PAX Prime 2014 | Hand of Fate

Before I get into things, let me get something off my chest. When I initially heard about the surge of talented Australian game developers, I wasn’t excited. I figured they would just make games like any other region, perhaps better or worse. I could not have been more wrong, as established by PAX Prime 2014 in general, and Hand of Fate specifically.

PAX Prime 2014 | Hand of Fate

The basic premise of the game revolves around using tarot cards to battle an opposing sorcerer. But the game isn’t just played on the card table. When you use your cards, they manifest in beautiful three dimensional plains, and you physically take charge. For example, if the dealer draws an Ambush, your chosen character will have to fight them off. They don’t do it automatically, and require you to maneuver them with skill. It almost plays like God of War, albeit with less swearing and bloodshed. But battle is by no means a mild experience. You can roll, dodge, counter and wage war with ferocity. It was a fun component of the game, and contrasted nicely from the skill and luck based element in building your deck.

PAX Prime 2014 | Hand of Fate

The other main component involves playing a game of wits against the dealer. Your primary goal is to get to and conquer several boss foes, selected as cards by the dealer, and this is complicated by the fact that you can pick positive or negative blessings. These are random, and inflicted upon you after you select a card. This kept the game fresh and intense, as picking the wrong card, while not sealing your fate indelibly, would certainly make it more difficult.

PAX Prime 2014 | Hand of Fate

The game is currently very polished, especially considering it’s in early access on Steam. Eventually, it is also slated to release for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, which is unsurprising given the graphical flourishes. I came away from my time with Hand of Fate very satisfied. It was unique, intuitive and challenging fun. I do think the Steam version might prove more challenging, given the lack of a controller, but I’m sure this could be remedied with practice, or by purchasing an Xbox controller. So if you like RPGs, Roguelikes or just novel premises, give Hand of Fate a shot. It is well worth your time.

Josh Speer
Josh is a passionate gamer, finding time to clock in around 30-40 hours of gaming a week. He discovered Operation Rainfall while avidly following the localization of the Big 3 Wii RPGs. He enjoys SHMUPS, Platformers, RPGs, Roguelikes and the occasional Fighter. He’s also an unashamedly giant Mega Man fan, having played the series since he was eight. As Head Editor and Review Manager, he spends far too much time editing reviews and random articles. In his limited spare time he devours indies whole and anticipates the release of quirky, unpredictable and innovative games.