Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark

Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark is a deep and engrossing tactical RPG no genre fan should miss. With interesting characters and complex combat, it's a poster child for the greatest the genre can provide.

Where would we be without Kickstarter? At this point, millions-upon-millions of dollars have been raised to fund independent game development. In many cases, these were titles that would’ve never seen the light of day at a traditional publisher. But for every runaway success title that fetches millions, there are numerous others that manage to squeak by securing far more modest fundraising goals. One such title is the recently released Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark. Though it had far less of a budget, it certainly appears to have more ambitious production values than their meager funding should’ve...

It’s impossible to mention Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark without bringing up Final Fantasy Tactics. As a huge fan of the PS1 classic, my initial interest in Fell Seal was based solely on its unabashed attempt to replicate that game’s genius. Normally, going in with this kind of attitude kills games like this. They end up buried under unrealistic expectations that games made by teams of less than ten people can’t stand toe to toe with genre giants. Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark is an e...

Those looking for a new tactical RPG that harkens back to the classics of the genre will find that Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark manages to do that and more by creating a unique story that sets itself apart from the rest.

In Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark you play as an arbiter. Servant of the immortals you are judge, jury, and executioner. A routine prisoner transfer thrusts your party into the pilgrimage, a life or death journey to choose the next member of the immortals. Along the way, the pasts of each of the story characters are revealed and I found myself truly enjoying their occasional banter. You have the veteran arbiter Kyrie, the wisecracking Reiner, and the apprentice Anadine who is somewhat naïve. These character stories help to add depth to the world even when the overall narrative should feel familiar.

Turn-based strategy RPGs aren't as popular as they were 20 or so years ago but the talented folks at 6 Eyes Studio have brought back the genre in an epic way with Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark.

Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark invites players to come for the tactical combat rife with customization options, then stay for a spell for the engaging story at its center. Favorable comparisons to other well-known tactical RPGs are really just a bonus.

This love letter to the Final Fantasy Tactics series mimics its inspirations very closely, but manages to be a solid SPRG in its own right.