Helm of Fate

I need to start this review by saying by and large I don't like doing 'negative' reviews. If I have a problem with a game, an error or glitch I like to make a comment on the game page so the developer can see it and fix it quickly. A review is much more permanent and doesn't allow the developer an easy ability to correct any errors. However in this case the developer has said that they are on to their 5th game now (this one being the second, but the first available on RMN) so I think the likelihood of any corrections being made are small. Hence the review.

First of all if you play and get as far as the Temple of Ares, don't go to the roof via the left most staircase, in fact don't go to the roof at all, you can't get back down the stairs and you'll have to go back to the last time you saved. For some that will be a game breaker, for others a reload.

Now for the more ordinary ones.

The antidote doesn't remove poison, as previously stated by other players on the game page, and the Dispel herb which does remove poison also takes away good status effects. There's a serious issue with the effects attributed to the items. You can see it in the item shop.


This appears to get rid of guard, poison, blind, thunder cry (berserk), attack up and HP regen. Not what you want from a dispel herb.

And that pesky antidote

Removes guard.

So basically you can't use either of them in battle, without running the risk of removing states you want to have. Though that isn't as much of a problem as you might think, since until you run into the Knights, nothing poisons you anyway. Not the spiders, snakes or scorpions. In fact they seem to guard you (as in on attack they give you a positive boost). There appears to be some attributes mix up in both items and enemies.

There are a lot of spelling and grammatical errors in the game, rate instead of rat, carcusses instead of carcasses, proof instead of prove, and great many missing conjunctions. i.e. "Are you from mainland?" Rather than "Are you from the mainland?"


I've mastered the exclamation point, now I just need to work on capitalisation.

The flow of the game has some issues. After you fight your way through the passage cave and get to the forest you run into a tent and a roadblock. Now my first instinct is to go to the tent, since that's the obvious option for interacting with someone, and sure enough out pops 'Gloria' who tells you that you aren't ready and disappears. Ready for what and who are you to judge me ready anyway lady? Oh wait, I have to go and interact with the road block, which leads to a cut scene which means her incomprehensible statement suddenly makes sense.

Ok, then. I've got a quest. Off to get 15, no wait, 16 spider carcasses, er, carcusses.

Pet peeve, if a monster attacks you and misses, it doesn't then get to inflict its special ability on you. Also random monsters should regenerate once you leave the map or dungeon but route blocking ones you have to fight to get to the next level should not.

Sorry another pet peeve, if you walk left off the map you should still be facing left on the next map. There are a lot of places in the forest where you exit stage right and enter stage left, which is fine for the actual stage, not so much in a game.

Why does Cutie have a white dog sprite, but his character graphic is black? And can someone please explain to me how a dog gets the 'cleave' skill?

Why is Gloria the only one able to equip accessories, with the exception of the Ring of Ares which James had to begin with?

Before you think that this game had no redeeming feature let me point a few out.


The opening graphic is lovely; unfortunately it's the only custom graphic in the whole game.

Save anywhere is enabled, sorry but for me that is a plus since a lot of developers seem to use it as an easy way of creating difficulty rather than within the game balance itself, so it's good to see it's not employed here for that purpose.

The HP bars on the enemies is a great addition, making strategising a battle easier since I know not to waste my tank on the enemy with only 10 HP left, I can leave that to a lesser strengthened character. Though that being said, I never felt my characters were in any danger, and in fact the only time I ever lost one during battle was to the final boss.

Giving smart options to situations is a gem. Such as the fight with the cave guardian spirit, give the right answer and you avoid a fight which at that stage of your development would probably have killed you.

Setting a level limit on everyone except the dog is a good balance option. After all the rest can up their stats with weapons and armour, but Cutie doesn't have that option. Having him (I assume) be able to keep growing that way is an interesting choice.

There is a level of humour in the game, thought I'm not sure it is intentional, such as a sign in the temple reading "We thank you for your donations" when you've just finished raiding a chest and nicking all the money.


Overall this game could have been a bit of fun, an introduction to characters that I believe the developer is using in his later games, but in the end with the errors, glitches and grammar/spelling issues it just comes across as a waste of potential.