Leap of Fate

Leap of Fate is an isometric cyberpunk hack ‘n’ slash with roguelike elements for PC. It was developed by Clever-Plays – an independent Canadian studio co-found by Mattieu Bégin, a former Ubisoft employee.

Plot

The plot of Leap of Fate is not overly extensive. In the game, we are taken to a cyberpunk version of New York where ordinary people and the so-called technomages – individuals possessing supernatural abilities – coexist together. We enact one of the technomages; our task is to prove our worth by completing a series of trials in a temple called the Crucible of Mages. The path to victory is ridden with traps and dangerous enemies that symbolize inner fears and concerns of each combatant. The challenge is worthwhile, though, for the award is an astonishing power and the possibility to change our destiny.

Mechanics

The gameplay mechanics of Leap of Fate are inspired by the classical isometric action RPGs, the so-called hack‘n’slashes. Starting out, we select one of four available characters (although at the beginning, only one is available, and the rest has to be unlocked). Each hero has a different fighting style and biography which we learn progressively by means of film cutscenes. The gameplay itself is focused on traversing subsequent locations and overcoming both traps and hordes of incoming enemies. As we play, the protagonist will learn and thus gain access to new skills from four development trees that involve offensive and passive abilities, mobility, and the random glyphs we collect.

Leap of Fate for PC is incredibly fast-paced and each mistake can cost us dearly. As befits a roguelike game, the protagonist has only one life, so death forces us to start from the beginning. Luckily, the unlocked abilities are permanent, which significantly eases every next attempt for our character is stronger every time. The uniqueness of each playthrough is ensured by the fact that both locations (including the distribution of traps and enemies) and the special abilities are randomly generated.

Last updated on April 7, 2016