Weird doesn't begin to describe it
Resonance of Fate is an interesting game, to say the least. It boasts a mature and dark art style with a thoroughly Japanese style of humour and a punishing level of difficulty. In addition to all that, this game has a learning cliff more than a learning curve.
This will appeal to a very specific type of gamer, one that may not necessarily be aware of from a basic look at the game. The game, at first glance, seems to be something of a gritty blend of western-style gunplay and JRPGs norms. In truth, it really does try very hard to be a 'gun-fu' RPG game. That said, if you enter this game expecting a gritty serious storyline, you're probably looking in the wrong place. Resonance of Fate is Japanese to the core, with sometimes absolutely ridiculous cutscenes and dialogue that are guaranteed to make the player either laugh out loud or scratch their head in utter confusion. As a result, this is going to appeal to the JRPG fan much more than a cursory glance would lead one to believe.
Graphically, it's a very attractive looking game that shows a dead and barren world, focused around the tower of Basel. This tower basically acts as a giant air purifier for the toxic environment that the world has become. This tower is the centerpiece for the game's story and gameplay, and will be where you spend your time. As you progress through the game, you will rebuild portions of the city and tower in an Actraiser like fashion, directly shaping how the tower develops.
In terms of its gameplay, Resonance of Fate is hard to describe. It has an incredibly complicated gameplay system that will take at least a dozen hours to finally understand. If Final Fantasy XIII holds your hand too much, this just dumps you straight into the mix. The combat system is basically a mix of turn-based and real time combat, with you taking control of a single party member (of the three) at a time to plan out actions. While the turn ends when the player makes an attack, you can set up multiple characters on pre-defined paths where they will engage in a stylish invicible combo. Done properly, you can have your characters intersect their paths to unleash a power triple attack against a target. If it sounds complicated, it is, and it's not a system that can be properly explained in a review. If you're looking for a deep and complicated system that doesn't get old fast, Resonance of Fate delivers.
As for the negatives, the game is punishingly hard. Frustratingly so at times, even if it doesn't approach Demon's Souls level. Thankfully the game lets you retry any fight, but there will be strong controller-throwing moments during the game. Additionally, the games quirky Japanese sensibilities may not appeal to people who entered the game expecting something very mature and dark. While it certainly has its darker moments, the adjective 'silly' can be used quite often to explain the game. I think I'd have preferred a darker tone to the game to match the setting as well.
If you don't mind difficult games and want something quirky and Japanese that isn't Final Fantasy, then Resonance of Fate may scratch that itch. If you're looking for a very serious and dark RPG, you may be better off waiting for the next SMT game.
Also, it has Nolan North. That's not a negative.
