Fate

Metachronos overall score = 8.4 / 10

Positive
- Fun, easy-to-get-into hack-and-slash action
- Great graphics will appeal both to kids and D&D nerds
- Randomly generated levels and items offer significant replay value

Negative
- Lack of multiplayer is a noticeable omission
- Can occasionally get difficult to the point of frustration
- Sometimes feels too random

Though Diablo-style hack-and-slash role-playing games have proliferated on video game consoles these past few years, for whatever reason, they've been scarcer on the PC. That being the case, if you've been hankering for a good old-fashioned monster-and-treasure-filled dungeon crawl lately, you should check out Fate. It's a fully 3D action RPG that's like a combination of Diablo and its sequel, but with better graphics. It's got a storybook, family-friendly look and feel to it, and it's shamelessly derivative of Blizzard's definitive action RPG series. But these qualities--along with its budget price--turn out to be a big part of the draw.



Diablo is probably one of the most influential games of the past 10 years, and its influence on Fate isn't subtle. In fact, of all the games that have used Diablo as a template, Fate is one of the most blatant in its attempts to directly reassemble Diablo's unique combination of qualities. Fate sports similar gameplay, a similar structure, a similar interface, and any number of other parts that could easily be traced back to Blizzard's series. Even some very specific details, like some of the sound effects, seem like they came straight from Diablo. The main difference between the two is that Fate has no multiplayer mode. But it's not just a straight rip-off, as Fate features a number of clever innovations within the scope of this style of gaming.



We'll get to those in a second. In Fate, you play as a boy or a girl who ventures into the town of Grove, along with his or her pet dog or cat. Grove is a quaint, little down that happens to sit right next to an ominous dungeon gate. The dungeon, sure enough, consists of dozens of increasingly challenging, randomly generated mazelike floors, each teeming with monsters and littered with treasure. The structure of the game is simple: You go into the dungeon and fight your way deeper and deeper into it, earning experience and loot as you go. Your motivation to press on will often come from townspeople challenging you to accomplish certain quests, which typically involve whacking a boss monster in part of the dungeon that's just one or two floors deeper than wherever you left off. Sometimes you'll teleport back to town (by means of town portal spells--what else?) to buy and sell stuff and to deliver the good news of your missions accomplished. However, Fate mostly takes place in the dungeon.



Fate is available for download from its official site, which includes a free trial version. Overall, this is a high-quality game that delivers well on a concept that isn't ambitious but is well known for being fun and addictive. You may be surprised to learn that Fate was made by just a small number of individuals, since many much larger projects don't come together nearly this well. However, this is a game that clearly benefited from having a singular focus, and in turn, you'll likely appreciate what it has to offer if you give it a shot.

reminds me of runescape only better graphics

you're right