Don't Sleep on Fate/Extra Record - This Story-Driven PS5 RPG Shows Real Promise

I've been keeping an eye on Fate/Extra Record for years at this point, so when the game was finally handed a confirmed release date a couple of weeks back, I was over the moon (pun very slightly intended).

The good news didn't stop there, though. Not long after the big reveal, publisher Aniplex invited me to an extended preview of the long-awaited title, where I got to see over an hour's worth of uncut gameplay.

Right off the bat, I can say that Fate/Extra Record appears to have come through its troubled development in top shape. Much like previous Fate-based games, there's a certain level of quality on display here, with crisp visuals and some really cool animations.

After reiterating that this is indeed a full-on remake of 2010 PSP title Fate/Extra, the team walked me through one of the game's early dungeons, where the protagonist and his or her Servant take on low-level foes in a bid to showcase a promising turn-based combat system.

Battles are formed around a customisable deck of action-related cards. Hands are drawn at the start of your turn, and each card comes with an AP cost, meaning that you've got to spend your main resource wisely.

Now, I'm typically not a huge fan of deck-building games, but there was something snappy and, most importantly, immediately intuitive about Record's take on the concept.

For example, you can chain attack cards together to create combos, and when you're done, you can then stack 'guard' cards to nullify your opponent's retaliation. On its surface, it's a simple give-and-take system, spiced up with a degree of random chance.

It's easy to see how the whole thing could get very tactical, depending on the cards that you covet and the types of enemies that stand in your way.

Later in the demo, a boss battle showed just how important it is to adapt your strategies based on the cards that you draw. Instead of chipping away at the boss with regular attack cards, the developer gambled on drawing a power-boosting hand on their next turn, smashing through the opponent's defences in one shot.

This is also where your choice of Servant enters the equation. Near the beginning of the game, you'll need to choose a companion from three available warriors — and they'll stick by you for the entirety of the experience.

The first demo featured Fate's most recognisable Servant, Saber — a sword-wielding woman with a thirst for combat. Her fighting style revolves around dealing heavy damage with singular strikes.

In contrast, Archer, equipped with dual daggers and a bow, relies on combo-driven cards to lock enemies down with damage multipliers. He was showcased in a second demo, which pitted the player against more powerful foes.

I didn't get to see Caster, the game's third, magic-based servant — but it's easy to imagine how she would differ from her peers. This may be a turn-based title, but there was a clear difference in how Saber and Archer operated during battle.

Needless to say, that initial choice of Servant is going to be a tough one.

It's not just combat that hinges on your choice of companion, however. While Record is primarily a dungeon-crawler, the overall experience leans heavily on character-centric storytelling, and the plot will change depending on the Servant at your side.

So there's some immediate replay value here, although nothing was said on the actual length of the adventure.

Generally speaking, Fate games deliver in the story department; I reckon 2023's Fate/Samurai Remnant is still one of the most overlooked releases out there when it comes to having an engaging, character-focused narrative.

Fate/Extra Record should be a winner in that regard, then, and there are already signs that it'll hit the mark.

Just in concept alone, there's a lot to look forward to, as the protagonist is thrust into the Holy Grail War; a winner-takes-all tournament where a wish is up for grabs. You'll face off against other 'Masters' — most of whom are fellow classmates from your school — and their Servants.

Every week, you'll be forced to duel one of these duos, until there's only one Master left standing. And in between these pivotal bouts, you're tasked with exploring the otherworldly SE.RA.PH, with the goal of gathering information on your opponents, and enhancing your Servant's abilities.

I didn't get to see it in motion, but there's a calendar-like time system in place which will no doubt add some tension to proceedings. Traversing the many levels of SE.RA.PH is in your best interest, but you'll need to weigh up potential risks against how much time you've actually got to work with.

Again, given my previous experience with Fate titles, I think Fate/Extra Record shows so much promise.

There are definitely some elements that may not stick the landing; being stuck with a single Servant throughout the whole game may hamper the combat system later on, for example.

But based on what I've seen, there's a reason why this project was kept afloat after all these years. For RPG fans on the hunt for what could be a really strong story, it's one to watch ahead of its PS5 and PS4 launch on the 28th January, 2027.

Is Fate/Extra Record on your radar? Summon your Servant in the comments section below.