Fantasy Strike is set in the same universe and features the same characters as auteur designer David Sirlin’s Puzzle Strike—a tabletop game simulating a puzzle-fighter video game. While it may sound like a bizarre mix, Puzzle Strike has also enjoyed positive reviews, and even on cardboard, Sirlin’s firm grasp of what makes fighting games great shines through.
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While it eschews the gem-crushing puzzle element of the board game, the title still manages to stand out from the crowd by forgoing complex button inputs in favor of purely tactical play, making Fantasy Strike an ideal title for people who are new to fighting games.
Dropping the game’s paywall and granting newcomers access to every character immediately seems like a smart play for building a broader player base, especially given the game’s focus on helping fighting game newcomers master the fundamentals of the genre. In terms of generating revenue, the game will be moving to a subscription service called Fantasy+, offering access to special costume, increased XP yield from fights, and a Replay Theater option.
Different game modes, such as Arcade, Boss Rush, and Survival, can also be purchased for $19.99, and a Collector’s pack is available for $99.99. Subscription models supplemented by other microtransactions are proving more and more popular—the wildly successful Rocket League also announced it would be going free to play today.
While the subscription format dominates the current free-to-play paradigm, some gamers feel battle passes are the new loot boxes, especially when a game switches models mid-stride. Fantasy Strike’s shift seems less likely to generate controversy, however, as players who have already purchased Fantasy Strike will receive recognition with a Founder’s Edition of the game, which includes the extra game modes and sixty different costume color palettes.
Fantasy Strike is now free-to-play on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
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