LogFAQs > #900638789

15. Exit Fate
Original Release: 2009
Year Played: 2009
Developer: SCF
Platform: PC

This is SCF's other RPG Maker XP release on this list, and it is exponentially better than Last Scenario. This time around, he makes a game heavily inspired by Suikoden. Actually, this is mostly a Suikoden fangame with a hint of Final Fantasy and Xenogears thrown in. I think it only uses Suikoden II tilesets except for the world map, but other than that, it's a damn good successor to the last real Suikoden (five). Oh, and it's free to download.

You play Daniel Vinyard, a colonel in a kingdom at war with the city-states. Soon enough, Daniel is framed and has to defect. What follows is a journey to unite the two and end the war, as well as find out the truth about his past. This is standard stuff, but it's told rather well. There are eight chapters altogether, each one larger than the other, and you get your castle in chapter 3. The castle's not as impressive as something you'd get out of Suikoden II or V but it's a nice addition and you have SEVENTY characters plus to recruit! All of them can be used in battle! That's impressive work, especially when you also realize that you can have up to six characters in battle.

As I said before, this is a successor to Suikoden V, and I would even go as far as to say it could be Suikoden VI. You'll consistently deal with political intrigue and build your castle as you go on scouting for new allies. Dungeon exploration is very basic as they all have a simple layout. You can "bribe" random encounters to avoid them, as they can be brutal towards the end of the game. But the coolest thing is the war battles, again similar to Suikoden's format. This time around, you have multiple units on a map each of which is comprised of up to three recruits (each recruit gives a different bonus or skill). The wars play out in Fire Emblem format: you can either move and attack or just attack on a grid, and the enemies will do the same afterwards. There are plenty of wars and they have a surprising amount of depth to them. They're also probably the most difficult part of the game! This is, by far, the best war battle system in any Suikoden, actually. Konami could learn a thing or two from this if they ever smarten up and return to the franchise. There's also optional war maps you can find and play by going to one of the strategist recruits in the castle.

The story doesn't hit the emotional high points of something like Suikoden II, but it does have plenty to offer. Daniel's an alright protagonist, something of a do-gooder and Gary Stu most of the time but also happens to have a dark side. I wasn't his biggest fan, honestly, and he wasn't the greatest in battle. The strength lies in the supporting major characters, like his best friend Jovian and the strategist Bast. The villains are okay, but a certain duo really stands out here. The story does have a rather strong plot twist at the end of Chapter 6 that energizes the game and I was glad for that.

It's impressive how well this game is made considering it's done by one person, especially since there are absolutely no bugs/glitches. That being said, it has its flaws due to the limitations of such a project, being a 40-hour game and all. It borrows music heavily from Final Fantasy, Xenogears, Wild Arms, and Suikoden among others. It also borrows tilesets from Suikoden II as mentioned before. If you can get past the fact that there's no original music and everything is something you've likely heard before, then this shouldn't be a problem. Fair warning, though. The character artwork isn't exactly pretty, either, but it is what it is.

I actually found out about Exit Fate here on GameFAQs in 2009 and downloaded it immediately. I spent 40+ hours on this game, and it happened to be my favorite game I played that year. That's crazy, too. You should play it if you haven't already.