Remember The Guided Fate Paradox? You should...we did a review for it! If you don’t remember, perhaps you played Z.H.P. on the PSP. If you never played either, here’s your third chance. The Awakened Fate Ultimatum is NIS’s third take on the Mystery Dungeon genre, and it wants very dearly to distance itself from the first two.

Here’s the setup: you’re some boring high-school schmuck, the prototypical JRPG protagonist. You’re being generally moody and apathetic about life, until you die suddenly for pseudo-spoilery plot reasons. You don’t stay dead and end up with awesome, godlike powers. You become the focal point of a supernatural war, and further plot adventures happen as you make your way through a myriad of dungeons.
The writing is very straightforward and predictable, but also notable in how different it is from the usual NIS fare. It feels like a relatively tamer visual novel rather than a collection of high-octane anime tropes. That’s not only a far cry from the style NIS usually goes for, but also a drastic shift from the previous two games. It seems like an attempt to be more mature, but it also doesn't do a whole lot to really stand out.

This distancing from the usual NIS style bleeds into the gameplay as well. In the first game, customization was the name of the game. You could tinker with so much minutia in so many ways, even just reading through the tutorials was an overload. It wasn’t a bad thing by any means, as modifying your character’s literal body parts with new equipment was a great novelty. But, there’s no denying how thoroughly complicated it was. This sequel dials it back a ton, aiming for a more traditional, laser-focused Mystery Dungeon experience.

This grounding generally works out in Awakened Fate Ultimatum’s favor. JRPGs often struggle to retain players in today’s gaming climate, and accessibility is a major factor. Look no further than the streamlining of major successes such as Dragon Age. Awakened Fate Ultimatum takes the modification theme of the previous game and turns it into a less robust point system, in which decisions you make during the story and leveling up give you points towards boosting your stats. These stat boosts are interesting because they aren’t just given to your character, they’re tied into the form-swapping gimmick.

When fighting, you can swap forms at the press of a button. From your normal super-powerful high school jabroni form, you can either go into demonic or angelic forms, and swapping will give you an advantage over the corresponding enemy types. You’re going to need to use both to succeed, but when you’re seeding your bonus points, you must choose which side to upgrade. So, in typical NIS style, there is a bit more to grinding than just grinding. 

Beyond those upgrades, Awakened Fate Ultimatum plays out like your typical Mystery Dungeon game. They’re fun, I love them, but they aren’t for everyone. Unlike Guided Fate Paradox, you do get to keep your level when you die or finish your dungeon. Again, everything is more straightforward, making the experience less stressful. You do have to worry about your items, cash and equipment, but losing everything doesn’t screw you over. Mystery Dungeon games are often a war of attrition, and not having a game-over screen makes it easier to just pick yourself back up and keep going if you fail.

Awakened Fate Ultimatum is a different beast from the games before it—Z.H.P. and Guided Fate Paradox. It’s a much more traditional Mystery Dungeon experience, the major gimmick mostly revolving around swapping attacks and identifying enemy weaknesses. If you’re more into the zany, anime/comedy stylings of the usual NIS fare, you might not feel at home here. However, if the Mystery Dungeon style appeals to you, but not the endless numbers and systems of the previous games, this will fit your pace more. These games are difficult, but often counteract the stress with a more laid-back pace, and with Awakened Fate Ultimatum NIS has better nestled its distinct style into that groove.

Hint: Always take your time. Swapping attack modes does not use up a turn, so make sure you’re ready to commit to your next action before you press the button. Also, don’t stress out too much about the bonus stats. They’re small percentages and add up, but making one-sided choices during the story won’t mess you up. You also get points for just leveling up.

by Lucas White