Pros:
+1080p graphics pop out with an anime-like realism to them.
+The story emains unique and fun as ever
+Combat systems remain largely intact from the previous release
+Characters remain amusing as ever
+Combat remains difficult as before, providing a moderate challenge
Cons:
–Side quests remain as lucrative as before with little to no change in them
–Most of the stories interlace with the main story remain pointless as ever.
–Grinding remains problematic just like before.
Almost three years ago we got our hands on one of the most unique games of that period for the PlayStation 3. Known for their hit series Hyperdimension Neptunia, Idea Factory Inc., has continued pushing out some of the best, some of the most unique, and even enjoyable games in recent years. It’s been almost three years sine we got our hands on Fairy Fencer F. This latest installment Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force can be considered more of an upgrade than anything. With developer Compile Heart once more at the helm of this remastering; Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force can be considered a “Enhanced Edition” version of the game.
Unfortunately, this means that all of those problems that existed in the original release? They’re all still intact since Advent Dark Force is, at its core, still Fairy Fencer F. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing since the game had enjoyable moments to it from script, to character interactions, and even he dungeon melding that players could do. This includes the classic JRPG formula that the publisher Idea Factory is known for.
Much like in their other series Hyperdimension Neptunia you have the base ideology of how the game will play. This includes diving from dungeon to dungeon without a true overworld, clear to going from conversation to conversation while micromanaging friendships, items, and character levels. Much as one would expect, there are still minor nuances that remain, and even monotonous instances that will drive a player to almost depart from what they are doing. Much like any game from Idea Factory and Compile Heart – Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force carries on several things that still become stagnant with time.
Much as you’d expect, the game takes place in a world where our protagonist just happens to be the boring, lame, and useless person. His name? Fang. In our story Fang is one that likes to eat, sleep, and do absolutely nothing unless it involves free food. His job he obtains without a choice? Becoming a Fencer. His job now entails food, freeing Fairies by obtaining weapons dubbed “Furies,” which are hosts to these fairies. Their job is to awaken the Goddess in order to bring light to the world and in turn? They can also choose to awaken the Vile God thanks to Advent Dark Force. The outcome is completely different. The third option is there. but in truth? It hasn’t been explored just quite yet by us.
Meanwhile, the base game itself doesn’t actually change all that much in the fact the story remains fairly the same all around. For veterans? There’s just not a lot to of new stuff to keep themselves excited about when it comes tot his game minus the fact you can now take six members into combat. This means players will no longer be optimizing their team for the situation since three of the playable characters will not be reserves. This means Compile Heart has eliminated the need for choosing their battles carefully. This means their tank, their mages, and even their fighters will be joining in with each fight every time around. Unfortunately for the sake of difficulty – bosses remained untouched to accommodate for these changes. The downside? This means the grind has become too real for those trying to get away from that.
Fairy Fencer F: Dark Advent – PlayStation 4 (Reviewed)
Developer: Compile Heart
Publisher: Idea Factory
Price: $59.99
Released: Available Now
As combat has elevated in the sense of the fact there is more dangers that come with it. Healers and tanks will struggle from time to time due to the situations that unfold. If a member goes down? Players will find their healer as the mainstay savior for the team as they will be forced to keep players alive. They’ll be forced to heal, revive, and struggling as damage becomes problematic in the long run. Players will want to ensure that they leave with plenty of potions, feathers, and even the proper equipment for combat. The best thing you should do besides saving in Zelwind City is also picking up any side-quests and ensuring your party is properly leveled while exploring.
Unlike the previous time through, Advent Dark Force felt like a chore in the late game, but that was mostly because the lacking of a true overworld, a focus on the grind, and even the fact many of the side-quests couldn’t even be completed until much later into our playthrough. While the game held my attention again for a rough 30 hours, it became a tasking that in many ways was only subtly tamed by often quite humorous dialogue, especially when it came to Fang being as lame as he tends to be, but in a rather comedic way. My eagerness to complete the campaign and free the Goddess became even more-so nerve wracking as the sub-conversations became the only filler a part of the entertainment as the rest became less lucrative from the earlier portions of the game. While Advent Dark Force tends to be a bit more enjoyable than the original release with the new story arch with the Vile God, it still finds itself troubling due to the grind being much worse than before. For those who took an adventure through the game on PlayStation 3 like myself, will find themselves revisiting a rather familiar game in comparison to a newly introduced title, with fully new twists, turns, and minor plot deviations.
For those visiting the game for the first time? It’ll be a splendid exploration for a while before it grows monotonous and troublesome due to its rather predictable stories that seem to almost overlap one another. If anything? It’s a game that pushes to head in the right direction while stepping back into the wrong one putting it almost on par as a re-release of a game that’s already been played.
Our review is based on a copy provided to us by the games publisher. For information about our ethics policy please click here.
Final Score: 7 out of 10
About the Writer:
Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter, Google+, and or you can find him on PSN with RaivynLyken.