch review copy of Fate/Samurai Remnant was provided by KOEI TECHMO GAMES for the purposes of this review.

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Fate/Samurai Remnant

$59.99

8

Score

8.0/10

Pros

• Great mix of action and story
• Musou gameplay that's fine tuned
• Upgrade system worth exploring and maxing out

Cons

• Low difficulty for AI enemies
• If you're not a fan of Musou games, I have bad news for you