Fearless Fantasy

Fearless Fantasy is an incredibly streamlined game built on one simple thing: a combat system where you execute attacks and block damage by clicking circles and dragging your mouse through sliders like the rhythm game [i]Osu![/i] The story is well told albeit a bit plain, the hand-drawn graphics and oddball encounters rather charming, and the menus a little clunky given they were originally designed for a touchscreen. None of that is why you came here though. Every move you use and every enemy attack has a unique pattern of circles and sliders to represent it, like a sword swing requiring smooth arcs or a bow shot using precise aim to hit moving targets. Failing to guard an attack at all can absolutely devastate your party, but it only takes a decent block to leave you with only chip damage and a perfectly-executed combo string from your hero can completely turn the tide of battle. Combat is visceral and hard-hitting, with a system of enemy traits and status afflictions that allow for varied encounter strategy but still let skill shine through in satisfying moments. Overall, the harder stages of the game get tough but fair. Each enemy type only has one or two attacks, and one is usually just an upgraded version of the other making them fairly easy to predict. With a strong block you only take 1 or 2 damage from even the strongest of attacks, and with perfect inputs you dodge them entirely. Your own skills, and even your basic weapon attacks, also become more elaborate as you upgrade them, gaining extra damage and follow-up strikes but taking more skill to perfectly execute. This game shows off its unique combat system well, experiments with it, and then ends before it can overstay its welcome. It is well worth picking up for a couple dollars if this sounds up your alley, or showing to a friend who plays Osu or similar rhythm games. Given its rather limited scope, however, I wouldn't necessarily recommend buying it at full price. Just remember that at its core it is a precise skill game in a thin shell of strategy and not the other way around.