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This is a ritual called the Holy Grail War. Let?s Play Fate/Extra!
What is this?
Fate/Extra is an RPG/Rock-Paper-Scissors emulator for the PSP produced by Image Epoch and published in the US by Aksys Games in late 2011. It is the latest installment in the Fate/ series of games.
Fate/? What kind of name is that?
Briefly: Fate/Stay Night was a visual novel released by Type-Moon in 2004. It exploded massively, resulting in a steady stream of new material since. The original VN received an anime adaptation (which sucked), a manga adaptation, a sequel (the bizarrely-named Fate/Hollow Ataraxia), a prequel light novel (Fate/Zero) that has been recently adapted into an excellent anime, and a spinoff parody anime (Carnival Phantasm, which shares characters from Type-Moons other hit, Tsukihime). So, bit of a cash cow.
I don?t take to that anime crap. Should I bother with this?
Although Fate/Extra continues to explore the ins and outs of the Holy Grail War, it really isn?t necessary to have any experience with the other works in the series to appreciate the story of Fate/Extra. It is fairly unique in how it separates itself from its predecessors, whether for good or ill.
So what?s the story?
The Fate/ series revolves around the Holy Grail War, a magical ritual. Seven magi, or ?Masters?, summon seven heroes from history and mythology to act as their ?Servants?. These Master/Servant teams then fight amongst themselves to determine who is worthy to receive the Holy Grail?yes, that Holy Grail?an omnipotent wish-granting device capable of literally anything.
In Fate/Extra, we take on the role of a Master in the Holy Grail War, summon a Servant, and go beat on some psychologically damaged individuals until they stop moving.
Although the overarching plot has its peaks and valleys, the dialogue is easily the best part of the game. As the resurrected version of histories? greatest heroes, the Servants all have great interactions with the player and with each other.
What about the gameplay? There is gameplay, right?
When it?s time to drop the gloves and fight another Servant (or anything else), the scene shifts to a familiar RPG battle space where we can issue commands to our Servant in no-holds-barred, turn-based combat. Through battling enemies, we can level up our Servant to gain stat boosts and new abilities.
Unfortunately, the combat in this game becomes tedious midway through the first battle, and there are a lot of battles. The only exceptions are the fights against other Servants, which are legitimately tense and provide variety to a game sorely lacking in it.
The highest point is probably the music, which is jazzy, catchy, and upbeat. The OST they released is unfortunately not wholly inclusive, but I?ll try to post relevant music tracks where appropriate.
Reader participation!
Like the other games in the series, Fate/Extra provides visual novel-esque choices at certain points in the story. There will be votes on any of them of consequence, which is sadly less frequent than I might like. I hope to update very quickly all the way through the prologue up to the first major choice in the story. This is a very wordy game, as most Nasu works are, so strap in for some reading.
Spoilers?
I have a slight suspicion that there might be some Type-Moon chat going on in here. If you?re going to use spoilers for the story of Fate/Stay or any other works in the series, please mark them clearly so people avoiding game spoilers can still talk about the rest of the series (and vice versa). An example would be ?Hey, wasn?t it cool how Archer was really (Fate/Stay spoilers) Future-Rin in drag??
And obviously, please use your discretion. Lots of black bars just end up pissing people off. With that out of the way, please enjoy?
Alright, let?s do this.
I think this game would probably be less of a grind on easy, but nope. Let?s do it normally.
Like most Typemoon games, you can easily kill yourself through stupid choices. Saving yourself into an unwinnable situation is, however, unlikely. Always a good idea to have multiple slots regardless.
This stock disclaimer is even more bullshit than usual in this case?
The game is narrated from a first-person perspective by our hero, and it would be silly to post a dozen pictures of pure text, so I?ll transcribe a lot of the extraneous dialogue. I?ll use italics for my personal comments and the protagonist?s profile (and plaintext) for narration. Dialogue choices will be bolded and made obvious.
: --I wonder what?s going on.
When I peer into the center of the hubbub, I see my friend and student council president, Issei Ryuudou.
Jesus, who actually starts a conversation like that?
: Hmm? Why do you look so surprised?
We announced at last week?s assembly that this month the student council would strictly enforce school rules.
I have been tasked with performing inspections to ensure students are in compliance with school rules.
Now, it goes without saying that EVERYONE is subject to inspections, including old friends.
Now then, uniform inspection time. ?Collar, check! Pant hems, check! And your socks?check!
Next is the contents of your bag?Notebooks, textbooks, pencil box! Not even a whiff of contraband!
Our nails?uh, really? Are there actually places that regulate that? Even in Japan?
: Indeed, quite remarkable.
: Someone like you ought to consider a future in student government. You?d be perfect for it.
Oh, but I?d never try to coerce you into joining the student council. We aren?t like that.
: Before I can reply, Mr. Diligent Student Council President is on to the next student inspection.
Hungry for gossip on their way to their classrooms, the students jabber on about the inspections.
Things are always so gently bustling in the morning.
Another peaceful beginning to another peaceful day.
And now we actually have control of our character. Awesome. Right now we?re in the Schoolyard, which is in front of the main campus building. Let?s do the standard RPG thing and chat up some NPCs.
Full points, generic NPC. Full points.
Male student: If you continue right, you?ll find the Archery Range, but you should head for the School Building now.
Male Student: Your classroom is on the second floor, right?
Ominous. But we are the protagonist, and thus fear neither beast nor man. Let?s check it out. The pair of students in the back exists only to point out the Archery Range again. One of them literally asks ?What Archery Range??, like they never noticed the second-largest building on campus before. This must be a school for the special 
Male Student: Man, I must have a hole in my head. Maybe if I head back to my classroom. [sic]
Looking like I was right. Let?s check out the Archery Range.
: A lingering scent in the air triggers in my thoughts a soft wave of nostalgia.
The Archery Range seems to be completely empty. The entrance is even locked up tight.
I?m curious what kind of smell lingers around an archery range. For that matter, how many schools have an archery range in the first place? Even in Japan? Mysteries.
This is the main entrance to the school, to the left of the initial greeter NPC and to the far left of the archery range?
?And this is directly through the doors. As if we needed any additional confirmation, the shoeboxes tell us that this is a typical Japanese high school. The school building has three floors, all with an identical layout, and a basement cafeteria/commissary. We can?t go most places yet, so let?s just talk to people.
Charming. There are a few students around, but they mostly give us ham-handed hints as to where to go (hint: it?s the classroom).
This guy gives us insight into the depths of his alcohol problem, though. Poor bastard. Those doors lead places, but they?re all locked at present.
FINE JEEZ. Going anywhere but our classroom nets us ?Hey dumbass, go to the classroom? messages, so let us just accept our railroading like good RPG protagonists.
: As I enter class, I see Matou with a bunch of girls. Why he?s so popular is a mystery?
: Even though we?ve?Hey, we?ve been friends since our freshman year, right?
Anyway, don?t sweat the fact that you?re as boring as dirt. It?s not like you can help it.
: It?s a little early for so much abuse, but as it?s Shinji Matou, it can?t be helped.
His arrogance is almost palpable. I don?t know what he?s saying, but it makes all the girls squeal with joy.
Actually, let me rephrase?His popularity isn?t so much mysterious as it is?unnatural.
Two of my favorite things?Japanese names flip-flopped, and the phrase ?shikata ga nai.? Shinji has a voice over for certain scenes, as do many major characters in the game. Seeing as how all of the voices are in Japanese, though, I won?t bother recording every single scene with voice. For now, just imagine the smuggest, most punchable voice ever to go along with his smug, punchable face until it comes up. Shinji?s VA is the same as his VA from the anime and from the Realtua Nua version of Fate/Stay Night, so if you?ve seen either of those you need no introduction.
Female Student: ?Wait a sec. Hey Matou, isn?t the answer to this question?totally wrong in every way?
: W-What in the-? I?m the one who solved that! There?s no way it could be wrong!
: As Shinji raises his voice, the girls all panic and run back to their desks.
: *Sigh* I hate dealing with the proletariat. Especially when they think they?re my equal.
I really wish Shinji wouldn?t talk about worms. I mean?
Shinji flashes me a smile. It?s weird how I never take offense at the way he talks to me.
: By some strange twist of fate, Shinji Matou and I are friends.
How we became friends was?I can?t quite remember how it happened?
I want to say we met in spring sometime?the bell for class rings as I try to recollect.
And who should fly through the door but our homeroom teacher, Ms. Fujimura.
Yes! Taiga is my favorite Type-Moon character, so I?m glad she made it into this game?
: As she lands, her head strikes the corner of the platform at the front of class.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!
: Every student in the room goes silent, concentrating on one single thing.
Male Student: Again?how does she manage to trip in the same place every time?
Female Student: Listen, you! This isn?t the time to be making stupid jokes.
It should be pointing out that Taiga is actually twitching slightly in this scene. These kids are so bad at spotting an obvious concussion, you?d think they work for the Cleveland Browns.
: A few brave students get out of their seats and crowd around the still-comatose Fujimura.
Male Student: Hey, Ms. Fujimura!
Female Student: Ms. Fujimura?? Um?are you ok?
: Huh? What?s wrong, everyone? Hey, class is about to start, so get back to your seats, pronto!
: Ms. Fujimura jumps to her feet as if nothing had happened.
It?s almost as if the memory of her sudden and violent trip to the floor was totally erased.
As this happens all the time, no one seems to notice or care enough to say anything.
?No one gives a thought to how odd it is for this to happen every single day.
The scene playing out before me seems to never change from day to day.
The exact same lessons.
The exact same subject.
The exact same content.
Obviously our protagonist is exaggerating here, or Taiga?s brain would probably resemble Muhammed Ali?s by now. Or a bowl of grey rice pudding.
: Tige?I mean, Ms. Fujimura is conducting classes today the same way she does everyday.
: You may not know, but when I was young, an unknown pathogen was the cause of a serious epidemic.
Insert your own Metal Gear joke here.
: Her ensuing laughter stops short at her eyes, which seem deadly serious.
Just as everyone is about to call Fujimura out?
The bell signaling the end of class rings.
: Be sure to study hard tonight, and don?t forget those important points I told you about.
Game days are broken into phases?Morning, Midday, Evening, Night. There?s a transition when there?s a switchover, and the current phase and day are listed in the top-right corner of the screen during gameplay. Not much of a point to it yet though.
: While today?s class wasn?t all that boring, it is a relief when the bell rings.
As the bell signaling the end of the day sounds, students begin to break off into small groups.
: Being a student sucks. The worst part of the deal is having to attend these stupid classes.
You?re still here?...That?s unusual. You don?t have any plans, like a date or something?
: I mean, you?re just going to your dork club?the journalism club, right?
Well, seeing as how you?re as boring as stale white bread, your life is exactly as it should be.
You know exactly your role in life is, and you stay there.
Well, catch you later! See you in class tomorrow!
MmmHmm. We now have control again. Where should we go?Shinji was obviously trying to railroad us, but fuck Shinji. Let?s talk to that girl instead. Show him a thing or two.
Female Student: I guess the Journalism Club?s been busy. I mean, with all the weird stuff that?s been happening?
Both of these can be taken, so let?s see what she says. First:
: >I?m in the Journalism Club?
OK?I guess our protagonist is just a freelancer then. Next option!
: >Weird?stuff?
Sounds dangerous. Let?s go exploring! The large yellow ??? indicates plot-relevant dialog, but this guy just unsubtly mentions the journalism club again, so we can safely skip that little chat.
Out in the second floor hallway, we meet this guy.
I?m sure she loves guys who say ?squee?.
Male Student: But the thought of Shinji being my brother-in-law is?Ugh. If only they weren?t related?
Yeah, if you?re not careful, he might try to worm his way into your good graces. Or turn you into worm food.
Worms.
?
We can try to avoid it, but the head of the Journalism Club is right down the hall. Let?s just talk to her and see what she wants.
Editor: What? Did you forget? You have to write a ?Unsolved Mysteries of Tsukumihara? article.
Editor: Come on, I told you yesterday. There isn?t very much time left before the deadline.
Editor: Well, whatever. Your work?s always good, so I?ll leave this in your capable hands!
Well, it does if you?ve played Fate/Hollow Ataraxia. The editor here was a minor character in that game, with the self-proclaimed nickname of ?Black Panther?. That?s it. That?s the joke. Her two sidekicks are also minor characters from that game.
Editor: So that?s that. I?ve done some of the investigating. It?s your job to do the rest.
Editor: ?Don?t look so surprised. There is a method to my madness.
Editor: OK, so about the first preview edition, the one called ?Gateway to the Paranormal?.
Editor: One time, a male student who got bullied a lot was told to pick up trash there?and vanished.
Editor: Everyone?s totally convinced that there?s paranormal activity going on back there.
Editor: *sweatdrop* Isn?t that scary?I mean, ridiculous?!
Editor: Anyway, go sniff out the truth.
Editor: Your nose and eyes are the tools of the trade for a journalist. Got it?
Well, this one is obvious.
: >You?re the mysterious one.
Editor: Your reply should be ?Yes, ma?am?. All right. Hop to it!
Blah. Well, might as well get on with it.
However, after we go down the stairs that lead to the first floor?
: For some unknown reason, I find my eyes drawn to the door of the supply room when?
The door is suddenly and violently thrown open.
Didn?t he just say it was because he thought something was moving? It isn?t immediately obvious what door they?re referring to, either?It is immediately to the right when you enter the school building.
: Without warning, a man appears from the shadows.
Dressed in black with a dour expression, the person in question is very intimidating.
?But that sense of intimidation is immediately replaced with extreme discomfort and unease.
A sudden, overwhelming sense of danger gives me goose bumps all over my body.
His cold, blank, stare sends chills down my spine, as though he?s marking me for death.
?For some reason, it feels as though he?s deciding whether to break my neck or skin me alive.
: ?
: He begins to mutter under his breath while at the same time he reaches out with his right hand.
The chills running down my spine gain intensity as waves of nausea and vertigo wash over me.
I feel like a rabbit watching the wolf draw near.
Maybe this isn?t just raw terror. I think he?s holding something that makes me feel this way?
: The note of disgust in his voice is obvious as he slowly lowers his hand.
The paralysis that seemed to take hold of me suddenly fades away.
The man continues to look down on me with those dead eyes of his.
: The campus is about to close. If you have nothing else to do, I advise you to go home now.
?Is there anything else?
?
My name is Mr. Kuzuki. I will be teaching here starting today.
: The man who introduced himself as Mr. Kuzuki turns and heads back into the supply room.
With that, the final bell begins to chime, signaling the end of the school day.
Everything begins to progress as normal, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
But I?m still sore and soaked with sweat; an all-too-real reminder of what happened.
Wonderful. We now have a teacher with obvious ?murderous intent? at our school.
Seriously. Most teachers try to keep a lid on their murderous impulses, at least until they get tenure. Investigating the door he went through gives you a generic ?It?s locked? message, so let?s just move on.
Past the door and down the hall from where that incident occurred, another incident is taking place.
: I heard that you?ve been skipping out on the Archery Club?s morning practices lately!
Why haven?t you been showing up? And where do you get off taking a break without my say so?!
You bi?I get it now. You?ve been going to ?their? house again, haven?t you?
: ?Yes. I have been going there, but I just wanted to help and?
: Wait a sec?what was that just now? Anyway, if someone gets hurt, just leave them to suffer.
Just do what I tell you to, and things will be a-okay.
: To force one of my?err?my dear little sister to miss valuable practice time?
: That?s not how it was at all?! I wasn?t forced to do anything. I wanted to help!
Um?why don?t you?Why is it so wrong to help those who need it?
: And why help anybody out? Will that person ever pay you back or help in return?
Of course they won?t! And if you think otherwise, you?re an idiot! I won?t be used by anyone.
It?s better to treat others as cattle. And isn?t it time to admit to feeling the same way?!
: But?But, for me, that option?
Yeah. That was Matou Sakura, one of the heroines from the original Fate/Stay Night. She actually doesn?t have a voice over, and is something of a vestigial character from the original script for Fate/Extra, where she was supposed to receive her own route. That?s apparently coming in the currently-delayed sequel/expansion titled Fate/Extra CCC. I guess she?s forever fated to be a chew toy.
: If you ever start feeling unwell, please stop by the Nurse?s Office.
Yeah?Sakura works in the nurse?s office in this game. That is to say, Shinji was trying to talk the nurse into letting people suffer. 
?
Jesus, what the hell were we doing? Oh yeah, portal to hell in the archery range. We can finally go check it out. This is what it looks like on the inside.
Pretty swanky. Must be a private school. On the left side of the room, we find Taiga standing in the corner.
: The worst is when they leave their arrows stuck in the target mound.
I usually make the kids do it, but there?s no club activities leading up to exams, so I?m doing it.
Huh? A portal to the spirit world? That?s just a rumor, it?s not real!
Exams are right around the corner, so don?t waste your time on stuff like that. Go home, shoo, shoo!
: What appears in the Archery Range isn?t an entrance to the spirit world, but Ti?Ms. Fujimura.
--Well, I can?t say I?m surprised she?s behind one of Tsukumihara?s mysteries. It?s fitting.
I?ll report this tomorrow, so I can go home if I want.
*A day will pass if you go home.
And with that, the first day ends. We didn?t find a portal to hell, but we did find a psychopathic Final Fantasy villain that wanted to kill us.