E3 2016: Hand of Fate 2 Coming to Xbox One in Q1 2017

Written by Brandon Hofer on June 13, 2016

News: The sequel to Hand of Fate is heading to Xbox One next year and will introduce some new gameplay mechanics.

Hand of Fate 2 is coming to Xbox One in Q1 2017 according to Defiant Development. Like the original Hand of Fate, the sequel will require players to overcome trials built from collectible cards distributed by the magical dealer in the meta-board game. Each hand will feature action-packed third-person combat, precarious exploration, high-risk high-reward minigames and Dungeons and Dragons-style decision making.

Hand of Fate 2 will introduce companions, who can provide support in combat, exclusive options in the RPG portions and their own storylines. Among the supporting cast is Malaclypse, a crafty mage masquerading as a bard to dodge the Empire's ban on magic. Malacylpse provides ranged attacks and shields in battle as well as rerolls during some board game sections.

Reaching a specific card won't always lead to victory in Hand of Fate 2, like it did in the original; players will have to accomplish specific feats like conquering ten different hands laid out by the dealer or accumulating 200 gold. Combat-linked requirements will also diversify gameplay with objectives such as defending a lone goblin from an advancing army of soldiers for a specific period of time.

Hand of Fate 2 introduces two-handed weapons and dual-wielding, allowing expanded player choice in a refined combat system. New enemy types, once again united under card suits, will also debut. The Steel suit will house the empire's soldiers, while the Blight suit harbors corrupted, mutated men.

The dealer, Hand of Fate's magical antagonist, will make his return in the upcoming sequel despite being defeated in the first game. Set 100 years after the original game, the dealer will return to train our new heroine so she can defeat the original game's protagonist, who now rules as a villainous tyrant.

To celebrate the upcoming sequel's origin, the original Hand of Fate will be featured in Indie Box's Collector's Edition series. Previous installments included collectibles, soundtrack CDs and full-color manuals, but fans must check out the final product to discover the surprises Hand of Fate's IndieBox has in store.

"The Xbox community embraced Hand of Fate, downloading more than one million copies, so bringing Hand of Fate 2 to Xbox One was a natural fit," said Morgan Jaffit, director at Defiant Development. "With tighter combat, supporting companions and stacks of all-new cards, series fans and newcomers alike will find a compelling adventure in Hand of Fate 2."

Check out the trailer for Hand of Fate 2 below and tell us what you think. Will you be picking it up?