The Guided Fate Paradox

 PlayStation 3
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
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  1. Cheat Code Central
    Oct 28, 2013
    94
    Though The Guided Fate Paradox is a very difficult game, with the danger of being overwhelmed and losing everything you've worked for constantly looming overhead, I can’t get over how streamlined, easy to understand, and enjoyable this particular adventure is.
  2. RPGamer
    Dec 13, 2013
    90
    For those that can stomach some frequently-used tropes and are patient with the way it mixes story and gameplay, The Guided Fate Paradox is likely to provide a wild ride the likes of which nothing else out there can really provide.
  3. NZGamer
    Dec 5, 2013
    90
    The dungeon crawl aspect of it can be a little repetitive at times, but for the most part it’s a fun, engaging game with plenty of humour, action, and randomly inserted titty jokes.
  5. GameCritics
    Feb 6, 2014
    85
    Wearing its weirdness and humour like a badge of honor, Guided Fate Paradox is a fresh take on the Roguelike genre with a quirky tale and dialed-back difficulty that ensures it's accessible to all audiences.
  6. ZTGD
    Nov 6, 2013
    85
    It’s an excellent title to introduce those unfamiliar with roguelikes to the genre, and those already a fan will find much to like here.
  7. PlayStation Universe
    Aug 23, 2014
    80
    Lots of depth and replayability, but a few unexpected surprises like unusually poor voice acting dull the shine.
  8. Destructoid
    Nov 4, 2013
    80
    The Guided Fate Paradox may not have the most engrossing story, and at times, it can roll at a snails pace when in full swing, but its overall attention to the little things is what makes it one of this year's surprises.
  9. Hardcore Gamer
    Oct 25, 2013
    80
    The Guided Fate Paradox is a niche game, but that shouldn’t scare off anyone who has a taste for Japanese RPGs.
  10. NowGamer
    Oct 21, 2013
    80
    A punishing tactical JRPG in a deceptively cute wrapper, The Guided Fate Paradox is for those who love Disgaea but wish it was just a little more complex. The difficulty of dungeons ramps up at an overwhelming pace, and doesn't ease off.
  11. Eurogamer Italy
    Oct 15, 2013
    80
    The Guided Fate Paradox is an interesting mashup between the typical tactical RPGS and the traditional dungeon crawlers. If you liked the Disgaea series you'll fall in love with this funny, deep and stylish Japanese game.
  12. Push Square
    Oct 15, 2013
    80
    The narrative and characters are varied, quirky, and interesting, and while the core action does get a little repetitive, the plot and constant dialogue will undoubtedly keep you entertained.
  13. RPG Fan
    Nov 11, 2013
    79
    An atypical roguelike that subverts expectations but still falls flat in some areas.
  14. Multiplayer.it
    Oct 28, 2013
    78
    The Guided Fate Paradox might be a bit frustrating and unfair, but it's still a very well designed tactical jRPG which will delight especially the most hardcore fans of the genre.
  15. 4P.de
    Oct 31, 2013
    77
    The story of this anime-style rogue-like is quirky and the characters and locations are positively freaky – but the visuals are completely outdated.
  16. Vandal
    Oct 16, 2013
    77
    NIS does what NIS does better: a great mix of strategy and RPG. This is not their best game, but it still is a solid adventure you should try if you are interested in what it has to offer.
  17. Worth Playing
    Nov 7, 2013
    75
    The Guided Fate Paradox isn't a bad game, but it's not as good as its spiritual predecessor.
  18. 3DJuegos
    Oct 24, 2013
    75
    A unique tactical JRPG with plenty of humour, battles and a quirky storyline.

Awards & Rankings

71
#71 Best PS3 Game of 2013
91
#91 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2013

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 64 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 64
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 64
  3. Negative: 6 out of 64
  1. Demonik420
    Nov 5, 2013
    9
    [This review is pending changes if necessary once i complete the game, all material here is impressions of the game SO FAR (over 14 hours in[This review is pending changes if necessary once i complete the game, all material here is impressions of the game SO FAR (over 14 hours in at this point)]

    So far The Guided Fate Paradox is a great gaming experience, as per the norm when NIS rolls up its sleeves. If you are a lover of NIS games there is a lot to love here and IMO its the best take on a Dungeon Crawler Rougelike I've played in a long time.

    ~Story~
    The story is very intriguing and well written, I found myself drawn in immediately and felt right at home as if it was part of a series i had already played! The main protagonist Renya is comical and I actually really like him! As with most NIS games he is a breath of fresh air compared to the mains in a lot of other Japanese games and media. The Supporting cast are great too especially your fun loving and overly optimistic personal angel Lilliel. The visual novel style segments which are the main driving force for the story, are basically the same as any Disgaea game and show the same humor and excellent writing I'm used to.

    ~Gameplay~
    The game is a Dungeon crawler Rougelike and it plays like one, albeit a REALLY good one. the dungeons are fun, varied and surprisingly have a lot of story segments throughout which really makes for a nice experience. I wont go into detail about how it all works but i really like the system and how you actually have to eat food to survive and how objects can be thrown and moved. The combat is VERY FUN which i find surprising because most rougelike dungeon crawlers consist of walking into enemies. They have really revamped and made this basic mechanic fun, strategic and engaging. with the use of equip-able slots (head, chest, legs, shows, right and left arms) you can put on equipment. Each piece of equipment has a special move attached to it so its pretty awesome and makes finding loots fun! so you have your basic attack witch is hitting with your weapons and then you have a wheel to select your special moves from which range anywhere from skill ups to ranged shots to AOEs and so on. Its wicked fun!
    As usual its a game with an enormous amount of customization and hundreds of hours worth of game play if you choose to play it the way its meant to be played. However if you are more of a casual player then just like most NIS games the game can be beaten in less time, its mostly up to how to play.

    ~Graphics~
    The graphics are great IMO on par with or better than other recent NIS titles such as Disgaea D2. the characters designs (done by the artist of 'shakugan no shana') are fantastic and look great on screen. Its a lot of fun to see what they look like dressed up in different armors. The angel girls are so dam KAWAII especially in army helmets and other funny hats! Where some might complain about the graphics i think for most competent gamers graphics are only important to a certain extent as many of us still play classics and love them more every time we play because they are great games no matter what they look like. After all Final Fantasy 13 has amazing graphics but most Final Fantasy Fans myself included find it FAR inferior to any other FF game. Not to say its unplayable and in fact its not really TOO bad but when compared to other entries in the series it seems terrible.

    ~Audio~
    The Music is good but nothing special for the most part. Compared to the AMAZING music in the Disgaea series the music in this game is just forgettable and bland but it does the job fine and i like most of it if not compared to Disgaea.

    ~Voice Acting~
    The voice acting from most JRPGs and Japanese games in general is VERY questionable and usually is just downright TERRIBLE. Japanese just doesn't translate well into English most of the time. However NIS has found some way of not following that trend. This game is no exception the English voices are actually great however I wouldn't say they Rival anything like Disgaea or Xenoblade Chronicles but they are pretty darn good for a Dub. Thankfully there is also a CHOICE OF JAPANESE AUDIO and I'm very glad that NIS continues to give us this feature for those, Myself included who prefer the original.

    ~interface~
    ITS SO DAM EASY TO USE AND THERE IS A SHORTCUT FOR EVERYTHING I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!!

    ~In Closing~
    its awesome that there is still a JRPG developer out there that localizes all most all their titles without question.. when big developers like square enix only want to localize Final Hallway 13 and other garbage.. leaving gems like the dragon quest 7 remake and final fantasy type 0 un-localized and forcing Nintendo to do all the work at localizing bravely default flying fairy. its pretty pathetic and lame of them. Thank GOD NIS is around to scratch that JRPG Itch!

    The Guided Fate Paradox is a great outing and one that NO JRPG fan and ESPECIALLY NO NIS fan can afford to miss!    … Full Review »
  2. Darkjolly
    Apr 22, 2014
    9
    *About 18 hours put in so my score might change if the game gets better or worse.*

    *UPDATE After 60 hours of gameplay 22/04/2014* Being    *About 18 hours put in so my score might change if the game gets better or worse.*

    *UPDATE After 60 hours of gameplay 22/04/2014*

    Being a fan of the Disgaea series, when I saw the guided fate paradox I was instantly intrigued. Similar art style and crazy epic moves. Though being a rougelike game unlike Disgaeas turn based gameplay changes a lot. The problem people end up disliking this game is that they come in to this game expecting it to be like Disgaea in terms of forgiveness and easiness like fellow reviewer down below ''RileyWRussel''. Though it's looks like Disgaea in terms of art style your better of comparing it to its spiritual predecessor ZHP. This is a ROUGE GAME not an SRPG

    That being said it means, It's harder, a lot harder.

    In the guided fate paradox you never feel safe, no matter how good you think your character is equipped there is always that fear of an enemy doing way more damage than you expect thus killing you and stripping you of all your gear and half your collected gold in the dungeon. Yes it sounds unfair but to me thats where the fun lies.

    The tension, the fear that this new enemy your about to face is either going to outpower you or you will come out victorious and get a nifty drop from it. It's a gamble. But don't get this wrong it's not about luck its about tactical skills. It's about positioning yourself so you can hit as many enemies at once while not getting surrounded. You enter each dungeon with a angel companion each with their different skills meaning you have access to a wide variety of tatics.

    The story is actually very good and intriguing filled with many twists, much to my surprisde. and and the Music is superb, better than any disgaea game soundtrack. Sorry Tenpei Saoto but its true.

    The characters are still 50/50 Renya the main character is awesome, he doesn't follow any generic hero traits like being emo, he acts like any normal person would. He is a very rare breed of RPG protagonists cause he's so damn realistic. Instead of the cliche motive to fight most jrgps heros follow like "I fight for justice or to protect the weak" He's more like "F you guys for dragging me into this, I'll fight so I can just go home"

    Others characters (Not all) did not have too much if any character development so you didn't really care about them.

    Voice acting was very decent , except the Villains. Their voices were superb, True bad ass voice acting their.

    and of course this being a NIS game, post game is where things pick up. With Cameo battles, survival dungeons and a whole lot more.

    This game is amazing and I fully recommend you try out, Its addicting, witty and pure fun

    *UPDATE    … Full Review »
  3. CelesTial
    Dec 18, 2013
    6
    I was seriously excited when I read about the Guided Fate Paradox, as I'm a huge fan of both the Disgaea series and various roguelikesI was seriously excited when I read about the Guided Fate Paradox, as I'm a huge fan of both the Disgaea series and various roguelikes (Nethack, FTL, Rogue Legacy to name a few). Expectations were high, but as I played, I couldn't help but feel increasingly disappointed. Yes, it has very little in common with the Disgaea series apart from the sense of humor. That's fine. But the roguelike elements also failed to really click with me, the whole experience felt like a rather shallow attempt at mixing different genres (and failing, for the most part).

    The game starts out as being way too easy, with little challenge until the boss of the second chapter (called a "lesson".) The single levels that make up the "dungeon" for each lesson are tiny, some can be completed in a couple of minutes, and while the different lessons do a good job at representing different themes with varying looks and room layouts, they're pretty much copy paste of each other within the same theme world. Just like the levels, there is very little variation in monsters within the same 8-level dungeon. You'll Encounter the ecactly same 4 or so monsters over and over again, with the same skills, and same strength. The difficulty increases a lot, eventually, BUT: see below.

    There is little variety in loot drops, as well. For instance, every single zombie hat is exactly the same as every other zombie hat that will drop, and you'll see a lot of them drop, because the items are as copy paste as the levels and the monsters. All of them only give you skills, and those skills are as similar to each other as everything else. You don't hit Monsters with the sword you equipped, it only allows you to do damage to a mob on any tile up to 3 tiles in front of you, for instance. Or maybe it's a T, or every adjacent square, and the damage type varies, but that's it. You still basically hit with your fist despite Holding a sword. Every single equipment slot does the same things. Yes, pants generally give you damage skills too. There's the occasional heal or mini-teleport but overall, there is very little variation. And the worst part of it is that if you use those items too much, their burst gauge fills up and when it's full, the item's skill is only half as effective until you go upgrade it. It is considered a valid "strategy" to rush past Monsters Level by Level all the way to the boss, and only start using your items there. Not my idea of fun.

    The Guided Fate Paradox is too simplified to really "click" as a challenging roguelike. There are no secret levels or bonus rooms to discover (I found ONE shop room in a dungeon in some 12 hours of playing, and it only sold the same cookie cutter items I already had too many of). Yes, it gets "hard" after the first few lessons, but it's not a kind of challenge that requires you to think and plan your strategy carefully. Monsters respawn, you can grind for as long as food lasts, and then use an exit item to head back to the base, sell, bank, and go back in. You can even use exit items anytime and anywhere if you're about to die. I suppose they intended for this to ease the difficulty and frustration, but it really just turns the "challenge" into a repetitive grind. And as described before, the dungeons are too simplistic to make x repetitions of them fun.

    You could argue that Rogue Legacy is grindy, to a degree. That's true, but it works because its overall "character progression" (expanding the starter castle) is much more varied than the Guided Fate Paradox' character development system. Rogue Legacy allows you to gradually unlock bonuses like new starting classes with different skills, resistances, critical hit chance and so on. The Guided Fate Paradox, in comparison, only lets you permanently improve 4 basic stats. You don't get new skills, as those are tied to equipment only. There's holy artifacts, as well, but you can only power 3 of them at most, and their effects aren't that interesting.

    What was truly enjoyable, to me, is the story. NIS did another great job at delivering an absolutely hilarious plot full of self-irony ('sup? I'm god.") The story Progresses in small episodes after most dungeon Levels, but only on the first playthrough. Overall, it wasn't enough to keep me motivated through the repetitive gameplay drag for longer than the first few chapters. If you're looking for a challenging roguelike without grind, look elsewhere.    … Full Review »
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