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[Aru]

Reached chapter 9, in about 24 hours (without counting the game overs).

Game's good so far. A rough 8/10. Really innovative, but it feels like it had a really small budget (tiny towns, dungeons = a few battle rooms connected one to another, no real overworld).

The difficulty is weird. If you do something wrong, the game is very frustrating but once you find the good strategy, it's often really easy to defeat the enemies.

 

[MjFrancis]

That's what is so curious about Resonance of Fate - the game doesn't encourage a particular strategy, it demands one.

Your opinion just about totally agrees with my review of the game.

Nice review, more or less a detailed explanation of my own quarrels with this title. You seem well versed in turn-based strategy, and I actually plan on reading the rest of your reviews and taking your opinions under advisement. The lack of a solid number in your reviews is a bit odd, but I'd rather you leave them out than turn to an arbitrary 100 point system like most reviewers do these days. Five points are plenty, and even two suffice when you're sticking to a particular genre (Thumbs Up/Thumbs down).

No B.S. reviews by a qualified expert in the genre. You're an endangered species among game reviewers!

 

[mjemirzian]

That's what is so curious about Resonance of Fate - the game doesn't encourage a particular strategy, it demands one.

Nice review, more or less a detailed explanation of my own quarrels with this title.

Yeah, I would have really liked the game more if there were more variety in strategies to figure out, and less grinding. Once you have all the various systems figured out, you just execute the same strat over and over again in most cases.

Thanks for your compliments. I have actually started adding numerical scores to the latest reviews, even though I'm not a big fan of them. I'll have to go back and do that for the older ones. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of time to review lots of games because it's just a side hobby for me. If you write some good qualified reviews I could add them to my site. Just send me a message or e-mail.

 

[Lime]

I think this game could have been a lot better if it was condensed into a thirty hour main adventure. Trim any grinding for the main quest, make travel between unlocked hexes quicker, create a more expansive bonus dungeon and iron out an episodic story with zero filler. The spirit of the game would remain intact, and the battle mechanics would never wear out their welcome. Anyone who chose to grind would be given ample opportunity in a Neverland that would rival the main quest in length and difficulty.

Do it, Tri-Ace. You were so close.

Valkyrie Profile 2 was basically their take on your suggestion.

 

[djtiesto]

Am I the only person who went through all of RoF (including the bonus dungeon) without using any tri-attacks? I only did that once to get the achievement... but beat the game with a mixture of scratching, breaking, and chucking grenades that do status effects (igniting enemies on fire worked pretty well against some real tough enemies).

 

[Rahxephon91]

Am I the only person who went through all of RoF (including the bonus dungeon) without using any tri-attacks? I only did that once to get the achievement... but beat the game with a mixture of scratching, breaking, and chucking grenades that do status effects (igniting enemies on fire worked pretty well against some real tough enemies).

I have yet to do one and I'm on chapter 10.

 

[Deadly]

Am I the only person who went through all of RoF (including the bonus dungeon) without using any tri-attacks? I only did that once to get the achievement... but beat the game with a mixture of scratching, breaking, and chucking grenades that do status effects (igniting enemies on fire worked pretty well against some real tough enemies).

Wow you must strategize really well. When they removed Leanne for the first time I had the hardest time ever because I was used to using tri-attacks so much.

 

[Paracelsus]

Am I the only person who went through all of RoF (including the bonus dungeon) without using any tri-attacks? I only did that once to get the achievement... but beat the game with a mixture of scratching, breaking, and chucking grenades that do status effects (igniting enemies on fire worked pretty well against some real tough enemies).

You're not the only one because that's the basic way to go through the whole game. Aside from very few battles where you have to plan whether to fight on the ground and precisely where to land if you choose to hero jump, the game is basically that mixture you said.

 

[trejo]

Wow you must strategize really well. When they

Spoiler

removed Leanne

for the first time I had the hardest time ever because I was used to using tri-attacks so much.

Uh... spoilers?

Nice going, man. Thanks.

 

[Aru]

The further I get into the chapters, the more frustrating the game becomes :/

I can't believe I get my ass kicked by a few level 30 enemies while I'm at level 50. My team misses one member again though...

I don't think I'll ever play this game again. It's good but too frustrating. I've never done any grinding so far. I learned that the best thing is to find THE way to defeat the bosses, and when you find it, you know it because healing items are pretty useless in this game unless you mess up badly. I barely use any of them. Beating bosses before needing to use items is the way to clear this game.

 

[Bebpo]

Am I the only person who went through all of RoF (including the bonus dungeon) without using any tri-attacks? I only did that once to get the achievement... but beat the game with a mixture of scratching, breaking, and chucking grenades that do status effects (igniting enemies on fire worked pretty well against some real tough enemies).

You can do it, sure. But you're only making the game harder by not doing them. On big enemies they are useful for taking them out in 1 turn. On dangerous groups they are useful for taking out several enemies in 1 turn. There's really no downpoint in using them.

 

[MechaX]

The further I get into the chapters, the more frustrating the game becomes :/

I can't believe I get my ass kicked by a few level 30 enemies while I'm at level 50. My team misses one member again though...

I don't think I'll ever play this game again. It's good but too frustrating. I've never done any grinding so far. I learned that the best thing is to find THE way to defeat the bosses, and when you find it, you know it because healing items are pretty useless in this game unless you mess up badly. I barely use any of them. Beating bosses before needing to use items is the way to clear this game.

When your team is short one member, you'll find that just running through the required dungeon is essentially a pretty good way of handling things (it's not like you miss that much EXP provided that you're halfway keeping up with the Arena). In regards to the bosses, I don't know if you're at the point where you can wield 2 SMGs. If so, decently upgrade them both and just go for the method of setting up a 3/4 chain tri attack and usually the boss will go down pretty quick. It's not so much that the game is difficult, but, as you probably already know, there's usually one way to take out each boss/enemy.

 

[BobTheFork]

I managed to clear up to chapter 6 without tri-attacks but then I found that I really needed to set them up to get by. It just destroys enemies I have a hard time killing.h

 

[CartridgeBlower]

I'm on chapter 3 now, and it seems like every single battle, I get 'condition critical.' How do I get my status back after that happens, or is that even possible?

I really like the game, but the battles just have so many wtf fuck moments and then I'm suddenly dead in two seconds. The in-game tutorial makes it even more confusing.

Can anyone break down a good strategy I should be using?

 

[TheChaos]

I'm on chapter 3 now, and it seems like every single battle, I get 'condition critical.' How do I get my status back after that happens, or is that even possible?

I really like the game, but the battles just have so many wtf fuck moments and then I'm suddenly dead in two seconds. The in-game tutorial makes it even more confusing.

Can anyone break down a good strategy I should be using?

Condition Critical is basically a glorified Game Over unless the enemies are really weak and you can take them out easily.

For the beginning parts of the game, conserve your hero actions until you get more bezels (those red things you see at the bottom of the screen). I made my machine gun holder do all the hero actions, and have your handgun/grenade guy just walk up and shoot after all the damage has been scratched off. No need to do another action.

 

[CartridgeBlower]

Condition Critical is basically a glorified Game Over unless the enemies are really weak and you can take them out easily.

For the beginning parts of the game, conserve your hero actions until you get more bezels (those red things you see at the bottom of the screen). I made my machine gun holder do all the hero actions, and have your handgun/grenade guy just walk up and shoot after all the damage has been scratched off. No need to do another action.

Yeah I think this is my problem. I need to be more conservative in the beginning chapters, and really only use machine gun hero actions to take off scratch damage. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Teppic]

If you aim at one enemy at the time without using hero actions while hiding from the other enemies behind blocks, you can take out some of the enemies at the start of the battle and make things much easier.

When aiming at an enemy from a distance that enemy will run towards you while the others approach you slower.

Be sure to upgrade your machine gun with as many lenses and gun barrels you can, that will make the charging much faster.

A charged regular gun can be used to stun enemies. Watch the enemies charge gauge to see which enemies that needs stunning. When it turns red they're ready to attack. Use a hero action then to attack before they do.

You can get out from a critical condition by defeating an enemy or destroying an enemy's body part. You must have at least one empty bezel shard slot left for it to work.

Switching characters adds only a little time to the enemies charge gauge, use this to your advantage.

 

[Aru]

When your team is short one member, you'll find that just running through the required dungeon is essentially a pretty good way of handling things (it's not like you miss that much EXP provided that you're halfway keeping up with the Arena). In regards to the bosses, I don't know if you're at the point where you can wield 2 SMGs. If so, decently upgrade them both and just go for the method of setting up a 3/4 chain tri attack and usually the boss will go down pretty quick. It's not so much that the game is difficult, but, as you probably already know, there's usually one way to take out each boss/enemy.

I've never done anything more than the tutorial in the Arena.
I gave up on 2 missions in chapter 10 (the one near Freud Ruins, where you have to kill a giant lv90 enemy 3 times + the other one near the No encounter Terminal) and went straight to chapter 11 (while keeping a save from chapter 10, 'never too careful you know).
But now I'm getting my ass kicked by the boss on the bridge...

Yes, I can wield 2 MGs, but I can't find another one nor build it... I can only buy another HG. Where can I find another MG ?

 

[Y2Kev]

This game is ridiculously awesome.

 

[Bebpo]

agreed

 

[BobTheFork]

This game is ridiculously awesome.

I agree. I'm still surprised the clerk at the store said it sucked, 'even for an JRPG'. It's much better than many of the RPG's I've played this year.

 

[Windom Earle]

I have to get back to this game at one point. Demon's Souls and SSFIV killing all my time

 

[Y2Kev]

I agree. I'm still surprised the clerk at the store said it sucked, 'even for an JRPG'. It's much better than many of the RPG's I've played this year.

My clerk told me it was really hard. I said yeah yeah pleb give it to me

 

[Aru]

I want back to chapter 10, got a second MG and beat all the missions through chapter 13. Now I'm doing chapter 14's sub missions before the main one, because it seems a bit hard. Things are a lot simpler now that I have a second MG and a dual HG user. But some fights still require BOTH strategy and luck.
Yeah, I'm talking about those multiple similar fights when you beat the first one easily but get your ass kicked in the second which has exactly the same enemies at the same locations !

 

[Rahxephon91]

So I just beat the game and is it me or does the actual story have a very un-resolved ending?

Other then that the game was great. The final battle was kind of annoying ,but then I just tri-attacked his ass.

 

[Bebpo]

So I just beat the game and is it me or does the actual story have a very un-resolved ending?

Other then that the game was great. The final battle was kind of annoying ,but then I just tri-attacked his ass.

It's not your fault. The plot is very poorly presented. Check wikipedia or wherever the plot guide is and it'll explain the plot and make the ending better.

The plot is fine and the cutscenes in the game are nice character pieces, but they do an awful job at conveying wtf the plot is.

 

[Pancakes]

So I just beat the game and is it me or does the actual story have a very un-resolved ending?

Other then that the game was great. The final battle was kind of annoying ,but then I just tri-attacked his ass.

The story is very poorly told imo, and I basically used the same tactic for the final boss as well.

 

[Mairu]

Can someone explain to me the best way to dual wield guns or if it's even worthwhile? My level isn't high enough to dual wield fully upgraded guns so I don't know if it's worth it. My Vashyron is at like 40 and I have him using MG with Zephyr at like 36 using HG and Leanne at like 28 using HG as well. I have enough HGs or MGs to have one of them DW but as I said I can't use two with one of them even fully upgraded. Does it take the lowest stats when calculating charge speed & acceleration and whatnot? Not sure when/if I should even bother with DW

 

[RurouniZel]

Can someone explain to me the best way to dual wield guns or if it's even worthwhile? My level isn't high enough to dual wield fully upgraded guns so I don't know if it's worth it. My Vashyron is at like 40 and I have him using MG with Zephyr at like 36 using HG and Leanne at like 28 using HG as well. I have enough HGs or MGs to have one of them DW but as I said I can't use two with one of them even fully upgraded. Does it take the lowest stats when calculating charge speed & acceleration and whatnot? Not sure when/if I should even bother with DW

You're definitely going to want Vashyron to duel-wield MGs. He gets full scratch ability much quicker than the others.

 

[Y2Kev]

How do you actually dual wield? My Vashyron has two guns now but he's only firing one at a time.

I think this game would be interesting if you could change weapons mid-turn. Put molotovs or grenades on someone with a SMG and you could deal a ton of damage.

 

[semiconscious]

This game is ridiculously awesome.

always nice to hear . played it when it was released, & it joined demon's souls & twewy as my favorite rpgs this gen...

 

[mjemirzian]

How do you actually dual wield? My Vashyron has two guns now but he's only firing one at a time.

I think this game would be interesting if you could change weapons mid-turn. Put molotovs or grenades on someone with a SMG and you could deal a ton of damage.

Use the RT/LT L2/R2 to switch weapons.

 

[Y2Kev]

Use the RT/LT L2/R2 to switch weapons.

No, I know that much, but imagine if you could, say, change from molotovs to an SMG in mid-air. And L2/R2 will change between weapons but I thought dual wielding was like...actually having two guns out.

 

[iconoclast]

You can only dual wield 2x handguns or 2x SMGs at the same time. You can have an SMG and a handgun equipped on one character, but you can only use one of them per turn.

 

[Y2Kev]

You can only dual wield 2x handguns or 2x SMGs at the same time. You can have an SMG and a handgun equipped on one character, but you can only use one of them per turn.

Ideas for RoF2! 1 man army! Leanne's got a ton of room under that skirt, I think she should do a flip and a rocket should shoot out

 

[Y2Kev]

I want 2x smg...where can I get a second one? I'm in chapter 7.

 

[TheChaos]

I want 2x smg...where can I get a second one? I'm in chapter 7.

Dakota Vein, way down near the very bottom level. It's in a chest at the very end of the dungeon.

 

[Y2Kev]

Dakota Vein, way down near the very bottom level. It's in a chest at the very end of the dungeon.

Is it like impossible to get? I'm only low 30s.

And I am out of white hexes....is there an easy way to mass them?

 

[Defuser]

Just do any random encounters,most of the time they will drop white hexes.

Surprised you just started on this kev,usually you will jump in on games like this most of the time in an instant.

 

[Mairu]

Anyone know any other MGs to get other than the one you start out with and the one in Dakota Vein?

 

[Defuser]

Anyone know any other MGs to get other than the one you start out with and the one in Dakota Vein?

There's one in aetersyl and a gold MG in neverland.All near end game though.

 

[Aru]

Finished the game after 45 hours, without doing any grinding
The last boss wasn't as hard as I expected him to be, but I had to try a dozen of times and being a bit lucky to win this.
My characters were between level 63 and 68 before entering the final dungeon but I got a few levels just by killing all enemies and bosses.

The ending was "surprising", but I'm a bit disappointed that the story isn't really explained more. I have a lot of questions :/

Overall, the game was really great and innovative. Winning beats the frustration of some battles.

I got the gold trophy for completing every mission and now I'm done.

I want to finish Bayonetta, Crystal Bearers and Grandia. No more time for this game. I don't want to play it any more anyway :lol

My final score: 8.5/10.

 

[duckroll]

The ending was "surprising", but I'm a bit disappointed that the story isn't really explained more. I have a lot of questions :/

Why don't you start a spoiler thread? I think enough of us have actually beaten the game now to have a decent number of people discussing the plot. I really liked the worldview, and I think there are quite a lot of answers that the game doesn't give in obvious ways, even though there are unanswered questions...

 

[Y2Kev]

Just do any random encounters,most of the time they will drop white hexes.

Surprised you just started on this kev,usually you will jump in on games like this most of the time in an instant.

I got it when it came out and played it but didn't like it. I think I just wasn't in the mood.

I lost a bit of progress haphazardly wandering into a red hex so I haven't played in a while but I've been thinking about getting that SMG

 

[Aru]

Why don't you start a spoiler thread? I think enough of us have actually beaten the game now to have a decent number of people discussing the plot. I really liked the worldview, and I think there are quite a lot of answers that the game doesn't give in obvious ways, even though there are unanswered questions...

I'll think about it tomorrow, I'm going to sleep right now :lol

 

[duckroll]

I'll think about it tomorrow, I'm going to sleep right now :lol

Dude, that's what I said when I beat the game! When you wake up, nothing's going to happen! :lol

 

[Aru]

Dude, that's what I said when I beat the game! When you wake up, nothing's going to happen! :lol

I was creating the thread when I read the article about the game on Wikipedia.

I wonder where they got all those answers. Some of them are in the manual, but the others...

 

[duckroll]

I was creating the thread when I read the article about the game on Wikipedia.

I wonder where they got all those answers. Some of them are in the manual, but the others...

Huh? What is exactly there which wasn't in the game? That's basically just a summary of the game's events.

Edit: Oh, I see there's some weird nonsense in the middle which seems to be wild speculation or something. :lol

 

[Aru]

Huh? What is exactly there which wasn't in the game? That's basically just a summary of the game's events.

Edit: Oh, I see there's some weird nonsense in the middle which seems to be wild speculation or something. :lol

All of this. Some parts are actually in the game but not explained THAT well.

Spoiler

Vashyron was a "Knight of Zenith", a person blessed by the Zenith system. When she attacked him, Zenith struck out against her, breaking her mind as well as saving his life. In this state Sullivan found her, and saw an opportunity. Sullivan dreamed of living outside of Basel, and this test subject would be perfect for his research. If he could copy her traits, he could free people from the place once and for all.

Spoiler

Zephyr was a part of Sullivan's experiment to transfer Rebecca's traits onto the children of Crank Seminary.

^^ Seriously ? When is that even mentionned in the game ? The cutscene about the seminary barely explains what is going on...

I won't quote it all... But while I agree many informations in this article were in the game, some are pure interpretations as you said.

 

[Augemitbutter]

this game kicks my ass in a good way. about 10 hours in and i still have alot to learn about the battle engine, very deep.

i like what i've played so far, good stuff.