If you’ve played visual novels before, or maybe hang around the fighting game scene, or even just watch enough anime, chances are you’ve heard of theFateseries. Well, the root of it all is getting a new release inFate/Stay Night Remastered, and it’s coming to both PC (via Steam) and Switch with English support this year.
Announced by Aniplex and Type-Moon (perGematsu),Fate/Stay Night Remasteredis an aptly named remastered edition of theRealta Nuaversion of the classic visual novel. It’s set to launch “worldwide” in 2024, with language support for English, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese.
Fate/Stay Nightcelebrates its 20th anniversary this year, originally launching in 2004. The visual novel follows Shirou Emiya, a teenage boy who gets caught up in the Holy Grail War. This battle royale sees mages summoning ancient heroes to fight alongside them, in search of the Grail and its wish-granting powers. Across three different routes, it spins a fairly winding and exciting yarn about those who seek the grail, why they want it, and what they’re willing to sacrifice or endure to get there.
Do you have enough weapons?
To callFate/Stay Nighta highly influential visual novel might be underselling it a bit. Not only did Kinoko Nasu’s original work become big in its own right, it spawned an entire franchise in theFateseries, which includes the ever-popularFate/Grand Ordergame. So, to say this is a big moment for visual novel fans is, again, probably underselling it.
GettingFate/Stay Nightonto modern, accessible platforms is really exciting. It will be theRealta Nuaversion; I haven’t read that one, but my understanding is it’s the same story with its adult (specifically, erotic/sexual) content removed to meet an Age 15+ rating. It’s also voice acted, and has some new animations and CGs. TheF/SNsubreddit hasa substantial breakdownon the differences, for those who want the details.
Really, if we’re getting a touched-up version that also clears the hurdle for Nintendo’s eShop, that sounds like a good thing all around. And it means that Type-Moon fans are eating especially well this year;Witch on the Holy Nightmade its way westnot too long ago, and theTsukihimeremake isdue out in June.
It’s nice to see that, as the visual novel genre continues to expand and evolve over time, its history isn’t getting left by the wayside. Doubly so that the Switch is getting included. While the Steam Deck makes for a good VN machine too, it’s hard to deny that the Switch isan ideal VN machine.
Fate/Stay Night Remasteredwill arrive for PC and Switch sometime this year.
