That romantic relationship continues to develop throughout — alongside others — through the lengthy visual novel scenes between battles, and that makes EXTELLA feel a bit like a dating sim, in tone if not explicitly in mechanics.There are a few branching conversational paths, and picking the right option at particularly important junctures will raise your ‘Rank’ with your Servant, but there’s also the one-on-one ‘My Room’ chats, the surprisingly steamy dialogue, and the literally steamy bathing scenes.It’s all very well done, with XSEED’s typically stellar writing making the blush-inducing prose enjoyable rather than embarrassing to read through; if you like a bit of romance and winking wit in your action games, you’ll have a great time here.

But something’s not right, and it’s not long before an enemy appears inside SE. PH to threaten their reign — wielding their own Regalia.

If all that takes a re-read to cotton on, don’t fret; Fate’s story is winding, obtuse, and confusing, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun to follow.