Fate has changed my life in more ways than one. It’s the series that introduced me to the wonderful world of Type-Moon—a world that has quickly become one of my favorites regardless of medium. From my initial experience with Fate, I was enthralled with its world-building, character writing, and narrative depth. The intertwining of historical elements with concepts such as magic and philosophy struck a chord in me that very few series have ever managed to.
After twenty long years, Fate/stay night is at last releasing in English officially for the very first time. What was once a fever dream is now reality, with successful worldwide releases of Witch on the Holy Night and Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- paving the way for this monumental occasion. Fans of the various Fate/stay night anime now finally have easy, direct access to the origin of the story: the source material.
Fate Is Not To Be Taken Lightly
It cannot be overstated how monumental both Fate/stay night and this new release are. For one, this is the game that started it all, catapulting Type-Moon into the visual novel spotlight. Fate/stay night to this day is one of the most popular visual novels ever created, often regarded as one of the best to ever grace the medium. This release began the Fate series, which has gone on to spawn a myriad of games, anime, manga, light novels, and more.
Easily the most popular title of Fate, Fate/Grand Order, is one of the highest-grossing mobile titles ever created, grossing over $7 billion in revenue. This alone is higher than the revenue of entire series like Resident Evil, Sonic, and more; that number doesn’t include any other title in the Fate series. In short, it’s safe to say that Fate/stay night is a big deal – and it’s an even bigger deal that you can now experience the game in English.
Despite its widespread popularity and acclaim, Fate/stay night was never released in English prior to this launch. Type-Moon overall barely dabbled into English releases for any games, with the true push starting in late 2022. FSN is undeniably one of the most popular names in the visual novel space, and it’s a blessing to finally have such an important game in the genre available for all to experience.
Fate/stay night chronicles the story of Shirou Emiya as he is drawn into the Fifth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City. As a boy, Shirou was rescued by Kiritsugu Emiya, a powerful magician, after he was left as the only survivor of the Great Fire of Fuyuki. This massive fire was the result of the Fourth Holy Grail War, claiming hundreds of lives and reducing buildings to mere rubble. In the years following, Shirou learns of Kiritsugu’s struggles and goals, specifically about his dream: to save everyone and provide a happy ending for all. Shirou embraces this ideology, aiming to one day make Kiritsugu’s dream a reality and become a true “Hero of Justice.” While his understanding of magic wasn’t great, Shirou pushed forward with the goal of improving his Strengthening Magecraft to help others.
Fast forward to the present day, Shirou witnesses a fight while leaving school late at night. One of the perpetrators appears before him, impaling him in the chest. As fate would have it, he survives and immediately runs toward his home with the assailant on his tail. Just before the man can kill him, a crest unexpectedly appears on Shirou’s hand, and a woman materializes before him. She asks one simple question: “I ask of you. Are you my master?”
This event throws Shirou into the midst of the Fifth Holy Grail War, a massive, ruthless conflict where seven mages battle against each other in hopes of obtaining the Holy Grail. This artifact grants one wish to the winner, where the possibilities are virtually endless. Participating mages aren’t alone, though. Each mage has a Servant, a heroic spirit summoned to assist in obtaining the Holy Grail. These Servants are bound to each mage, dubbed a Master. Overall, seven distinct Servant classes are possible: Archer, Assassin, Berserker, Caster, Lancer, Rider, and Saber. While each Servant has a “True Name,” Masters typically conceal it to prevent other Holy Grail War participants from identifying weaknesses.
An Action-Packed Experience with Incredible Character Writing
With that basic overview of the Holy Grail War, Fate/stay night truly begins. It’s here where the game splits into one of three routes: Fate, Unlimited Blade Works, or Heaven’s Feel. The latter two have been adapted into quality anime adaptations from studio ufotable, but the Fate route has never been properly adapted. As a result, this release marks the first time many fans of the anime will have the ability to check out the Fate route.
Each route focuses on a different heroine and features massively different events. Fate focuses on Saber, who acts as Shirou’s Servant in the Holy Grail War. The two have a unique bond, largely driven by the fact that both character’s motivations and arcs almost act as a parallel to one another in certain instances. The second route, Unlimited Blade Works, features Rin Tohsaka as the main heroine. This route sees Shirou challenge and face the ideals that led him here, providing an unbelievably satisfying narrative on the philosophic elements of the story and coming to terms with reality. Finally, the last route, Heaven’s Feel, highlights Sakura Matou. This route provides the darkest narrative in the entire game, honing in on the elements that make us most human.
What’s so fascinating about each of these different routes is just how different they are from each other. While these routes contain the same characters in a different light, all three routes offer completely unique Servant battles, plot points, and character interactions. Ultimately, this makes each route feel like its own game at times; each truly does stand out to that point. Additionally, the overall story of Fate/stay night is gradually revealed as you progress through each route. Certain plot points, character roles, and world elements are kept secret until you move into the next route. This narrative design choice allows each route to build on the last, providing satisfying character arcs that do not end until all three routes are completed.
Beyond Saber, Rin, and Sakura, there are dozens of side characters incorporated throughout the different routes. The characters of Fate/stay night are what allow the novel to shine, as each experiences complex and satisfying growth. Even as a series veteran, I found myself connecting new threads and deepening my understanding of characters as I experienced each route. This character writing is rich, something that fans of Type-Moon have come to expect from Kinoko Nasu.
Beyond characters, the true star of Fate/stay night is its breathtaking selection of fight sequences. The aforementioned Holy Grail War sees Masters attempt to kill each other’s Servants (and many times each other), so there are naturally quite a few of these. Many of these fights bring incredible twists, some of which still surprise me to this day. Each is masterfully written, with a gorgeous use of visuals and sound effects to create an immersive experience. Those who watched ufotable’s two Fate/stay night anime productions will especially appreciate the source material.
Of all the routes, my favorite is still Unlimited Blade Works. It’s hard not to be enthralled with the narrative twists and character payoff that occurs within this route. Shriou’s confrontation with his ideals is beyond satisfying as he juggles the idea of what it really means to be a hero. Rin and Shirou’s relationship also develops in stride, with so many moments that stand out to me as some of the best that the series has to offer. That’s not to say the other two routes don’t receive amazing development with each heroine, but Unlimited Blade Works has always stood tall to me with its intimate moments and character development.
Of course, the fight scenes are immaculate here, too. The final few days of Unlimited Blade Works are some of my favorite sequences in any Type-Moon novel. An impressive combination of soundtrack, visuals, and internal monologue wrap up what I consider the strongest route of the game. Overall, everyone has a different favorite route, and I think that speaks volumes about the strength of Fate/stay night as a title. These 20-30 hour routes each provide a wealth of content and narrative revelations, not dulling the experience for even a moment.
The Definitive Fate Experience
This release of Fate/stay night brings a plethora of new options and upgrades from the original game, hence the Remastered title. For starters, Type-Moon has extended the original 4:3 visuals to 16:9. Sometimes, this means stretching the contents and cutting out some of the picture, as we’ve seen in many modern releases of 4:3 anime. That isn’t the case here, though. The image has been expanded, offering an even bigger and wider picture than the original game. I never expected this to be the case, but this is a very welcomed addition to the game.
Additionally, a flowchart comparable to the one found in Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is available in the menu. This provides convenient access to all of the scenes within the game, and this version of the flowchart enhances the functionality beyond what Tsukihime offered. You can now see which scenes affect your relationship affinity with Saber, Rin, and Sakura. This is a game-changer, as you now don’t need to guess or use a guide to align yourself with a heroine. Bad endings also now allow you to warp directly back to the most recent decision point upon viewing. These quality-of-life features allow for the game to be navigated and enjoyed in ways easier than ever before. Long gone are the days of making 10000 saves to ensure you hit every decision point. I recommend playing the game without a guide of any sort; you can experience and enjoy each of the 40 endings worry-free.
There’s even an entire section dedicated to information on each Servant, where you can see information such as Hero Information, Skills, Noble Phantasm, and even their alignment within the story. Plus, a Library tab offers readings on various objects, jobs, Servants, and terms that are found within the game. It’s a treasure trove of information.
Fate/stay night Remastered also launched with a hilarious bug that mixed and matched sprites all over the game. Tohsaka ended up being the Black Shadow, and Archer’s first scene ended up dropping various CGs to the sound of broken glass. Thankfully, Aniplex & Type-Moon quickly addressed the issue, but this came after hours of humorous scenes throughout the game.
Lastly, and arguably the most important piece, the English script. I’m very satisfied overall. This is once again a quality translation from Aniplex, which is great to see. There are a few instances over the course of the novel that I think could have been worded differently, but it’s extremely minor and barely noticeable in the grand scheme of this 60+ hour visual novel. While Witch on the Holy Night had some translation and spacing issues, Aniplex has quickly ironed those out with both Tsukihime and Fate/stay night Remastered.
Type-Moon’s Masterpiece Available at Last
Reflecting on this release, it doesn’t feel real at times. I cannot even begin to fathom what an incredible year 2024 has been for Type-Moon. Between the English releases of Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- and Fate/stay night Remastered, I’ve never been more excited about the company overall. The call for Type-Moon content in the West has finally been answered, and it couldn’t have been a more resounding response.
Even if you’re someone who has never played a visual novel before, Fate/stay night Remastered is a perfect place to jump in and experience the medium. I think fans of the anime will have an amazing time witnessing the fights and highlight moments in the visual novel, with more detail than ever possible in the adaptations. Many users online claim the Fate series is confusing or challenging to understand, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, Fate/stay night is arguably the easiest to comprehend as it is the origin of the series. The Holy Grail War, Servants & Masters, and more are carried over into each and every Fate entry.
Truthfully, my biggest complaint with Fate/stay night Remastered is the lack of a physical release! As an advocate for physical releases, it pains me that we waited 20 years for this release but did not receive a physical copy. This especially stings after both Witch on the Holy Night and Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- both received sleek Limited Edition physicals. While this release isn’t a monumental one in Japan, it’s everything we’ve waited decades for here in the US.
The Fate celebration will continue even after this release, with Type-Moon recently announcing Fate/hollow ataraxia Remastered at FGO Fes. 2024. With that game’s 20th anniversary next year, I’d wager we’ll likely see the phenomenal follow-up to Fate/stay night sometime in 2025. Yet another dream title has become reality. Perhaps Type-Moon is saving the physical release for a double pack with Fate/hollow ataraxia Remastered.
Fate/stay night Remastered is the definitive version of a masterpiece. It’s by far the best version of Fate/stay night available, with numerous QOL upgrades and enhancements. New and old fans alike can discover the events of the Fifth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City like never before. I’ve truthfully never been so happy to be a fan of Fate, and I can’t wait to see generations of players experience this novel for the very first time.
Aniplex provided Final Weapon with a Steam copy of Fate/stay night REMASTERED for review purposes.
