Fate

Description:
Fate contains many elements of Roguelike games, particularly Diablo and Diablo II. The game is viewed from an isometric perspective. The dungeon and treasures found within are randomized, as are the monsters. Certain items contain "sockets," into which the player can put special gems in order to customize the item. Fate is rated E10+ for mild fantasy violence and animated blood. The score uses classical guitar and middle eastern influences much as the Diablo series does.

The game takes place in the town of Grove, where the "Dungeon Gate" leads would-be adventurers to multiple levels of fame, fortune, and death. The player assumes the role of one of these adventurers, and is assigned a randomized quest at the beginning of the game that will take them deep into the dungeon. Along the way, randomized side-quests are made available to the player by the townspeople of Grove. These are often fetch quests, though they sometimes require the player to kill off all enemies of a certain type on a certain floor of the dungeon.

When the character gains enough experience points, they are promoted to the next level, and given five Attribute points as well as two Skill points. Attributes (Strength, Dexterity, Vitality and Magic) allow the character to wield stronger weapons, armor and spells, while Skills denote proficiency at certain things ("Sword Skill," "Charm Magic Skill," "Critical Hit Skill"). There are no set character classes in Fate, allowing players to customize to their hearts' content. Additionally, the player is rewarded with "Fame" points by completing side-quests, which contribute to the gaining of Fame levels. Elite equipment cannot be equipped unless the player is of a certain Fame level, and gaining a level of Fame yields four Skill points. Finally, a denizen of Grove, specifically a bard, can be paid to increase the character's Fame, allowing savvy players (in the game's own words) to buy Skill points. Unfortunately, gold is hard to come by; shops buy for 1/8th their selling price.

The player is accompanied by a pet, an apparent Nethack reference, which can initially be chosen as a dog or cat. This pet fights on behalf of the player, can carry items, and can be sent back to town in order to sell unwanted findings (though it cannot complete fetch quests). The player can transform the pet into various forms by feeding it fish, which can be caught in various bodies of water or purchased from vendors.

Unlike the Diablo games, Fate is rendered fully in 3D, allowing the player to zoom in and out of the action as necessary. Another difference is that Fate offers no multiplayer elements.

If the player completes the main quest they received at the beginning of the game, they are given the option to retire the current character and start play over again with a descendant of the first character. The descendant gets various perks and bonuses, including one item that is handed down from its ancestor. If a player chooses not to retire, they can advance their characters and go as deep into the dungeon as they like.