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Fae Tactics

Fae Tactics

Endlessfluff Games · released Jul 31, 2020

RPGStrategyPCXbox Series X, Xbox OneNintendo Switch

In Fae Tactics, follow a young magic user named Peony on her journey across a vibrant world full of mystery and danger. Summon allies, cast spells, and befriend a motley crew of characters as you dive into the growing conflicts between man and magical beings known as fae.

78
VGC Score
Improvingmedium confidence
77%
At launch
85%
Steam all-time
76%
Press
78%
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 (OpenCritic)768
All-time Steam reviews85%78873
Metacritic user ratings0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)78%721
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 3 reviews sampled · 2 total reviews in window · weighted 1 up / 0.3 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (17)

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.

  • 70
    trust 71Aug 11, 2020

    Fae Tactics is clearly meant for old-school gamers and even sorta-new turn-based gaming fans who want to experience a 90s style of gaming with a 2020 touch. It’s not a huge reinvention, but it’s an enjoyable diversion.

    read full review ↗
  • 65
    trust 67Jul 30, 2020

    Fae Tactics is a game filled with one step forward and two steps back. While its art style and music are charming, they are very limited. Likewise, the gameplay is solid but holds itself back with a few odd design decisions. While not a bad game, it may not be enough to excite fans of the genre.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 65Aug 10, 2020

    Fae Tactics is a charming, ambitious homage to classic tactical RPG's with plenty of its own ideas, but it never quite add up to greatness. It fails to explain so much of what's going on under-the-hood that victories often feel unearned and defeats often feel arbitrary. The great presentation and some solid core systems means it stays entertaining in small doses, however. I'd still tentatively recommend it to dedicated genre fans.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 65Aug 31, 2020

    Fun combat and colorful world, but not a lot of depth outside that.

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    trust 63Aug 17, 2020

    Fae Tactics definitely lives up to the legacy of the turn-based strategy games that have preceded it, but it does so in a manner that almost becomes its downfall. Battles are simple to pick up but hard to master, not because of the enemies on-screen but due to the boatload of options and perks and boosts to consider during every turn. Streamlining the typical turn-based strategy formula is good, but not when complexity is confused for variety, which sometimes happens here. The story is fine, nothing to truly write home about, though the sidequests definitely should be experienced whenever they appear. While expecting Fae Tactics to be the resurgence of the tactics genre is hasty, there’s still a fun, thought-provoking game to be played here. Just try to burn out on all the choices you have to make before jumping into battle.

    read full review ↗
  • 77
    trust 63Jul 30, 2020

    Fae Tactics takes an enjoyable swing at streamlining a complex genre, but doesn't reinvent it in the process.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 61Jul 30, 2020

    One of the most interesting and enjoyable tactics games of the last few years. Each battle is a lot of fun to play, and while it can feel bloated in some places due to the sheer amount of stuff there is to do, it’s nearly always charming enough to keep you invested. It’s also easy on both the eyes and ears and I defy anyone who has missed the golden days of tactics games not to play this with a smile on their face.

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  • 70
    trust 60Jul 30, 2020

    Fae Tactics is an intensive strategy experience.

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  • 75
    trust 59Sep 2, 2020

    Fae Tactics definitely has its flaws, and the glitches I encountered were about as hard to overcome as the many daunting challenges it presents. However, the fact that I rated it so highly in spite of these limitations is a testament to just how nuanced its gameplay mechanics are and how absolutely thrilling the game can be when the right strategy comes together and everything falls into place. If the game can be successfully patched so that the glitches aren’t an issue anymore, then I would easily recommend this title to SRPG fans looking for an undeniable challenge, since Fae Tactics certainly delivers that.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 57Aug 20, 2020

    I can’t recommend Fae Tactics enough to those of you out there waiting for Square to take another longform stab at FFT. It may lack the abundance of micro managing you're used to, but the more straight on approach really puts the combat front and center, and I never missed upgrading menial unit equipment or cross classing or the like. Whether the trend catches or not, I can’t say, but don’t miss the truly fresh take on the classic formula.

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    trust 55Aug 17, 2020

    Underneath its colorful, bubblegum exterior is one of the most inventive and challenging strategy RPGs I've played in a long time.

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  • 90
    trust 55Jul 31, 2020

    Fae Tactics is a wonderful adventure with a compelling narrative and a unique battle system. The developers took a chance on creating a memorable experience within the genre, and they accomplished it with the help of a great cast of characters and some incredible moments of gameplay. There are a few options that I wish were available, but whether this is your first time playing a tactical RPG or your hundredth, you will most definitely have a great time.

    read full review ↗

…and 5 more tracked reviews.

Patch history

  1. Product Update V1.007
    Aug 27, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  2. Product Update V1.006
    Aug 14, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  3. Product Update V1.005
    Aug 9, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  4. Demo Update v1.2
    Jun 18, 2020significant · resets scoring window