Resonance of Fate

Resonance of Fate is an unusual JRPG from studio tri-Ace, set atop a giant steel gear structure called Basel, the last remaining refuge for humanity after an ecological catastrophe. A trio of mercenary hunters, Zephyr, Vashyron, and Leanne, take on jobs, move between the tower's levels, and gradually uncover how the society above controls the lives of those below. The narrative is initially fragmented into episodes that seem unrelated to one another, only coming together in the second half, which is one reason the game divided players.

The combat system is absolutely central and has no real equivalent in the genre. Characters move along pre-set tracks, fire firearms, and the game distinguishes direct damage from so-called scratch damage, which needs to be confirmed with another hit or it regenerates on the enemy. The player spends hero points on acrobatic jumps during which time slows down and shots can be fired mid-air, and lining characters up into a triangle creates chain attacks across the whole arena. Weapons can literally be wrapped in components into grotesque shapes, and the game demands the player genuinely study its rules. World exploration additionally takes place on a hexagonal map that the player quite literally assembles from colored tiles to open up paths to further levels of the tower.

Technically it's a solid but not dazzling game whose strength lies in its environment design, in Basel's strange mechanical aesthetic, and in the unusually tasteful character costume work, which the player can change. Motoi Sakuraba's music leans into jazz, blues, and calmer melodies, and ranks among the most distinctive soundtracks of its generation. Contemporary reception was mixed, since the steep learning curve put many players off, but the game gradually built a solid circle of devotees. Today Resonance of Fate is a refreshing reminder of a time when Japanese studios allowed themselves to experiment even at the cost of accessibility.