Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 33
  3. Negative: 2 out of 33
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  1. GameGrin
    Jan 29, 2017
    95
    Aside from the repetitive gameplay, this is a game that Fate fans will absolutely enjoy playing and exploring in an officially released Fate game, since the Stay Night visual novels don’t seem to be coming out anytime soon, including the several other games that spawned from this franchise. From a gaming perspective is a flawless execution of what a Servant would do against an army, but is mechanically challenging.
  2. COGconnected
    Jan 17, 2017
    85
    Whether you are a fan of the Fate series or an anime fan, players will enjoy this great addition to the franchise as well as the quirkiness of some of its characters. For players new to the series but are fans of the Dynasty Warriors style games, Fate/Extella has plenty of entertainment value to offer with its strong story and sound gameplay.
  3. DualShockers
    Jan 30, 2017
    80
    I enjoyed my time with Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star as it satisfied my craving for a game in the Fate universe. The fighting controls are tight and responsive, and the action is intense. The lack of enemy variation was disappointing, but it didn’t take away from the frenetic fun of pulling off well animated combos against thousands of aggressors.
  5. Gaming Nexus
    Jan 17, 2017
    80
    Fate/EXTELLA is a great hack and slash game that will most likely please fans of the series and please non fans who are looking for a great action game to play on their PS4.
  6. PlayStation LifeStyle
    Jan 18, 2017
    75
    An extremely competent brawler, with a shockingly expansive, albeit slightly disjointed, core campaign. Despite its narrative shortcomings, the moment-to-moment combat is fast paced, visually arresting and extremely entertaining. If you are looking for a fun mindless jaunt to kick off the New Year, look no further.
  7. Everyeye.it
    Jan 17, 2017
    75
    The Umbral Star changes the usual gameplay of the classic musou style, with a pinch of strategy and fanservice. It's a purchase you can't miss if you love the "Fate" series.
  8. God is a Geek
    Jan 17, 2017
    75
    Fate/EXTELLA is a fun musou game for fans of the Fate universe that is let down by a lacklustre story and visual inconsistencies.
  9. Atomix
    Jan 18, 2017
    72
    Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star is a really weird game. As an action and Musou (Warriors) game works really nice albeit all of its and notorious flaws (THAT CAMERA!). As a Fate/ game, it doesn’t functions so well and lacks much of the essence that fans would want from it. It is a far from perfect title that you could find entertaining if you give it the opportunity. Just don’t expect it to offer something unique or different from what you have seen in many other Koei-Tecmo Games.
  10. Video Chums
    Jan 17, 2017
    72
    A capable Dynasty Warriors clone but its lack of imagination when it comes to enemies, gameplay, and modes holds it back from being a great game. That being said, if you're looking for a mostly enjoyable action game with a colourful cast of fun-filled characters set in a quirky anime world then this is a game that you should definitely check out.
  11. 4P.de
    Jan 19, 2017
    71
    Right now this is the best musou action not coming from Tecmo Koei.
  12. Gameblog.fr
    Jan 30, 2017
    70
    Fate Extella is a good Musou and a good Visual Novel... but switching between the two genres often break the rhythm to the game.
  13. SpazioGames
    Jan 19, 2017
    70
    Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star is a game made of highs and lows. Its indisputable merits counteract an equally large number of defects, which make the purchase only recommended to fans of the Fate series.
  14. RPG Site
    Jan 18, 2017
    70
    When all is said and done, Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star is a game primarily targeted to fans of the series. I find it tough to recommend Extella to complete newcomers. If Extella is your first exposure to the Fate series, I won’t blame you for being completely lost. There are serious problems in terms of content from a slim amount of modes to a tiny amount of stage variety. Its intriguing story is roughly 20 hours long with each of the four story routes lasting 4-6 hours long. Despite its genre shift from its predecessors, Fate/Extella is an enjoyable experience. It’s akin to a love letter to fans of the series. The more you know about Fate, the more you’ll enjoy this game.
  15. Wccftech
    Jan 17, 2017
    70
    If you’re willing to forego the story and just enjoy the action, Fate Extella is undoubtedly one of the smoothest playing Warriors-style games to date with kill counts ranging in the thousands for each battle. Repetition may set in early on, but by then you should be all ready to unleash your Noble Phantasm.
  16. Vandal
    Jan 17, 2017
    70
    This is a fast musou game that you can enjoy whether you know the franchise or not. It's not something special within the genre, but if you understand its shortcomings and aspirations, you'll probably like it.
  17. IGN Spain
    Jan 17, 2017
    70
    Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star provides the player of a very intense, colorful and a-little-repetitive musou experience, very advisable to fans of the series.
  18. Push Square
    Jan 17, 2017
    70
    A rock solid hack and slasher, Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star offers non-stop, totally over-the-top action from a fantastically fun cast of playable characters. Our only real complaint is that repetition can bleed into the experience over time, but give yourself a few days to recover from the fatigue, and you'll come back to a welcoming brawler that's stuffed with content. It's not quite up there with the best musou games on the market, but The Umbral Star scratches that button bashing itch and then some.
  19. Digitally Downloaded
    Jan 17, 2017
    70
    It’s made me into a fan of Fate. If that’s not a sign of a quality game, then nothing is.
  20. Hardcore Gamer
    Jan 16, 2017
    70
    The actual game portion is well done, and fun in small chunks, but becomes a bit too repetitive for its own good.
  21. 3DJuegos
    Jan 26, 2017
    65
    Another game based on the visual novel Fate / Stay night which adopts the Musou playability. Not the best by any circumstance in the genre, but a good one indeed.
  22. The Games Machine
    Jan 24, 2017
    65
    Technically robust but not that impressive, Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star is a decent representative of the musou genre, with sixteen characters to take care of and a lot of battles to fight. If you truly love the original material, this game could be worthy of your time; otherwise, keep in mind that Berserk and the Band of the Hawk is on its way.
  23. GameCritics
    Jan 23, 2017
    65
    Fate/Extella is a solidly-built Warriors-style brawler with a unique sense of speed and a sweet, engaging story. It would’ve been more impressive if it took about half as long to finish, though. Its distinctiveness is spread far too thin, battered into oblivion by endless repetition. Fans of Fate seeking a worthy coda to the story of Fate/Extra will find it here, but it’d be best to engage with the game in short bursts, rather than have it wear out its welcome over long sessions.
  24. ZTGD
    Jan 18, 2017
    65
    Fate/Extella is a title that has a lot to live up to due to the immense popularity of the Fate series as a whole. However, it doesn’t do much to stray from the typical formula set forth by the countless other musou titles on the market. It sports a serviceable but unremarkable combat engine, along with a story that felt just as disposable as one of the tens of thousands of enemies I left in my wake.
  25. PlayStation Country
    Jan 23, 2017
    60
    Overall Fate/Extella is a decent game, the quick and extravagant combat gives the game lashings of style and visual flair. Unfortunately the lack of depth to the combat leads to repetition setting in and the story is definitely not for the uninitiated. This game fits well with the other musou games available for the PlayStation 4, and while it’s not the best one of the bunch it’s decent while it lasts.
  26. We Got This Covered
    Jan 19, 2017
    60
    With the tight action carrying the game the majority of the way, this may well be a tough sell for those who aren’t into niche Japanese titles. However, for those who enjoy fluid combat and revel in the strange and the bizarre, this may well be exactly what Galen of Pergamon ordered.
  27. TheSixthAxis
    Jan 18, 2017
    60
    If you come into this expecting a setting, cast or narrative similar to any of the anime, you might be left disappointed and confused. It’s still a fun, addictive game with the flashy combat you’d expect from a Warriors-style game, but you might have to tune out the story in order to enjoy it. In a franchise where story is so key, that’s a huge bummer.
  28. CGMagazine
    Jan 17, 2017
    60
    Not awful but far from good, Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star is a title that lets down fans and keeps away newcomers with a pithy story, mediocre gameplay, and a generic art direction that betrays the franchise’s roots.
  29. PlayStation Universe
    Jan 17, 2017
    60
    It may have the Fate name in its title, but it doesn't present itself like a Fate title. The Umbral Star tells a bonkers story that only a Fate franchise can produce. The game itself is fun and features some awesome animations, but it’s instantly dragged down by terrible team AI and almost no sense of accomplishment.
  30. Destructoid
    Jan 17, 2017
    60
    For as much as I enjoyed Fate/Extella, I must admit that there simply isn't enough to keep most people interested in it. This is definitely one for the fans.
  31. The Digital Fix
    Jan 18, 2017
    50
    While the gameplay is fun the whole experience is overly repetitive. Add in a confusing setting and a complete tonal shift from the anime and you get a game that does not live up to expectations.
  32. GameSpew
    Jan 17, 2017
    50
    Offers mindless fun, sure, but there are a slew of other Musou titles also available on PS4, and nearly all of them are superior to this.
  33. PlaySense
    Jan 31, 2017
    40
    A lazy PS Vita port that doesn't manage to succeed on any front, Fate/Extella had better been left on the cutting room floor.
  34. Twinfinite
    Jan 23, 2017
    40
    What I’m left with is a passable, extremely repetitive game that offers up brief bursts of catharsis muddled in a misguided sea of queasy colors, and all wrapped up in a convoluted and uncompelling plot.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 54 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 54
  3. Negative: 10 out of 54
  1. KuKuruYo
    Jan 21, 2017
    10
    And amazing and beautiful game from begining to end, but not for all audiences.

    Have in mind that this is a continuation of the psp game    And amazing and beautiful game from begining to end, but not for all audiences.

    Have in mind that this is a continuation of the psp game Fate/Extra, and the story is completely based on the idea that you have played it. They make very little effort in explaining how the Fate world works, or what is the Seraph or the actions and relationships between the characters before this title, because all of that is explained in Fate/Extra. This game is it's own story, that expands on the Fate universe, and relies on knowledge of it. In fact there's a lot of "fanservice" in regard of the characters who appear, who come from other Type moon works like Fate stay night, Fate apocrypha or Fate Zero, so be advice that you need AT LEAST to play Fate extra before playing this game. Other Fate works are recommendable, but not strictly necessary.

    Having that in mind, the game is as good as any other Fate title. A complex and elaborate story, that appears simple and "shonen-like" at the begining, even seems to have plot holes, but then everything branches out and is explained to the most minimum detail when you advance to other routes.

    The game is divided by routes that you play in order, begining with Red Saber, the "easy mode" of the game, through a series of musou like battles with thousands of enemies and explosive skills. The difference with other musou games is that here you win or lose depending on the zones you control and quests you complete, and the enemy IA does a good job at taking them from you when you're not present, so even if you are at some point incredibly powerfull you still lose because you have not done a good strategy on what zones to pick, generals to kill or quests to complete, which makes the game very exciting.

    Before and after each battle you'll have extensive dialogues between the characters advancing the story, with the same japanese voice cast as the original games/animes, and beautiful music, that makes for an amazing experience.

    For me the game has very few flaws, but if i had to name some for other people, be adviced that there's A LOT of dialogue, and the story will require your attention to not get lost, or to understand all of the details, specially if you don't know much about the Fate universe. I say this because shonen fans are usually drawn to this saga attracted by the prospect of battles between heroes, only to flee in panic when they find out a story much more complex of their usual Narutos.    … Full Review »
  2. LidiaBorge
    Jan 28, 2017
    10
    Y el juego increíble y hermoso de principio a fin, pero no para todas las audiencias.

    Ten en cuenta que esta es una continuación del juego    Y el juego increíble y hermoso de principio a fin, pero no para todas las audiencias.

    Ten en cuenta que esta es una continuación del juego de PSP Fate / Extra, y la historia está completamente basada en la idea de que la has jugado. Hacen muy poco esfuerzo en explicar cómo funciona el mundo de Destino, o lo que es el Seraph o las acciones y relaciones entre los personajes antes de este título, porque todo eso se explica en Fate / Extra. Este juego es su propia historia, que se expande en el universo de Destino, y se basa en el conocimiento de la misma. De hecho hay un montón de "fanservice" en lo que respecta a los personajes que aparecen, que vienen de otros tipos de luna funciona como Fate stay night, Fate apocrypha o Fate Zero, por lo que el consejo que necesita al menos para jugar Fate extra antes de jugar este juego. Otros trabajos del Destino son recomendables, pero no estrictamente necesarios.

    Teniendo esto en mente, el juego es tan bueno como cualquier otro título de destino. Una historia compleja y elaborada, que parece simple y "shonen-like" al principio, incluso parece tener agujeros de trama, pero luego todo se ramifica y se explica al mínimo detalle cuando se avanza a otras rutas.

    El juego está dividido por las rutas que se juegan en orden, comenzando con Red Saber, el "modo fácil" del juego, a través de una serie de musou como batallas con miles de enemigos y habilidades explosivas. La diferencia con otros juegos de musou es que aquí se gana o se pierde dependiendo de las zonas que controlas y de las misiones que completas, y el IA enemigo hace un buen trabajo al tomarlas de ti cuando no estás presente, así que incluso si estás en Un punto increíblemente poderoso que todavía pierdes porque no has hecho una buena estrategia en qué zonas elegir, generales a matar o misiones para completar, lo que hace que el juego muy emocionante.

    Antes y después de cada batalla tendrás diálogos extensos entre los personajes que avanzan la historia, con el mismo elenco de voz japonés que los juegos / animes originales, y la hermosa música, que hace que una experiencia increíble.

    Para mí el juego tiene muy pocos defectos, pero si tuviera que nombrar algunos para otras personas, se advierte que hay MUCHO diálogo, y la historia requerirá su atención para no perderse, o para entender todos los detalles, especialmente Si usted no sabe mucho sobre el universo de Destino. Digo esto porque los fans shonen suelen ser atraídos por esta saga atraídos por la perspectiva de las batallas entre los héroes, sólo para huir en pánico cuando se enteran de una historia mucho más compleja de sus habituales Narutos.
    Google Tradutor para empresas:Google Toolkit de tradução para appsTradutor de sitesGlobal Market Finder    … Full Review »
  3. xTheVoicex
    Jan 19, 2017
    9
    Being a longstanding Fate fanatic, and an even longer Musou game fanatic; this game appeared to be the encompassing of both the pros and consBeing a longstanding Fate fanatic, and an even longer Musou game fanatic; this game appeared to be the encompassing of both the pros and cons of each. Fate/Extella felt like what one would expect from a hybrid of the two genres, fast-paced combat with extended moments of reprieve to better grasp the story. From a Fate games standpoint, the story itself contains the three E's that made the franchise the successful series that it is: enticing, elaborate, and overall enjoyable. From a Musou games standpoint, Fate/Extella incorporates the classic hack-n-slash type of combat that is commonly found within the titles developed by Koei Tecmo. Albeit the roster itself is significantly less than that of most Musou titles on the PS4, each respective playable character possesses their own flare that distinguishes them apart from their fellow servants.

    In terms of game play, as previously mentioned it follows the classic hack-n-slash of the Musou genre of games, but with its own twist of special mechanics and features that clearly separate it from its distant relatives. The graphics themselves are nothing to boast about, but the vibrancy of color tones and the unique setting of each stage more than makeup for that. In respect to the actual game play, there is one thing that this game lacks that may or may not turn away those looking for a fun time with friends, which is the two-player co-op or rather lack thereof. That's right, there is no form of multiplayer in this game and from a developer standpoint, I can understand why. For the sake of being able to immerse the player into a unique story that entirely revolves around the "fate" of the protagonist, it would be more beneficial to focus on the single player experience as this game at its core, is Fate.

    With that being said Fate/Extella does incorporate several elements from the visual novels such as having extended moments of dialogue between the protagonist and other characters in the game. Though the interactions themselves do not nearly have as much impact as they did in the VN's, this does not derail the overall plot of the game itself. The conversations between the player and characters are sufficient enough to bring a better understanding of the story to those who were looking for the classic visual novel-type of gameplay that the Fate series is known for, while the fast paced action is sufficient enough to keep you invested in playing the battles for hours.

    When all is said and done, Fate/Extella certainly brings about a uniquely brilliant story that is supported by today's type of fast paced hack-n-slash style of play that many gamers have come to enjoy throughout the years. The game itself is lacking in several parts (a modest roster, average graphics, meaningless dialogue choices, and etc.) but with what little resources and support the developers at XSEED had, they were able to produce something enjoyable for the people. They brought to the table something that was meaningful to both fans of the Fate franchise as well as the Musou franchise, and that itself is really all one who appreciates both genres can ask for.    … Full Review »
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