The upcomingVindictus: Defying Fatewill do more than bring the franchise to a new audience.Defying Fatewill re-tell the story of the originalVindictus, tying the title’s 15 years of live-service development into one package.
Much like Nexon’s recentsoulslikeThe First Berserker: Khazan, the studio’s upcomingDefying Fatewill take one of the company’s live-service properties and transform it into a single-player RPG. In the case ofVindictus,Defying Fateaims to elevate its predecessor’s last 15 years of storytelling into a tightened-up experience. Game Rant sat down withDefying Fate’s game director, Dongseok Oh, who spoke more on howDefying Fatewill adapt the originalVindictus.
Vindictus: Defying Fate’s Relation To Vindictus Explained
Vindictus Retold
Vindictusis one of Nexon’s older live service offerings, especially when compared to newcomerslikeThe First Descendant, having been active for almost 15 years. The long-running free-to-play MMORPG itself was built on the gameMabinogi, serving as a prequel set in the same Celtic mythology-inspired setting. Now, the team has an opportunity to turn the world ofVindictusentirely on its head withVindictus: Defying Fate.
TheupcomingVindictus: Defying Fatewill do more than fill in the gaps of its predecessor MMORPG — according to Oh,Defying Fatewill set out with the mission of re-telling the original live service title:
“This isn’t a direct sequel to the original story—it’s a full reinterpretation, retelling the narrative from the very beginning. Newcomers can enjoy the entire plot without prior knowledge, while returning players will find joy in discovering the differences.
Notably, scenes that were once conveyed through a few lines of text are now brought to life through fully voiced cinematic cutscenes. Even those familiar with the original storyline will experience a completely new atmosphere and sense of immersion.”
Just asNexon’sThe First Berserkerre-tells events fromDungeon and Fighterwhile filling in backstory elements,Defying Fatelooks to be fleshing out the story established inVindictus. With 15 years of storytelling to cover, there’s bound to be some elements sacrificed for pacing, but the opportunity to visually render elements previously confined to text is certainly one worth chasing; bringing a cinematic touch to what were once off-screen bits of lore was also somethingThe First Berserker: Khazantook advantage of.
However, it’s also worth noting how Oh has confirmed that elements will change between the original and the adaptation. Oh spoke more on this topic, adding, “We did not developVDFwith the intention of directly linking its world toMabinogiorVindictus.VDFis a game with its own distinct lore and structure.”
The Characters of Defying Fate
In the discussion of howDefying Fateis pivoting from the live service tradition of Nexon projectslikeThe First Descendant, it’s worth considering the new ways in which familiar characters will be approached. Oh touched on this element when discussing the four characters that will be available inDefying Fate’s final Alpha Test—those being Lann, Karok, Fiona, and Delia.
“Narratively, Karok has always been portrayed as a serious character. Over time, Lann, Fiona, and Delia have also taken on a more composed and grounded tone. These evolving characterizations will become more apparent through additional content planned for the game’s official release.
From a gameplay perspective, unlike the original Vindictus, which was primarily designed around keyboard and mouse input, VDF has been built from the ground up with gamepad support at its core. This shift has allowed us to rework each character’s combat style to better suit modern controls, while enhancing overall clarity and consistency. Some complex skill executions have been streamlined, and the combat system as a whole has been refined to feel more focused, responsive, and in line with the game’s current design direction.”
