Summary
FATE: Reawakened delivers a noticeable graphical improvement over the original games, bringing the classic dungeon-crawling experience into a more modern light, but suffers from a long list of technical problems that significantly detract from the experience. Many of these bugs—particularly those involving item stats, retirement exploits, and missing UI elements—impact core gameplay mechanics, making progression either frustrating or easily exploitable. While the game is still playable, these issues demand urgent attention from developers. Without meaningful patches, the game risks alienating both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Developer – gamigo US Inc., Tableflip Entertainment AB
Publisher – gamigo US Inc., WildTangent
Platforms – PS4/5, Xbox One , Xbox Series S|X, Nintendo Switch, PC (Reviewed)
Review copy given by Publisher
FATE: Reawakened brings together all four titles of the beloved dungeon-crawling series—FATE, FATE: Undiscovered Realms, FATE: The Traitor Soul, and FATE: The Cursed King—into a single, enhanced package. This collection aims to modernize the classic experience with improved graphics and performance while retaining the charm that endeared the series to fans.
The original FATE, released in 2005, introduced players to the town of Grove, serving as the gateway to an infinite dungeon teeming with monsters and loot. Its straightforward yet addictive gameplay laid the foundation for the series. FATE: Undiscovered Realms (2008) continued the adventure, allowing players to import their characters from the first game and explore new towns and dungeons immediately following the events of the original. FATE: The Traitor Soul (2009) expanded the universe further, introducing new races, pets, and the “rage attack” mechanic, which utilized stamina for powerful weapon-based attacks. Finally, FATE: The Cursed King (2011) presented a fresh storyline with new quests and challenges, though it stood apart from the narrative of its predecessors.
FATE: Reawakened enhances these classics with higher-definition graphics, including increased polygon counts, real-time directional lighting, and ambient occlusion. These visual upgrades provide a more immersive experience while preserving the original aesthetic. Additionally, the inclusion of full localized voiceovers in multiple languages broadens accessibility for a diverse player base.
Gameplay remains faithful to the original formula, featuring procedurally generated dungeons that ensure no two playthroughs are identical. The real-time combat system offers a variety of playstyles, allowing players to choose between melee, ranged, or magical attacks. Character customization is deepened through a flexible skill point system, enabling players to tailor their abilities to their preferred combat style. The inclusion of seven different pets adds another layer of strategy and companionship, as these loyal creatures assist in combat and item management. The fishing mini-game returns as well, offering a relaxing diversion that can yield valuable items and rare rewards.
FATE: Reawakened, while a nostalgic return to the beloved dungeon-crawling experience, is riddled with an immense number of bugs and technical issues that severely impact gameplay. While the game is playable in its current state, many of these problems are significant enough to hinder enjoyment and progression. Without prompt patches to address these issues, it would feel like a disservice to fans who have waited eagerly for the re-release. Below are the most prominent bugs encountered so far.
One of the most game-breaking bugs involves item stats and bonuses not applying properly when equipped. While the menu reflects stat changes upon equipping an item, reopening the menu reveals that these effects have disappeared. This affects various stats, particularly skills like defense magic, bow proficiency, and percentage-based stat increases, while some, like movement speed, seem unaffected. This makes itemization largely meaningless, significantly diminishing the core RPG experience. Additionally, the magic find stat, which the game states should not impact fishing or quest rewards, actually does affect them, leading to unintended imbalances in loot acquisition.
A major exploit involves using a fish on a pet, which sets its level to 201, preventing further XP gain. While this provides an overpowered pet in early levels, it becomes a severe hindrance later in the game. Terrain issues also plague movement, with noticeable “bouncing” effects in certain directions. Similarly, some dungeon tilesets near water have missing geometry, creating visual inconsistencies.
Retirement mechanics have unintended consequences. Gems socketed into items during retirement gain permanent bonus stats even after being removed. This allows players to repeatedly retire, add new gems, and stack unintended stat increases—particularly on artifact items. Artifact equipment also incorrectly receives stat boosts upon retirement, further amplifying this exploit. The result is that high-magic-find builds become overpowered, as nearly every quest turns into an artifact hunt, disrupting game balance.
Some missing UI features make gameplay frustrating. Unlike the original game, skills such as critical strike, spell casting, and block do not display their exact effects, leaving players unsure of their bonuses or improvements when leveling up. Similarly, buff and debuff timers are only visible in the menu, forcing players to constantly check for remaining duration rather than seeing them at a glance as before.
Certain enemy debuffs also behave incorrectly. Some poison effects, for instance, last an absurd two and a half minutes, requiring either a costly number of potions or a trip to the town healer. Additionally, some artifact items appear not to drop at all, suggesting a potential bug in the loot table preventing their appearance. Audio bugs also exist, such as the portal sound effect being deafeningly loud upon returning to town, until the player moves.
Inventory and spellcasting issues further complicate the experience. Potions in a pet’s inventory sometimes become infinitely usable or refuse to work altogether. Spells randomly stop casting until reselected, and switching spells mid-cast causes the animation of the first spell while casting the second one, leading to a visually jarring experience. Fishing is also bugged, with some fishing spots appearing on solid ground instead of water, and other areas having an excessive number of spots clustered together.
Enchanting mechanics contain multiple issues as well. When attempting to add sockets to artifact items, the game incorrectly states that the item has been imbued with additional magic effects—even though artifact items cannot gain additional enchantments this way. The message should instead indicate that nothing happened. Similarly, if a player accepts two quests requiring the same artifact item, acquiring one copy completes both quests, but the second quest becomes impossible to finish since the game registers the item as already obtained.
Several visual bugs affect equipment. Some items, such as the war bow, are displayed backward in the player’s hands. Elemental damage effects on weapons are incorrectly positioned, floating far behind the item rather than being attached properly. Some items, like the Flawless Rainbow Moonfish, lack a sale price, preventing them from being sold, leading to players permanently dropping them in town.
Overall, FATE: Reawakened delivers a noticeable graphical improvement over the original games, bringing the classic dungeon-crawling experience into a more modern light, but suffers from a long list of technical problems that significantly detract from the experience. Many of these bugs—particularly those involving item stats, retirement exploits, and missing UI elements—impact core gameplay mechanics, making progression either frustrating or easily exploitable. While the game is still playable, these issues demand urgent attention from developers. Without meaningful patches, the game risks alienating both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
