Written by Anthony L. Cuaycong
Title: Fairy Tail
Developer: KOEI TECMO America
Publisher: KOEI TECMO America
Genre: Action, Adventure, RPG
Price: $59.99
Also Available On: Steam, Switch
It's no accident that Fairy Tail's release had to be delayed a full quarter. The significant following of the manga and anime franchise necessitated its improvement prior to being deemed worthy of hitting retail shelves. The good news is that the wait has not been for naught. It's a Japanese role-playing game that doesn't redefine the genre, but delivers exactly what fans expect: loads of development and interactions of familiar protagonists. In fact, developer Gust went the other extreme; it assumes the popularity of the source material and wastes no time on preambles. It starts off the game smack dab in the middle of events of the Weekly Shonen Magazine series and assumes gamers can immediately follow the narrative.
To be fair, newcomers to the intellectual property won't stay uninformed for long. The beloved story of wizards, dragon slayers, and demons in Earth-land is easy enough to pick up despite the hefty backstories brought up left and right, with gamers tasked to rebuild the Fairy Tail guild to its former glory through quests, the fulfillment of specific missions, the forging and fortifying of relationships, turn-based combat after turn-based combat, and, needless to say, heroic feats that ultimately save the world. In short, it's nothing new and nothing JRPG veterans haven't seen before.
Fortunately, the familiar JRPG beats are donned in resplendent Fairy Tail garb. The three-dimensional models and backgrounds are luscious and meticulously detailed for the most part, backstopping a resplendent sound mix that celebrates the its fun, if sometimes, frivolous take on genre staples. Indeed, there are character development and specific story arcs, but not to the point of eating up precious time. And while grinding is a given, its not required to excess. There's likewise a good amount of fan service, but far from overbearing to the point of embarrassment.
All told, Fairy Tail earns its keep by hitting the right notes to satisfy followers of the manga craving for a worthy crossover title. Its ultra-smooth interface and deep but not complicated battle mechanics ensure hours upon hours of enjoyment. And, unlike plenty of JRPG offerings, it's designed to be completed in a reasonable time frame. Highly recommended.
THE GOOD
- Faithful representation of the source material
- Complex but not complicated battle systems
- Doesn't take itself too seriously
THE BAD
- No preambles
- While not to excess, grinding still a requirement
- Cutscenes and animations better appreciated by those steeped in the series
- Avoidable fan service
RATING: 8/10
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