Fatekeeper is a first-person RPG now available in early access. In development by Paraglacial with publishing by THQ Nordic, this solo adventure has you wielding melee weaponry and magic as you explore ancient ruins and encounter an assortment of creatures who have only your death in mind. You can pick it up now only for PC on Steam.
Similar Look, Different Feel in Fatekeeper
I think I’ve played a cumulative total of less than 20 hours of Skyrim and other Elder Scrolls games. Apart from ESO, anyhow. But it feels like the most direct comparison at a glance when you see screenshots and videos of Fatekeeper. Sure, it probably has some similarities, such as perspective and visuals. But what makes it different? Let’s take a look at this early access state below.
Gameplay
Fatekeeper is a first-person RPG with brutal fantasy combat. Explore ancient ruins, using spells and might to defend against the occupants. Find ingredients and use alchemy to create potions and buffs to further your advantage over the denizens of the ruins.
As a mostly casual gamer, Fatekeeper doesn’t seem to be for the faint of heart. It has a very complex skill tree system, but it appears to require a significant amount of time and experience to properly invest in. I am struggling greatly to progress with the minimal gear I have found and the limits on my mana pool for spells. There doesn’t appear to be a way to reset your skill tree either, so trying something else requires starting all over.
The combat itself is brutal, and the decapitation or dismemberment of enemies is common. However, where the melee combat feels sluggish, spells feel weak and pointless at the start. This may be because I put skill points into trying to make myself a better melee character. But I really only found myself using the wind and psychic abilities to push and pull mobs off ledges. Each spell also appears to consume the same amount of mana, quickly capping the utility of them.
Graphics & Audio
Fatekeeper is only available in early access via Steam for PC. With default settings at Ultra, the views (as seen above) are crisp and beautiful. The models and environment provide a realistic feel to an otherwise obvious fantasy universe. The brutality, though, is fairly tame and comedic rather than realistic, so you don’t have to worry about blood and guts everywhere on screen at least.
The audio track for Fatekeeper seems pretty standard. The background music is unfortunately reminiscent of about every other fantasy RPG. This isn’t a bad thing; it just doesn’t make it stand out against others in the same genre. I do enjoy the voiceovers for the zones as you transition.
Longevity
Fatekeeper appears to be hauling a significant amount of depth in the skill tree that I hope is reflected in the narrative as well. If I’m unable to push through anytime soon, though, I don’t know that I will want to start over just to reset my skill tree. Hopefully, something later gives you a chance to. For the price it’s at now in early access, there seems to be enough content to at least get your money’s worth if nothing else.
Final Thoughts
This certainly isn’t some sort of Skyrim ripoff or anything of the sort. It’s a challenging RPG that keeps you on your toes, trying to overcome your enemies. Though Fatekeeper feels out of reach for myself, I’m sure others who enjoy the genre will at least also enjoy what it has to offer. I’ll have to take another look once it’s gotten a bit more polish.
If you enjoy this review, be sure to check out my other reviews here.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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