The Fate series is one of the most popular anime shows around, originally dating back to 2004 and now spanning multiple formats, from movies and TV series to visual novels and video games. What can make the series confusing for beginners is the way in which several different arcs have been developed while still using the same characters, but the original story began with Fate/Stay Night.
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Fate/Stay Night: All Masters, Ranked
Masters in Fate/Stay Night use a mix of physical ability, magical prowess, and control of their servants to impose their will in the Holy Grail Wars.
The series translates well to video games with its focus on different combat classes, as well as its memorable and beloved characters. Blending historical fantasy, a battle-royale narrative, and even elements of sci-fi, it is little surprise that the Fate series has provided fans with some memorable and addictive video game titles to go along with the plethora of movies and shows.
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Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya
Cute Spellcasting Combat Game
- Release Date: July 31, 2014
- Platforms: Nintendo 3DS
- Developer: Kadokawa Games
- Genre: Card game/Action-adventure
Taking place between the two seasons of Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya primarily follows the story of fan-favorite Illyasviel, but there are also playable stories with three other characters, too, including Rin.
The game is primarily an action-combat game with a focus on magic spellcasting as well as using card decks to use specialist moves and attacks. While the game might appear quite dated nowadays, it is certainly worth checking out for any hardcore fans of the series.
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Fate/Hollow Ataraxia
Cute Game Following The Events Of Fate/Stay Night
- Release Date: October 28, 2005 (Japan)
- Platform: PC, PSVita
- Developers: Type-Moon
- Genre: Visual Novel
Fate/Hollow Ataraxia, as well as having one of the coolest titles in the series, is also one of the oldest. Though primarily a visual novel, the game does have a wide range of choices for players to make, in addition to combat levels and some minor exploration.
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While the game might be slightly dated today when compared with others in the series, its adorable chibi-style characters and unique take on the Fate series is still worth checking out, especially for PS Vita users.
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Fate/Unlimited Codes
Fighting Game With Both Masters And Servants
- Release Date: June 11, 2008 (Japan)
- Platform: Arcade, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable
- Developers: Type-Moon, Cavia, Eighting
- Genre: Fighting
In what is quite a unique and untapped format for the Fate series, Fate/Unlimited Codes pits servants against one another in a Tekken-style fighting game. Players can choose from a range of masters and servants to do battle, including Emiya, Gilgamesh, and Rin Tohsaka.
While it may not have the developed story mode of other games like Fate/Extella, it is a unique and well-suited approach to the master-servant battle royale dynamic. Despite releasing back in 2008, the game holds up surprisingly well today, both visually and in terms of gameplay.
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Fate/Extella Link
Boasts Some Of The Best Visuals In Any Fate Game
- Release Date: June 7, 2018 (Japan)
- Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Android
- Developers: Marvelous, FIRST STUDIO
- Genre: Action, Hack and Slash
Building on the solid foundations of Fate/Extella, this sequel provides a noticeable improvement in the gameplay as well as the title’s graphics. While the story has come under some criticism for lacking the depth of its predecessor, this is balanced out by improved combat, visuals, and animations.
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Fate/Stay Night: All Servants, Ranked
All the servants in Fate/Stay Night are powerful, but some are clearly a cut above the rest.
The events of the story itself can be considered an alternate arc to Fate/Extella, with a mixture of recurring characters from the prior games and all-new additions making up the cast. Fate/Extella Link is arguably one of the more accessible titles for players new to the series.
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Fate/Extella
An Engaging And Immersive Fate Experience
- Release Date: November 10, 2016
- Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Mobile
- Developers: Marvelous
- Genre: Action, Hack and Slash
Taking place in a sci-fi setting where the Holy Grail takes the form of a Moon Cell, Fate/Extella is a follow-up to the events of the Fate/Extra story, though it is a perfectly self-contained narrative. Rather than the turn-based combat of previous games, Fate/Extella takes a more dynamic and real-time approach to combat.
Where Fate/Extella truly shines is in its story, which makes use of established characters in the Fate series while introducing many unique twists. Whether for long-time fans of the franchise or for those seeking an introduction to it, Fate/Extella is sure to offer more than enough entertainment and immersion.
A Beloved Relic Of The PSP Era
Fate/Extra
Fate/Extra is a dungeon crawler in which players will take on the role of a master and command either Saber, Archer, or Caster, depending on the player’s preference. The turn-based combat can get repetitive, but it is in the story elements and the use of beloved characters that Fate/Extra excels.
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Along with many well-known and recognizable characters from the Fate series, the game also introduces several new ones who integrate seamlessly with the existing cast, as well as a plot premise that feels quite in-line with the general theme of the universe too.
An Improved Sequel In Many Aspects
Fate/Extra
Fate Extra CCC offers a new alternate route to Fate/Extra rather than a direct sequel, similar to how Fate/Heaven’s Feel is an alternate route of Fate/Stay Night. Players will once again take on the role of Hakuno Kishinami and battle alongside legendary heroes.
While originally only released in Japanese, fans and modders have worked tirelessly to create an English version in order for western audiences to enjoy both Fate/Extra games. An official remaster titled Fate/Extra Record is scheduled for release in 2025.
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Fate/Stay Night
The Definitive Fate Visual Novel
- Release Date: January 30, 2004 (Japan)
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch, Mobile
- Developer: Type-Moon
- Genre: Visual Novel
The original Fate/Stay Night visual novel from 2004 is where it all began for the series. Now, a remastered edition is available on Steam, enabling new fans to experience the series with updated visuals while retaining the story of the original.
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Fate/Stay Night: Best Antagonists, Ranked
The Fifth Holy Grail War is full of ruthless, brutal villains, though not all of them are antagonists in every route.
With over 40 possible endings, only five of which are considered ‘happy,’ it’s fair to say that player choice matters when it comes to this game. Like many visual novels, it features beautiful hand-drawn imagery and plays with animation, audio, and writing in very creative ways.
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Fate/Samurai Remnant
The Newest & Best Game In The Series
Action RPG
Hack and Slash
- Released
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September 28, 2023
- OpenCritic Rating
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Strong
Taking place in feudal Japan as a Holy Grail War breaks out, Fate/Samurai Remnant brings the series to a whole new setting, and it is by far the most technically polished game in the series. A new cast of masters and servants are introduced, featuring legendary fighters like Miyamoto Musashi and a Rogue variant of Lancer from Fate/Stay Night.
With more of a focus on exploration and the game world itself, Fate/Samurai Remnant stands out when compared to previous entries. Gameplay and visuals both feel up to date and provide an experience that any true fan of the series will enjoy.
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Fate/Grand Order
A Hugely Popular & Advanced Mobile Game
- Released
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June 25, 2017
- Developer(s)
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DelightWorks
, Lasengle - Publisher(s)
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Aniplex
With over 32 million downloads worldwide, Fate/Grand Order is something of a phenomenon, particularly in Japan. Stage plays, visual novels, and even VR adaptations are coming as a result of the popularity of Fate/Grand Order. Gameplay is a combination of turn-based combat and visual novel elements, but it is the unparalleled roster of heroes that truly makes this game stand out.
The wild popularity of the game is not simply due to it being free-to-play; the engaging story and addictive gameplay can provide hours of entertainment, especially for fans of the original Fate/Stay Night series.
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A Beginner’s Guide to Fate/Grand Order
FGO might seem like a tough series to get into, but it doesn’t have to be.