Vindictus: Defying Fatewill change things up from its predecessor in more ways than one. Not only willDefying Fatere-tell the events of the originalVindictus,the upcoming title will add a whole new spin to the series' combat.
Headed up by Nexon,Vindictus: Defying Fatewill follow in the footsteps of acclaimedsoulslikeFirst Berserker: Khazan. Just like its sister Nexon franchise,Defying Fatewill take a larger live service title and condense it into a single game. Game Rant sat down with game director Dongseok Oh, who spoke more on how the game will redefine the IP, especially in terms of core mechanics.
How Vindictus: Defying Fate Is Shaking Up The Series' Combat
Towards Singleplayer, Away From Multiplayer
On the surface,Defying Fatedoesn’t appear to stray far from its roots. The originalVindictusis a third-person adventure with hack-and-slash combat, muchlikeFirst Berserker: Khazanand other Nexon projects. From the outset, it seems thatVindictus: Defying Fatewill be sharing in this basic philosophy—though the game’s current build isn’t in open testing, and said build is still in its Alpha form; the average fan won’t be able to get a grasp on these differences for some time, and game elements are still in flux.
However, one thing the team appears set on for theupcomingVindictus: Defying Fateis a focus on single-player over multiplayer.Vindictusis an MMO, whereas the main gameplay ofDefying Fatewill focus on a solo adventure. When asked about the reasoning behind a single-player direction, Oh spoke about the importance of this difference and how it will impact the title’s mechanics:
“The first reason is to strengthen immersion in the game’s narrative. When designing around multiplayer, there are many situations that can hinder effective storytelling. Because of this, we chose to focus primarily on a singleplayer structure, with multiplayer support included only in select side content.
The second reason is to ensure a more focused combat experience and maintain balance. In multiplayer settings, visibility can suffer when multiple characters are performing flashy actions at once. Similarly, when a single boss must respond to several players simultaneously, the quality and intended pacing of the battle can be diminished. Since every character offers a distinct playstyle, we believed that centering the game around multiplayer could dilute that individuality. Instead, we chose a single-player focus to highlight each character’s strengths.”
Oh also added “The originalVindictuswas fundamentally built around a multiplayer system, with elements like player competition, trading, and combat balance for party-based battles.” By contrast,Defying Fate’s single-player direction will forego these elements, a trade-off that will allow players to “engage with the game in the way that suits their individual playstyle.” The benefits of pivoting away from the live-service structure, which Nexon has become known for through gameslikeThe First Descendant, look to be worth it forDefying Fate, allowing the team to better hone the game’s balance, story, and pacing.
Changes From Vindictus: Defying Fate’s Alpha
While the biggest changes toDefying Fate’s combat came from a similar place asNexon’sThe First Berserker: Khazandid, Oh also went into more granular details on the combat’s evolution. He spoke about the specific combat and mechanic changes that have come to the game since its original Alpha test:
“In terms of action, we’ve added a new “Precision Action” system that rewards well-timed dodges or guards with follow-up attacks. Finishing moves have also been introduced for boss battles. In addition, two new playable characters—Delia and Karok—have joined the roster, each bringing a distinct combat style.
Battle areas have undergone significant changes. Compared to the pre-alpha version, they’ve been completely restructured with new layouts, as well as added features like interactive traversal and environmental traps.”
