Type/Moon, best known for the popular mobile gachaFate/Grand Order,teams up with Koei Tecmo to bring theFate/series' magical battles to a brand-new setting: Japan at the end of an era. InFate/Samurai Remnant,Minamoto Iori, the student of Minamoto Musashi, teams up with a mysterious Saber-class Servant to participate in the “Waxing Moon Ritual” and earn a wish. This originalFate/title features a mix of new and returning characters, as seven Masters and fourteen Servants battle to have their wish granted against a backdrop of a rapidly changing Japan.
An early preview of the game offered a look at the prologue and first chapter ofFate/Samurai Remnant,which is currently slated for a September 28 release on Nintendo Switch, PC, and PlayStation consoles. The early parts of the game see Iori forced to adjust to his new life as a chosen Master in the Waxing Moon Ritual while enemy Masters and Servants beset him at every turn. With Saber at his side, Iori battles the black-armored Rider, the dour and mysterious Lancer, and hordes of soldiers and monsters in classic Koei Tecmo “1 vs. 100"musou-style gameplay.
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Combat is at the game’s core, and it is extremely fun and well done. As Iori, players can switch between different swordplay styles to focus on defense, speed, or other elements in battle. For example, Water Stance lets him wield two swords at once for a quick flurry of attacks, while Earth Stance is solid and focuses on defense. Using a certain stance for a long enough period causes Iori to enter an “Afterglow” state where he unlocks various beneficial effects.Iori’s also a bit of a mage, and can cast elemental spells that provide a needed respite from his otherwise sword-based gameplay. Magic spells utilize a resource called Gems, so players have to be careful to collect Gems both in and out of battle so they do not run out at a crucial moment.
But while Iori himself is decent enough, the real star of the game’s combat isSaber. This swift sword-wielder can use a variety of water-based techniques, such as spattering the enemy with raindrops or surfing a giant wave that crushes and stuns foes. Players can press button combinations in battle to trigger Saber’s attacks and skills even when Iori is in control, and the Servant also has a set chance to protect Iori from particularly powerful enemy attacks. Saber also has access to a Noble Phantasm, a particularly powerful attack that can sometimes even end a battle in one hit, but using this takes a lot of power, so it should be saved for when the player needs it the most.
The player needs to fill up a gauge as Iori to switch to Saber, which is understandable, as the Servant’s power is significantly greater than that of the Master. It’s a clever way to work in the series’traditional Master and Servant pairings while still making the real-time combat feel smooth and accessible. There are several other Servants participating in the Waxing Moon Ritual, each with their own unique class -Archer, Lancer, Rider, Caster, Berserker, and Assassin- and their combat styles differ accordingly. Hopefully, the full game will see these characters unlocked as playable, as Lancer’s devastating area-of-effect flames or Rider’s powerful defensive stance would be quite fun in the hands of the player.
WhileFate/Samurai Remnantfocuses heavily on combat, it is not the game’s only strength. The world of Japan in the mid-1600s is gorgeously rendered, with Iori able to explore various towns and interact with residents between battles. The art style is extremely detailed and stunning, with characters and backgrounds done in a watercolor-adjacent style that is colorful, rich, and pleasant to look at. Plus, when characters flash back to the events of their past, such as Iori’s training underMiyamoto Musashior the Shimabara Rebellion, these stories are told in a style reminiscent of traditional Japaneseukiyo-epaintings.
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Every town and district the player gets to explore is gorgeous and filled with hidden secrets. Yoshiwara, the pleasure district inhabited by courtesans and ringed with cherry blossoms, is particularly stunning, but the design team did a great job capturing the many sights and sounds of Edo. Plus, Saber’s powers over water can be used outside of battle to boost Iori up to climb on roofs and explore high places, ensuring that there is plenty to do and find even when not on the battlefield. Best of all, there aredogs and cats living in townthat both Iori and Saber can stop and pet - and petting them can grant various rewards, so players are encouraged to stop and pet every adorable canine and feline they see.
The game’s plot wastes no time getting started - Iori’s normal life comes to an end in the very first part of the prologue, and the dive into intrigue is immediate.Samurai/Remnantadds an element of mystery by keeping most of the Sevants' identities under wraps for much of the early game. With the exception of a few returning characters frompreviousFate/titles, most Servants are not identified by name and are simply referred to as “Rider” or “Lancer.” Even Saber, the primary Servant and Iori’s partner, has a mysterious identity. This means that Iori (and the player) have to figure out the True Names of the Servants, as well as who each Servant’s Master is and why they are fighting in the Waxing Moon Ritual. This results in a multi-layered mystery that the player finds themselves having to solve right alongside Iori.
At this point, theFate/universe is a sprawling one, encompassing the originalFate/stay nightvisual novel, several anime and manga adaptations, theFate/extraandFate/extellaseries of games, and the long-running mobile gacha gameFate/Grand Order.However,Fate/Samurai Remnantis designed to be an accessible starting point even for someone who has never experienced a piece ofFate/media before. Terminology such as what “Servants” are is explained via an in-game database, and Iori himself is a newcomer to the world of Holy Grail Wars (or, in this case, Waxing Moon Rituals) so Saber and others frequently have to brief him on exactly what is going on. If someone is looking to get intoFate/for the first time, thenSamurai Remnantis the perfect place to start.
Fate/Samurai Remnantmakes an excellent addition to theFate/canon, pairing the series' traditional epic magical conflicts and compelling, mysterious characters with a fascinating new setting of Keian-era Japan. It utilizes"musou-style” combat with a unique flair that manages to capture the essence of classic Master and Servant additions. But the game isn’t just about fighting; there’s a rich plot there and a colorful cast of characters to get to know. It’s an excellent choice for players who want to get intoFate/for the first time, but veterans of the franchise will also find plenty to enjoy. All sorts of players, frommusouveterans toFate/newbies, should have a compelling and enjoyable experience guiding Iori towards the Waxing Moon and the fulfillment of his ultimate wish at the sunset of the samurai era.
Fate/Samurai Remnantwill release on July 05, 2025 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.
