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FATE

FATE

WildTangent · released Dec 11, 2013

ActionAdventureRPGPC

Play (or Re-play) This Classic Dungeon Crawler!During the golden days of action RPGs, FATE was a powerhouse, winning runner-up for PC Magazine’s Role-Playing Game of the year. Popular enough to spawn 3 sequels, this was one of the premier dungeon crawlers of its time.

88
VGC Score
Decliningmedium confidence
83%
At launch
95%
Steam all-time
80%
Press
73%
Player sentiment
94%
Recent sentiment

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (Metacritic)806
All-time Steam reviews95%901000
Metacritic user ratings732
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)94%888
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 89.1, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 4,517 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 21 reviews sampled · 22 total reviews in window · weighted 15.2 up / 1 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (9)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 100
    trust 67

    One of the best dungeon romps I've played this year. The scale of the adventure may not be epic but the overall package is pure unadulterated addiction. If you like role-playing games then you'll love FATE.

    read full review ↗
  • 82
    trust 67

    Addictive, simple, and enormous fun, Fate's only flaw is that the endless dungeons get depressing as the decor incessantly repeats, and that the simple fishing mini-game often nets you ridiculously expensive top-level items. [Sept 2005, p.102]

  • 79
    trust 66

    It's a fully 3D action RPG that's like a combination of Diablo and its sequel, but with better graphics.

    read full review ↗
  • 79
    trust 64

    Hack-and-slash addicts will enjoy the old-school experience. [Aug 2005, p.58]

  • 90
    trust 63

    WildTangent deserves a huge amount of praise for delivering a remarkably addictive dungeon crawl, and at a mere $20, it's a fate anyone who enjoyed the solo portion of Diablo shouldn't hesitate to meet.

    read full review ↗
  • 80

    Fate isn't going to glue new brain cells inside your skull, but it isn't going to murder the ones you have. It's a good time, it really never reaches an end, and it may be the best way to while away the lifetime between now and "Diablo III."

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 51

    Fate certainly isn’t the most innovative title out there. In fact, it’s quite easily labeled as a "Diablo" clone, and inherits its predecessor’s endlessly repetitive combat and gameplay. However, this game also somehow manages to stay fun hour after hour.

    read full review ↗
  • 100

    If there was ever a game to hook a casual player on the charms of dungeon hacking, or absorb an old vet whose time has become a commodity, FATE is it. [Sept 2005, p.48]

  • 60
    trust 49Feb 12, 2014

    This lack of angling variation feels like a missed opportunity. [Issue#144, p.116]

Patch history

No patch announcements found on Steam yet.