At first I thought the combat was boringly simplistic: one button to attack, one button to block, one button to occasionally dodge an unblockable attack, and one button to stun/break armour. Maybe if you're famous enough, the townsfolk will provide you with special favours, or you can talk your way out of a fight.Īnd fighting makes up about half of the game. Perhaps if you have just enough coins you can obtain a rare item held by a passing merchant. You might need apples to give to a hungry child lest you be cursed. And these resources are so important to manage because you might need them at any moment so much of the game is about being in a position where you can take advantage of an opportunity when it's presented to you. These are randomly laid out as you move from beginning to end of the path, and each new card brings the promise of food, fame, or wealth. Considering what enemies you're likely to face, gambits you'll play, and resources you'll need, you choose a selection of cards and combine them with ones chosen by the Dealer to create the unique encounters for the level. In terms of gameplay, I love a good deck-builder, and this is a formula that I haven't seen replicated elsewhere (outside of the original). And these resources are so important to manage because you might need them at any moment so much of the game is about being … More It's never obtrusive or gets in the way of the main quest, but is a stroke of genius from the writers to anyone observant enough to notice it. The levels are not actually chronological, and when put in the right order (based on how much sand is in the hourglass in the background, an incredibly subtle indicator) they tell an amazing story that I won't spoil here. What's more is that after completing the game I started reading about the characters and story, and there's actually a brilliant metanarrative tying this game back to the original. Its bite-sized stories, evocative writing, charming characters (especially the Dealer, whose voice actor nailed the role) and complex political factions make for a wonderful setting.
I've really gotten into D&D lately, and HoF2 is a phenomenal fantasy narrative that has given me so much inspiration for what makes a good campaign. It tickles almost everything I love about games, and yet it falls shy of the 5-star mark. Hand of Fate 2 is a game that, in theory, should rank among my favourites of all time.
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