Was Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord Worth It?

Fang and friends are back in this musical midquel. Was Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord worth it?

Full disclosure: We received a review code for the Nintendo Switch version of this game. Rest assured that this will not affect the quality or candor of our review.

Background

Fairy Fencer F has been around in one form or another since it first dropped on the PS3 in 2013. It got a +1 version in the form of Advent Dark Force for the PS4 and was later released on the Switch in 2019. It was a quirky rpg in the same irreverent spirit as the Neptunia series with a focus on collecting macguffins (furies) from around the world.

Fast forward to 2022, and Refrain Chord picks up in medias res as a sort of retcon/reimagining. If you’re familiar with the Neptunia franchise, you know that Compile Heart tends to revisit their stories often, and FFF is finally getting that treatment.

What does Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord do well?

Musical themes in strategy RPGs is nothing new; just look at how important they are in series like SD Gundam G Generation or Super Robot Wars. The idea of bards on the battlefield is appropriate, so leaning into the idea works well. It helps that the songs are quite good, and hearing the overlap of the themes is exciting. It adds variety to the battles both visually and aurally.

The songs can be altered slightly while in effect to change the effects. When the songs clash (dramatic resonance), the bonuses are doubled for both sides. Do you go for the enemies while buffed and leave their muse to sing or prioritize shutting down their songs? It’s a good dynamic.

What could Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord do better?

The story leans heavily on the quirkiness of the characters, which is great if you played Fairy Fencer F recently. However, chances are good that you probably haven’t, and many of the interactions in this game make you feel like you’ve skipped the first season of a show. The protagonists may not have aged since the first game but I definitely have, and characterization that was tolerable then is annoying now.

Was Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord fun?

The overall gameplay is serviceable, thought not exactly groundbreaking (pun intended, given the gimmick). As far as strategy RPGs go, it’s fine.

Is Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord good value?

You’re looking at 30-40 hours, depending on how much of the dialogue you skip. The DLC is soundtrack content, nothing gameplay related.

Who is this game for?

Fairy Fencer doesn’t exactly have a strong brand, but if you’re into Idea Factory’s other works and enjoy the tone then this will be for you. The lack of real challenge makes it a hard sell for traditional SRPG fans.

Was Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord worth it?

Neptunia veterans know that Compile Heart is big on recycling; there are asset flips aplenty in their JRPG catalogue. In this case, Refrain Chord is a reskin of Hyperdevotion Noire. Is that bad? Not necessarily, but I expect a series to grow over time, rather than show back up wearing a slightly different outfit.

Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord is a serviceable SRPG that is carried on the back of its soundtrack, rather than its story or characters. If you’re familiar with and enjoy similar titles from the publisher then you should consider it, but otherwise I would wait for a sale.

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