History VideoGame / FateExtellaTheUmbralStar

->"The story of the mind between human beings is over; this is a tale between humanity and the world, in a new sea carved into the Moon."
-->-- Kinoko Nasu

''Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star'', known in Japan as just ''Fate/Extella'', is a video game developed for UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and the UsefulNotes/PlaystationVita. It's a sequel to ''VideoGame/FateExtra'' and shares the setting of ''Fate/EXTRA'' and ''Fate/EXTRA CCC''. The game is a hack-and-slash action game where the player can take control of one out of a total of 16 playable Servants.

It was published by Marvelous in Japan and released in November 2016, whereas XSEED and Marvelous Europe localized and released the game in January 2017. A UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch version was released on July 2017 for all regions and a PC version on Steam was also released the same month.

* AboveTheGods: Around 14,000 years ago (from modern Earth time), gods existed as physical beings that walked the Earth. Then an extraterrestrial being called "Sephyr" came, killed many of those gods and caused major devastation before it's defeated. It results in the first decline of the "Age of Gods".

* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: Opposing Servants are perfectly capable of using any of their attack finishers, or in better terms of saying it, any attack in their attack chains at any moment...without having to actually attack to use said moves. You actually have to attack without being knocked out of your attack chain to use any sort of finisher. Notable examples are Gilgamesh pulling out the actual use of Gate of Babylon from his normal attack chain which is the finisher as his first move and Nero using several of her mid-attack finishers freely. Completely avoided with some of the more rational Servants like Nameless, Karna and Jeanne who will attempt to pull out the finisher just like how you would by completing the entire attack chain most of the time if not all the time. Played UpToEleven when fighting Stage Bosses, some of them will attempt to use their Noble Phantasms several times whether or not their first attempt is successful. Artoria (when she's the FinalBoss in Nameless, Gawain and Gilgamesh's final side mission) as well as Gilgamesh or Iskandar (in Artoria's final side mission, the one you didn't defeat will auto-charge their Noble Phantasm if he isn't in SuperMode) will use their respective Noble Phantasm when the condition is met. In Artoria's case, once her HP has been depleted by about 30-35%, she'll start to charge her Noble Phantasm for the first time. If you stall out the battle by damaging her but not quite defeating her, she'll continue to try to use her Noble Phantasm at random moments, meaning that you ''must'' keep the camera on her unless you want to be defeated in one blow (and be forced to used a Command Seal if you don't want to lose the mission). In the case of Gilgamesh and Iskandar, the one you didn't defeat will auto-charge their Noble Phantasm if he isn't in SuperMode. Delay the battle by not finishing the remaining Servant will cause said Servant to possibly recharge his Noble Phantasm for another use.

* SuperMode: The game offers each Servant at least one of these while some Servants feature two (normally one of the two SuperMode forms is unique with a different animation start-up) and those with two normally can use one or both at the same time by first entering the common SuperMode feature all Servants have then entering their unique one[[note]]this doesn't apply to Artoria and Gawain as their unique SuperMode abilities does the same as their common ones which activate their swords true power[[/note]]. While the real [[SuperMode Moon Crux/Regalia Forms]] grant the inability to be stunned, do more damage to enemies and reduce damage taken, each Servant who has a unique/similar version of their own sports a special animation for when they activate it. Nero and Tamamo each have their Regalia Forms thanks to the Moon Cell while Altera sports two individual SuperMode forms. Others usually have their regular SuperMode which have to be activated by normal means[[note]]which is accomplished by pressing the triangle button and the button for Guard at the same time[[/note]] shown as an indicator of them holding back normally before getting serious, this includes Cu Chulainn[[note]]activates his normal SuperMode by using rune magic[[/note]], Nameless[[note]]just like the shared SuperMode, he activates his by turning Kanshou and Bakuya into their Overedge Forms[[/note]], Gawain[[note]]channels the PowerOfTheSun into his sword adding flames to his attacks[[/note]], Karna[[note]]uses his Prana Burst Flames ability to imbue all his attacks with flames[[/note]], Altera[[note]]activates the power of her sword which shows by her glowing red for the duration[[/note]] and Jeanne[[note]]raises her flag and for the duration, her flagpole will flash with the color gold[[/note]]. Li Shuwen stands out as unique in that his personal SuperMode can be activated like the other Servants as in it can be activated in the same way and be used after entering his common SuperMode...or be activated passively by using his combination finishers as some of them restart the duration back to full and thanks to this it can potentially have [[UpToEleven infinite]] duration thanks to it also being activated constantly (and by this, his unique SuperMode duration meter returns to full duration if he resets it) thanks to Li's combination finishers each time he pulls one off.

* InSpiteOfANail: The game introduces the concept of "Quantum Timelocks," events that are designated as immutable truths across all timelines of TheMultiverse. If someone travels back to the past in an attempt to undo an event preserved by the Quantum Timelock, then events will conspire so that the Timelock will still happen anyway. [[spoiler:Archimedes' EvilPlan hinges on the fact that a Timelock was created around the time when Hakuno split themselves with the Regalia, and another one will happen one month afterward. He wants to shut down the Moon Cell and its anti-Velber jammer just as the second Quantum Timelock happens, so a second Velber invasion will become a certainty across all timelines, and he has the month between both Timelocks to travel between timelines so he can make this happen. Ultimately, he is thwarted when Nero and Altera destroy the Ark just as the Quantum Timelock happens - meaning that the GoldenEnding is now an immutable truth, and no further time travel on Archimedes' part can change this. Furthermore, Body Hakuno's HeroicSacrifice at the end of the Dawn arc - destroying themselves to send their memories back to the past - happened just as the Quantum Timelock was starting, so when the Golden Poem arc reaches that point Body Hakuno fades away to preserve the universe's stability.]]

* MultipleEndings: There are three main routes with their own endings, and for each Servant who doesn't have their own route, instead has a sub story which all have their own endings. [[spoiler:Then there's the true route ending, which is the GoldenEnding.]]

* {{Nerf}}: Most likely to prevent each Servant from being too strong otherwise by applying CompetitiveBalance to everyone. Either a Servant uses a weaker variation of their Noble Phantasm or their true version is weakened[[note]]The Noble Phantasms themselves keep any of their ''side-effects'' however some Servants such as Nameless and Tamamo get theirs buffed since originally theirs was more of a way to buff themselves and now hit quite hard. Enemy Servant Noble Phantasms will KO your playable Servant no matter what if you let them use it unless you either are in Moon Crux Mode/Regalia Mode which reduces damage taken or time your own after they start up theirs (this creates a scenario where if you start up your own Noble Phantasm after they start their own, they will cancel theirs and not use it at all as you are [[NoSell immune to theirs]]) but you will not see Jeanne as an enemy use hers as it would give you a free Victory if you revived after she used it[[/note]], their attacks are weakened from how they would perform, and/or their other important abilities are removed. This can be split into three categories with some examples shown below:

* SpinOffBabies: ''[[https://web-ace.jp/youngaceup/contents/1000085/ Fate/Ikustella]]'', a gag manga where two Hakunos are babies and are being taken care off by the different factions, with male Hakuno being taken care of by Nero's and Tamamo's faction alongside Archimedes and female Hakuno being taken care of by Altera's faction.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: There are ''sixteen'' playable Servants in total.

* StandardStatusEffects: This game offers five variations, six if you take skill slots into factor for the fifth and the sixth one is locked to one Servant.

** The events of CCC happened but are only vaguely remembered by Hakuno, which is how both Gilgamesh and Elizabeth know and remember Hakuno. [[spoiler:The True Route where he leaves with Sakura and having Berserker as his servant in the original were Retcon to a new Hakuno who had Nero like above and goes through CCC again with her and Tamamo before returning to the new events of ''Extra''.]]

** The events of CCC happened but are only vaguely remembered by Hakuno, which is how both Gilgamesh and Elizabeth know and remember Hakuno. [[spoiler:The True Route where he leaves with Sakura and having Berserker as his servant in the original were CosmicRetcon to a new Hakuno who had Nero like above and goes through CCC again with her and Tamamo before returning to the new events of ''Extra''.]]

* AncientAstronauts: [[spoiler:The Twelve Pillars are implied by Titan Altera to possibly be alien in origin like her original self, Sephyr. Fate Grand Order confirms this by stating that they were alien robot space ships deployed from a Dyson sphere known as Chaos]]

* CompetitiveBalance: Each Servant falls into a specific archetype. Specific details on each can be found in their entries on the Characters page.
** FragileSpeedster: Elizabeth Bathory, Li Shuwen, Medusa
** JackOfAllStats: Nameless, Gilgamesh
** LightningBruiser: Altera, Artoria, Cu Chulainn, Gawain, Karna, Jeanne D'Arc, Nero, [[spoiler:Saber Venus]]
** MightyGlacier: Iskandar, Lu Bu
** SquishyWizard: Archimedes, Tamamo

* DemotedToExtra: Nameless and Gilgamesh were main characters for the first two ''Extra'' games but were made lieutenants of Nero and Altera. [[spoiler:Gil himself plays a more of a role than expected in Altera's, having joined to try to help Hakuno and aids them both against Archimedes.]]

* {{Retcon}}: In the original ''Extra'', it was implied by WordOfGod that the reason magecraft faded away was because of a ritual to summon the Dark Six from the planned ''Tsukihime'' sequel that was not made yet. ''Last Encore'' and ''Extella'' reveal that it was the Harways performing an unknown ritual ''and'' the Age of Gods decline that started with Velbers attack on earth some 12,000 years ago.

* ThirdOptionAdaptation: Rather than pick one canon route from the original game, the backstory for Extella, according to [[WordOfGod Nasu's diary]], combines all three Servant routes from ''EXTRA'' along with the events of ''EXTRA CCC'':

* AncientAstronauts: [[spoiler:The Twelve Pillars are implied by Titan Altera to possibly be alien in origin like her original self, Sephyr.]]

* AboveTheGods: Around 14,000 years ago (from modern Earth time), gods existed as physical beings that walked the Earth. Then an extraterrestrial being called "Sefar" came, killed many of those gods and caused major devastation before it's defeated. It results in the first decline of the "Age of Gods".

* AncientAstronauts: [[spoiler:The Twelve Pillars are implied by Titan Altera to possibly be alien in origin like her original self, Sefar.]]

* AnthropomorphicPersonification: The Twelve Pillars, the original Conceptual gods that serve as the basis for numerous deities and whom many gods are [[{{Reincarnation}} reincarnations of]] and [[PastLifeMemories retain the Pillars memories]]. The Olympians and Roman Pantheon are groups most associated with them as their direct reincarnations and can personally wield their weapons [[spoiler:such as the Sword of Mars, the sword taken by Altera as Sefar]].

* ChargeIntoCombatCut: [[spoiler:Both Cu Chulainn and Karna's substory ends with a CG of him confronting someone. In Cu's case, its Gilgamesh, in Karna's, its Sefar.]]

* ContractualBossImmunity: Played with and played straight. Both Sefar and the Core of the Velber Flagship are completely immune to status effects making it useless to have any skills that would inflict said effects equipped during those stages. It's played with since Sector Bosses and opposing Servants (both as normal enemies and as Sector Bosses) are still affected by status effects but they have a very high resistance to being inflicted by them making it conditional on whether or not you desire to try to see if you can inflict an effect on them.
* TheCorruption: [[spoiler:Sefar has the ability to mutate wild animals into giant monstrous beasts as her minions before it eventually kills the beast.]]

* DubNameChange: Artoria's name in the Japanese version is "Altria". Additionally, [[spoiler:Sefar was changed to Sefar in the localization.]]

* FinalBoss: [[spoiler:Sefar is the final boss for the first three main routes. In the true route, it's the Velber ship's core.]]

* {{Gotterdammerung}}: The backstory of this game reveals that the [[DeathOfTheOldGods true decline of the Age of Gods]] began 14,000 years ago, when the White Titan Sefar landed on Earth and proceeded to defeat the primordial Gods living there. From there, the surviving Gods were weakened enough that they eventually resorted to creating Gilgamesh in a last ditch effort to keep control of Humanity.

** Cruelly subverted in Nero's route. [[spoiler:Sure, her affection towards Hakuno keeps Nero strong and motivated to win the fight no matter what and face Sefar too, even with odds stacked against her, but once Mind!Hakuno almost disappears and gets reduced to a pitiful, almost brain-dead, state, she develops a ''massive'' HeroicBSOD and gets reduced to begging them to recover. While it's hinted they ''do'' recover in part, the fact that her timeline goes dark in the credits suggests that she won't be able to save the world.]]

** [[TakenForGranite Petrification]]: This is solely locked to Rider Medusa when she uses Breaker Gorgon as by chance it will petrify enemies for a few seconds, so far only opposing Servants, certain Sector Bosses and Sefar are immune to this by default.

* AncientAstronauts: [[spoiler:The Twelve Pillars are implied by Titan Altera to possibly be alien in origin like her original self, Sephyr.]]

* AnthropomorphicPersonification: The Twelve Pillars, the original Conceptual gods that serve as the basis for numerous deities and whom many gods are [[{{Reincarnation}} reincarnations of]] and [[PastLifeMemories retain the Pillars memories]]. The Olympians and Roman Pantheon are groups most associated with them as their direct reincarnations and can personally wield their weapons [[spoiler:such as the Sword of Mars, the sword taken by Altera as Sephyr]].

* ChargeIntoCombatCut: [[spoiler:Both Cu Chulainn and Karna's substory ends with a CG of him confronting someone. In Cu's case, its Gilgamesh, in Karna's, its Sephyr.]]

* ContractualBossImmunity: Played with and played straight. Both Sephyr and the Core of the Velber Flagship are completely immune to status effects making it useless to have any skills that would inflict said effects equipped during those stages. It's played with since Sector Bosses and opposing Servants (both as normal enemies and as Sector Bosses) are still affected by status effects but they have a very high resistance to being inflicted by them making it conditional on whether or not you desire to try to see if you can inflict an effect on them.
* TheCorruption: [[spoiler:Sephyr has the ability to mutate wild animals into giant monstrous beasts as her minions before it eventually kills the beast.]]

* DubNameChange: Artoria's name in the Japanese version is "Altria". Additionally, [[spoiler:Sefar was changed to Sephyr in the localization.]]

* FinalBoss: [[spoiler:Sephyr is the final boss for the first three main routes. In the true route, it's the Velber ship's core.]]

* LostInTranslation: [[spoiler:Changing Sefar's name to Sephyr removes the reference to [[http://www.fjexpeditions.com/tassili/frameset/sefar.html the actual god named Sefar]] who was depicted in a series of Neolithic cave paintings from the Sahara, tying to how Attila was found in the Sahara and hinting that the paintings of Sefar are actually paintings of Velber 02.]]

** Cruelly subverted in Nero's route. [[spoiler:Sure, her affection towards Hakuno keeps Nero strong and motivated to win the fight no matter what and face Sephyr too, even with odds stacked against her, but once Mind!Hakuno almost disappears and gets reduced to a pitiful, almost brain-dead, state, she develops a ''massive'' HeroicBSOD and gets reduced to begging them to recover. While it's hinted they ''do'' recover in part, the fact that her timeline goes dark in the credits suggests that she won't be able to save the world.]]

** [[TakenForGranite Petrification]]: This is solely locked to Rider Medusa when she uses Breaker Gorgon as by chance it will petrify enemies for a few seconds, so far only opposing Servants, certain Sector Bosses and Sephyr are immune to this by default.

* GenderFlip: Nero, Artoria, and Altera are gender flips of famous historical figures.

* LateArrivalSpoiler: Normally the identities of a Servant are closely guarded in-universe, and the setup for major spoilers or twists come out of it. This time all the Servants are named by their real names upfront. Archer being given the name "Nameless" is the only hidden identity... and he's from ''Fate/stay night'', so his identity is well known by now.

* {{Retcon}}: In the original ''Extra'', it was implied by WordOfGod that the reason magecraft faded away was because of a ritual to summon the Dark Six from the planned ''Tsukihime'' sequel that was not made yet. ''Last Encore'' and ''Extella'' reveal that it was the Harways performing an unknown ritual ''and'' the Age of Gods decline start with Velbers attack on earth.

* {{Retcon}}: In the original ''Extra'', it was implied by WordOfGod that the reason magic faded away was because of a ritual to summon the Dark Six from the planned ''Tsukihime'' sequel that was not made yet. Here, its instead stated to be because of the Velber Star hitting the earth.

* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: Opposing Servants are perfectly capable of using any of their attack finishers, or in better terms of saying it, any attack in their attack chains at any moment...without having to actually attack to use said moves. You actually have to attack without being knocked out of your attack chain to use any sort of finisher. Notable examples are Gilgamesh pulling out the actual use of Gate of Babylon from his normal attack chain which is the finisher as his first move and Nero using several of her mid-attack finishers freely. Completely avoided with some of the more rational Servants like Nameless, Karna and Jeanne who will attempt to pull out the finisher just like how you would by completing the entire attack chain most of the time if not all the time. Played UpToEleven when fighting Stage Bosses, some of them will attempt to use their Noble Phantasms several times whether or not their first attempt is successful. Artoria (when she's the FinalBoss in Nameless, Gawain and Gilgamesh's final side mission) as well as Gilgamesh or Iskandar (in Artoria's final side mission, the one you didn't defeat will auto-charge their Noble Phantasm if he isn't in SuperMode) will use their respective Noble Phantasm when the condition is met. In Artoria's case, once her HP has been depleted by about 30-35%, she'll start to charge her Noble Phantasm for the firs time. If you stall out the battle by damaging her but not quite defeating her, she'll continue to try to use her Noble Phantasm at random moments, meaning that you ''must'' keep the camera on her unless you want to be defeated in one blow (and be forced to used a Command Seal if you don't want to lose the mission). In the case of Gilgamesh and Iskandar, the one you didn't defeat will auto-charge their Noble Phantasm if he isn't in SuperMode. Delay the battle by not finishing the remaining Servant will cause said Servant to possibly recharge his Noble Phantasm for another use.

At a certain time, a great number of human "spirit hackers" digitally uploaded their souls from Earth to the Moon Cell to take part in a "Holy Grail War": [[ThereCanBeOnlyOne a single-elimination combat tournament]] where each "Master" was partnered with a Heroic Spirit "Servant", and fought alongside each other for the prize of [[MakeAWish a single wish]].

The Holy Grail War is now over. The victor has been granted the Regalia which signifies their divine authority over the Moon Cell, and its endless cyberscape is reformatting itself into a new world worthy of its ruler. Yet when it is discovered that there is more than one Regalia, a new civil war breaks out between the competing factions looking to claim the omnipotent power of the Moon Cell as their own.

The Moon Cell Automaton is an ancient and omniscient supercomputer whose function is [[AkashicRecords to observe and record the entirety of human history]]. Within its limitless databanks, the records of mythological figures who have become sufficiently venerated by human civilisation can be digitally recreated in the form of "Heroic Spirits", who bear the powers and armaments of their legends.

The Moon Cell Automaton is a ancient and omniscient supercomputer whose function is [[AkashicRecords to observe and record the entirety of human history]]. Within its limitless databanks, the records of mythological figures who have become sufficiently venerated by human civilisation can be digitally recreated in the form of "Heroic Spirits", who bear the powers and armaments of their legends.

The main conflict centers around Nero and Tamamo fighting against each other, aiming for control of the Moon Cell and Holy Grail. Meanwhile, Altera's faction has invaded to destroy civilization and [[VisualNovel/FateStayNight Artoria Pendragon]] has shown up to stop the three factions from fighting.

A sequel for [=PS4=] and Vita, ''VideoGame/FateExtellaLink'', was also announced with a planned release date on June 6, 2018 for Japan.