Fatal Twelve

Fatal Twelve is an anime visual novel from AiueoKompany published by Sekai Project. The game is centered around a hunger games style competition. Granted many may consider this premise to be cliché but, before you right off this game please consider that the premise oft used because, it has some elements that most of find appealing. The primary reason people love this narrative is because, it provides with a glimpse into the extremes of heroics and horrors of which the human animal is capable.

This genre tends to live and die on the strength of its characters and its ability to weave a story out of the dire circumstances that it presents. Granted the fantasy tropes contained within Fatal Twelve have been done elsewhere.

In fact, they have been done better elsewhere but, that does not mean that Fatal Twelve does them poorly. Fatal Twelves attempt to weave a story in a genre that is growing as overpopulated as the zombie story is admirable and enjoyable.

Graphics

Games like Fatal Twelve lean heavily on their art style and do not rely on photorealistic images. The games are style is similar to games like Haven. This game is a visual novel so players will be here primarily to watch the story playout but, a little eye candy is never a bad thing. In this type of game, the art style can be good or bad depending on your subjective opinion. The imagery of Fatal Twelve in my opinion of good but, anything exceptional. The graphics are well done and are use appropriately to present the story. There is not really anything specials here the anime style of the game could be considered generic and the characters will be more likely to be remembered because of the role they play not because of their avatars.

Sound and Presentation

Fatal Twelve is localized in English and Japanese. The Japanese voice acting from what I could tell was well done. The games musical score is solid. The musical score fits the story and is used effectively. The sound quality if uneven. The good voice acting, and solid music actually stand on a pedestal far above the lackluster sound effects. The effects in this game are weak and generic. They fail to impress and often leave some of the game tense moments feeling flat. The game is steeped in Japanese culture and the presentation does very little to acclimate the player to his new surroundings. Some players may find the game events seems to lack context. This is because some of the events the story is built on are commonly known in Japanese culture.

The Conclusion

Fatal Twelve derives inspiration from a myriad of sources. This is one of its strengths that may also be its greatest weakness. Visual novel fans looking for something fresh and new may find the games premises and structure to be all to familiar. The game's 16 hours does little to distinguish it from other elimination game narratives. The games ethical and philosophical questions may appear to some users and be off putting to others.

Pros

• Strong Genre
• Good Voice Acting
• Solid Art

Cons

• A Bit Cliché
• Poor Sound Effects