Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord

It's hard to tell who, exactly, Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord is for.

A decent SRPG for existing series fans only.

Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord is a spinoff that’s a bit of an odd duck in the Fairy Fencer F series. It tries to do some things differently by opting for a completely different battle system. At the same time, it doesn’t continue the story of the previous games and essentially does a creative retelling of the already existing narrative instead. The result is a game that will likely confuse series fans and newcomers alike. It’s a shame as Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force already did a great job in retelling the first game. For fans looking for a true sequel, however, they’ll just have to wait for now.

Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord is a well-rounded tactical RPG that stands on its own offering a thoroughly fun experience with many anime tropes for better or for worse.

While Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord is a very basic Strategy game, I had a lot of fun with it. I know this is mostly because of these characters and setting, but I think this would be a great starting point for newcomers to the series as well. The combat is fun, graphics look nice and music is exceptional. I played about 40 hours to get an ending on this one, and there are more things I have left to explore. I feel like this one is well worth the $49.99 asking price; it may not be anything fancy, but it’s good food for the fans.

Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord is a sequel game to the original Fairy Fencer F but with a totally new combat system. It is a competent strategy Role Playing Game and not overly difficult. The music mechanics make it stand out and a joy to listen to. The relationship between characters is not really explored as heavily as the first game.

Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord is a good sequel to the series that manages to make the experience even more fun than in the past, albeit with a change of genre that may not please many.

Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord feels like a lukewarm successor of Fairy Fencer F instead of a completely new game. There are some fresh elements, but many more were just taken from the first game, like characters, music and environments.

Fans of Fairy Fencer F should get in on this title and get in now. Drink deep of this lore and excellent scripting before it becomes bloated with extra noise, and enjoy it as such. If you’re scared by the change in approach, don’t be: a good IP can wear any hat as long as it fits. Refrain Chord wears the helmet of SRPG well, and players will honestly feel so much better being able to enjoy this new storyline without also wondering when their console/PC is about to crash.

Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord is recommended for those who simply want more Fairy Fencer F, years after the last release. The SRPG gameplay is new to the series, but it's not a big enough novelty to recommend the title to those looking for something focused on strategy.