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 to playing a tactical RPG or your hundredth, you will most definitely have a great time.

Fae Tactics is not really like other tactical RPGs that I've played, despite sharing a lot of foundational DNA as some of the greats. While other similar games have ended up feeling a fair bit more derivative, Fae Tactics's manages to stand out on pure inventiveness and imaginative structure. A unique narrative framework, distinct focus on summoning mechanics, high level of variety, and smartly-designed challenge makes Fae Tactics a near must-play for fans of tactical RPGs.

It’s easy to compare Fae Tactics to the best parts of Final Fantasy Tactics or Disgaea, but it also doesn’t take long to see just how much of its own unique flavor it brings to the turn-based strategy RPG genre while mostly avoiding the more annoying grind points of these types of games.

Fae Tactics: The Girl Who Destroyed the World is a top-notch tactical RPG and one that any longtime fan of the genre should check out. It’s great for veterans as the bright setting is unlike anything on the market today, while lapsed fans will want to try it to fall back in love with the genre. If you’re a newcomer to tactical RPGs, it does a fantastic job of easing you into the core mechanics of combat and makes it a fun story to see unfold with each battle. Having various risk/rewards systems in place encourages bold play and helps keep things fresh too. It’s a great looking and playing game with a strong soundtrack.

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.

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.

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

While Fae Tactics could get easily looked over and story progression feels slow at times, it is still a fun play for anyone. Combat progresses and becomes increasingly strategic, which can be frustrating at times but also engaging and slightly addicting. Leveling up and evolving characters are simple enough for anyone to understand, but also allows for various modifications to your playstyle and strategy. Visually, the game may seem simple but the character designs and enjoyable atmosphere make it a very cool game to look at. While there are some issues with combat, selecting characters, and small bugs with the camera, it does not take away from the experience. Overall, Fae Tactics is a solid game, delivering players a fun, thoughtful adventure with enough unique combat and visuals to justify spending time with it.

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.

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.

If all you want is a series of complex battles marked by escalating difficulty, you can’t go wrong here. There was just something about the narrative and the pacing that kept me from getting fully hooked. You can tweak the game speed, but this doesn’t change the fundamental flow of the battles. Perhaps my time in the Disgaea trenches has permanently scarred my psyche, or maybe I’m onto something here. Either way, beyond my minor grievances is a tactics RPG built from countless layers of approachable mechanical complexity. Fans of this sleepless, neurotic RPG subgenre owe it to themselves to give Fae Tactics a shot.

Fae Tactics requires a lot from the player. If one is looking for a casual, entry-level approach to the tactical RPG genre, they should probably look elsewhere. For committed fans of the genre who are willing to put in the work, do the research, memorize the elemental matchups, and scrutinize the stat blocks, Fae Tactics is a very rewarding experience.

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.