Most people who mentionFate/stay nightwould either be talking aboutthe first 2006 anime adaptationor the popular 2014 anime adaptationFate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works.Today, theFatefranchise is widely acclaimed with several anime adaptations, mangas, and of course, video games.
However, this blockbuster franchise started out as avisual novel by Type-Moon. Those who found aboutFatethrough recent anime adaptations such asFate/Grand Carnivalor video games such asFate/Grand Ordermay be surprised by its raunchier origins. Indeed, the franchise has come a long way since its inception.
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The Inception Of fate/stay night
Fate/stay nightis the first game of theFateseries. After releasing its firstvisual novel in 2000 withTsukihime, Japanese video game company Type-Moon became known for deep narratives. It’s in this context thatFate/stay nightwas released in 2004. The game is set in the fictional city of Fuyuki where the Holy Grail War takes place every 60 years. Seven Magi also called Masters each summon a Heroic Spirit to become their Servant to fight against the other pairs until the last remaining duo, who will have a wish granted, emerge as the victors. This premise established by theFate/stay nighthas remained consistent throughout the series and across different mediums.
Along with that backdrop, the originalFate/stay nightis also an eroge. It features Shiro Emiya as the main protagonist who accidentally summons the heroine Saber in the first playable route, “Fate,” which enters him into the Holy Grail War. Upon completion of the first route, the more battle-focused “Unlimited Blade Works” route will be unlocked, which has Rin Tohsaka as Shiro’s love interest. The anime of the same name is also adapted from the second route. The last route, “Heaven’s Feel” takes a darker turn than the previous ones, and focuses on the relationship between Shiro and Sakura Mato. In all three routes, Shiro develops personal relationships with each heroine while trying to survive the war.
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The Fate/unlimited codes Fighting Game
In 2008,Fatewoulddip its toes in fighting gameswithFate/unlimited codes. With the 2006Fate/stay nightanime adaptation having further popularized the franchise, theFatefighting game published byCapcomlaunched to good reviews and strong sales both in Japan and the West.
Based on the 2004 visual novel, the same characters can be selected to fight against each other with the notable addition of the Saber Lily Servant who is based on one of Saber’s designs in the “Unlimited Blade Works” route. The game is oftencompared toSoul Calibur: Broken Destiny, which launched a year afterFate/unlimited codes.
The Success Of Fate/Grand Order
Fate/Grand Orderis the most successfulFatevideo game by far. The game is notable for combining visual novel elements with RPG and turn-based combat. It’s also a free-to-play game, but players have to use agacha mechanic to obtain additional Servants. As the Master, the player can command his Servants into combat with Command Cards.
The visual novel format comes into play in the story’s narrative, and each Servant’s scenario in the form of conversations that the player can have with each of them. In many ways,Fate/Grand Orderis the culmination of the franchise that isn’t afraid to experiment, has grown a lot by word of mouth, and features continuedsuccess comparable toPokemon GOin the Japanese market.
Fate/Grand Orderis available now on Mobile.
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