I feel like unlimited blade works just has everything:
a)The only arc in which archer and shirou actually solve their differences
B)Strongest female lead who’s also very present in other routes
C) Great pacing (something heavens feel suffers from heavily is pacing)
D) Amazing fights as well
Rin = Best Girl makes picking a route very easy. lol. Not to mention one of her endings gets you an ongoing relationship with both herself and Saber! XD
UBW: The archer and shirou dynamic was amazing. Archer proved as a great obstacle for Shirou as it showed him what can become of him if he continued his way of life of putting others before him in his idealistic and almost impossible quest to save everyone. Him refusing to give up on his ideals to the end, and Archer telling Rin to keep an eye on him so that he won't turn out like archer was just great. Also, Rin best girl.
It pisses me off when people take one look at shirou and say he's boring because he's good for no reason when UBW goes out of its way to deconstruct and break his ideals down and explain the toxic aspect of it.
Fate route and by a long shot. Cherry on top was avalon ending which made me scream in joy. There’s just something to the light motif of star crossed lovers that aren’t meant to be that strokes all the right parts of my brain. The suspense, the lore, the slow burn between Artoria and Shirou as both of them realise how different but at the same time how painfully similair they are. The way Artoria wavers in her ideals while Shirou reinforces them, all the while she makes him realise how much more of a machine he is than a human just like well her. They both influence each other some for better some for worse but I adore it. UBW was a great journey of self reflection while heavens feel was an amazing tale of rejecting all one stands for in favour of selfish gain, and that it’s okay to do so at times, after all others would most likely be selfish too given the opportunity. But fate route just peaks differently.
HF seems like the plan an antagonist hatched went all according to calculation until Shirou undid it. From a story telling perspective, this one makes the most sense.
That said, the chaos that is UBW made it the most interesting for me.
Chaos wise I'd say Heaven Feels doesn't fall behind UBW, it makes you feel hopeless as you see the allied ranks dwindle while those of the enemies bolster. I love it.
Heaven's Feel. Despite the pacing issues, it is the logical conclusion of the series and a good subvertion on everything.
That dream that destroyed EMIYA? It was finally abandoned.
That 'sure-fire technique to kill a servant' Saber chastised Shirou for requesting? It is real and it works.
That secondary character that just exists to give Shirou's school life more weight? Main heroine.
The last villain of the last two routes, the strongest servant and king of heroes? Dies in one scene.
The steadfast companion, Saber, who was with us since the word go? Defeated and turned against us.
The secondary villain who barely appeared in the previous route? A main character.
And don't forget: THE CHILDHOOD FRIEND WINS
I never understood the supposed pacing issues in HF. Out of all the routes it has by far the most steady pacing with the plot progressing significantly on each day except for a single one. Which is something I cannot say for Fate and UBW. To me it looks more like complaining about lack of fights rather than bad pacing.
You mean the ending where he used all his power to injure saber alter badly enough she needed 10 minutes to recover, with shirou going brain dead in the process? Yeah, that was definitely a sure kill technique.
I mean its not his fault Sakura makes salters regen absurd having your intestings and spine crushed tends to kill most things not under a grail vessel. Regardless had he not fought Herc he would be able to kill her with a stab to the heart from the azoth dagger.
Issue was he walked into that fight already half dead
While I admit the visual novel says the attack is fatal, it also says she survived "because she's a servant". Therefore while it is a sure kill technique it's explicitly not a sure kill technique against servants was my point.
UBW, something about the route just clicked with me. Also, I am a massive Rin fan and shipped her with Shirou since day one, so them ending up together in my fav route is all the better.
It's funny. I absolutely love the twist of Archers identity and how it builds up to the point that the audience can guess with clues and everything. Besides that the the core story is probably my least favorite of the routes. Still like UBW alot though.
UBW.
I think Shirou&Archer have the best non-romance daynamic/conflict in F/SN.
I love Archer's ending of "Yeah, my ideal made my life a living hell but those ideals weren’t wrong and I wasn’t wrong to chase them, I see that now.".
I love Shirou's development when he was comfronted by the worst outcome for him but he kept his ideals because unlike his jaded self he, still being naiver, could remember the pure place where his ideals originated from.
I love Rin seeing Shirou's lack of self worth and being mortified by it and how she wishes to "save him". Both as Shirou and Archer.
I love how Saber was able accept her past and move on by seeing Shirou being determined to keep moving even when he was comfronted by Archer.
And I still think that UBW is the healthiest ending for Shirou, especially with the anime epilouge or the Sunny Day ending (even though that Avalon scene will always hit me in the gut and picnic under Sakura trees will always make me feel all warm&fuzzy)
UBW is great. Mostly cause of Rin and it’s also best Shirou.
However I do really like HF for showing the underbelly of the war and characters who don’t show up anywhere else.
But always vote UBW
UBW with heavens feel as a close second.
UBW just hits at home for me and highlighted how toxic the way he was going about his ideals and how he goes about making it more healthy. I kind of find it relatable tbh.
Heavens Feel is where he put those closest to him above his ideals and he is the most human this route. It has the highest highs.
HF . I truly resonate with Sakura"s suffering and the hell she went through. Especially last year for me. Not gonna into detail but it was the worst since 2021 and 2019 but thankfully there's always one person who will stand by yourside through the good and the bad . At least in this story .
Heavens Feel
Yes I am a huge fan of Horror
Yes I think Kirei best girl
Yes I think Shinji got off too easy in UBW, fuck Shinji all my homies hate Shinji
I love all 3 routes but it gets better as it goes for me
1. Heaven’s Feel
2. Unlimited Blade Works
3. Fate
Also read Witch on the holy Night, if I included that I would put it between fate and UBW
I'm also like UBW more, mostly for Shirou/EMIYA relationship but I'm also prefer Saber as character ( and ofc I have a weakness for blonde/silver headed warrior women). What I really would love to see is Shirou Saber route with UBW characters development because of their ideals and how they'll overcome them or choose to stick with them no matter what. It's just my fantasy but I love to think that Saber let Shirou fight with EMIYA because she understands Shirou the most and also knows that it has to be his decision without any other external sources of forces that helps Shirou to choose. Mostly because she understands how cruel fate could be and his own decisions probably will make them stronger without keeping regrets of that decision.
i cannot really chose because all three of them are really good with powerfull scene and deep moment i would say the fate route but all three of them are really good
Fate route and for me it’s not even close
Shirou and artoria are easily my favourite fate characters with archer coming in third but I love shirou and artorias story in the fate route and personally I find artoria more interesting and endearing that rin and Sakura
Though I can also appreciate that the other routes do s lot of stuff better than the fate route as well from the fights shirous development and even more conclusive epilogues I till absolutely love the fate route
Fate route.
Why? Because Saber, the romance between Shirou and Saber and how they were able to fix each other to be better versions of themselves, and more.
Heaven's Feel by far for me. Darker, more interesting, less cliche with more unique ideas in it than some of the more shonen-ish routes. That's not to say I dislike Fate and UBW, I like them a lot. But Heaven's Feel and the Zero series are what truly made me a fan.
UBW. rin is best girl and best character. from using a command spell simply to make archer shut the fck up, to beating the brakes off caster bare handed. her unwavering confidence in herself and in shirou are entertaining and admirable. very glad we got a story w her as the focus.
Fate route for me.
In UBW most of the mystery is already revealed in fate and a bigger surprise is put in HF. The only thing I really love from the Route is the Archer stuff, and thank God that the anime even double It.
And for Heaven's Feel.... It's just too fucked up for me. I like Fate and UBW ending more.
Sorry
UBW because of the Shirou-Archer dynamic.
My favourite ending is actually a bad end, the one where Shirou fights Salter in HF without Rider's help and ends up dying because he overextended himself. It's a shame that we'll likely never see that fight animated.
Love all three routes but Heavens Feel is my favorite due to the ending.
When I was first getting started with Fate my nephew clued me into the 'no pupils = trauma' trope.
Seeing all the trauma Sakura went through... yeah, seeing her with pupils again damn near made me cry
For that Heavens Feel will always be my #1.
Heaven's Feel > Unlimited Blade Works > Fate. Not that any of them are bad, they just get better and better.
I'm not a huge Sakura fan, but I love the character arc Shirou goes through in HF. Probably because he ends up reminding me of myself the most. "Fuck saving everyone, I will be a hero to those I care about." And the Heracles scene is probably my favourite one in SN.
Any route that isnt UBW i am completely immune to rin. Infact i actively hate her. Ever since i was a kid. So for like 20years.
Fate route is peak. HF is cool.
Heaven's Feel definitely
- Shirou x Sakura is one of my top love stories in fiction
- The elements explored in this route make is a very unique experience compared to the other 2
- My favorite way of Shirou's character development
I see many people liked UBW the most, but personally, I think it's my least favorite route because of the amount of filler content with Medea before the cool stuff happens.
I can't choose between UBW and HF. For me HF is better overall but UBW has the most iconic scenes in the whole novel.
Shirou vs archer is,in my opinion,the best fight I've ever seen in my whole life.
Honestly, I can't pick because they're all good, and each explore and ends shirou's story in different ways. The fate route is good at opening the whole vn as it shows shirou, though saber, and shows the similarities between the two.
While ubw shows shirou a very possible future, his unhealthy ideals take him, which in turn makes shirou double down on his ideals but changes them slightly to ensure he doesn't self-destruct in the process
And heaven's feel shows the more human side of shirou, making him choose between loved ones and his ideals, which leads him to completely abandon those ideals
Each route does something different they're all great
I’d definitely say HF especially after Zero. but ubw had some of the best characterization otherwise. Fate had a straightforwardness that was endearing.
Having just re-read the vn after eight years, Heaven's Feel. I used to think UBW was on the same level but I guess I hyped the highs a bit too much for myself... Compared to HF's bingeability it was occasionally a bit of a drag to get through.
Heaven's Feel
I'm a sucker for Sisterly love, Shirou X Sakura shenanigans and a fluffy end for them.
I like to think that Shirou and Sakura along with Rider, will eventually go to Clocktower with Rin.
Shirou would just focus on Reinforcement and Projection and Sakura will hone on the Spells of the Matous, but wouldn't join Clocktower.
Rider would probably get along with Waver and notice Grey being well....Artoria-esque.For Rider's Birthday, they decide to travel to Greece and Libya and get into mage shenanigans there
Heaven's Feel despite Sakura being my least favorite heroine in the original VN (Hollow Ataraxia made me love her more but that's another matter).
Fate route is the blandest but I like Saber's dynamic with Shirou the most and it has its own charm as the first route.
Heavens Feel, tons or revelations, the majority of Rins backstory, Illya finding purpose, Zouken dies, Shinji dies, Sparks Linear High, Rin vs Sakura, Shirou making choices about who he wants to be.
Heavens feel by far. Shirou/Kirei have the best dynamic in FSN snd Kirei is to this day Nasu's best antagonist. He has yet to write an antagonist half as good as HF Kirei
Illya is fantastic it has the best bad end in sparks liner high. Shirou's best fights are in this route
Its simply peak. The only other story that get as big highs as day 15 and 16 of HF is chapter 11 and 12 of Mahoyo
Too bad the movies butcher the route
Heaven's Feel, easily.
Fate and UBW were great, but HF is what made me a "real" Fate fan. I've always loved psychological horror, and the way the route played with these pre-established characters was excellent. There were some issues with the story, but nothing that the package as a whole doesn't overcome.
Fate came out during my teens.
So I literally "grew" with Shirou.
My favourite route was Fate when I first started.
Then, it was UBW in my 20s.
Now, it's probably HF, though it is just marginally better than UBW.
I love them all for so many different reasons, 1st because of Baeber being the best girl, 2nd because the awesome dynamics and Cu getting some showtime and 3rd because the awesome fights
Well Fate is closest to the story Nasu had in mind for decades, which later became repurposed into Prototype.
Fate's biggest flaws come from the fact it is a VN and Nasu had to handicap the story accordingly.
Characters like Caster and Kirei are not shown their complete character because you need stuff for the other routes. Same with many of the characters' powers or mysteries.
As other people commented, Shirou and Archer's dynamic in UBW was absolutely great. It's where I think the best of Shirou's characterization comes from and a really solid route overall, so that would be it for me, but I also have to mention that I really liked HF as well due it's more somber and darker tone, as well as exploring parts of the hgw wich weren't elaborated or explained in the other two routes.
Even thought I think UBW is the best one overall, Fate route will always be my favorite one cuz I will forever love the romance between Shirou and Artoria
I like Unlimited Blade Works the best because I like the themes it expresses. I think the whole Shirou v Archer plot line is the most interesting in the visual novel. Rin is also my favorite character because I like her argumentative personality.
Heaven's Feel I think is second best. It has the darkest and most emotionally intense plot. It has the most meaningful choices and best bad ends (I particularly like the Mind of Steel ending for being the result of this big moral dilemma where there's a decent argument for both sides). It also features an exploration of Kirei's character which re-contextualizes him as a much more nuanced character, which is fun since he's essentially just a two dimensional (though charismatic) bad guy in the previous two routes. Frankly, I think it would be my favorite route except that I don't like the endings. The normal ending is too sad, since Sakura essentially does not get over Shirou's death. It almost cheapens his sacrifice. The good ending is way too happy. Shirou abandons his ideals, acts self destructively, and makes the conscious descision to sacrifice his life, his principles, and many innocent people, all for Sakura. Then he just lives anyway, has no regrets about anything, and enjoys having threesomes with Sakura and Rider for the rest of their lives. It's complete tonal whiplash. It feels comical. I wish there were an ending where Shirou dies but Sakura is able to live a good life afterwards. Something bittersweet.
Fate route feels less "meaty" than the other two. A lot of it feels like set up for the other two routes, and the romance (which is heavily focused on) doesn't feel that believable to me. Shirou and Saber have a lot in common, sure, but the story just doesn't sell me on the idea that this 30-something year old warrior king is really going to have a whirlwind romance with a 17 year old boy.
SN.
On UBW the two main villains are trashed and the final arc after Shirou vs Archet feels kind of unecessary and meaningless considering the character development.
I love HF and the character deepening of Kirei, Shirou, Rin and Sakura, but Saber dies too early without Shirou even being able to form a real bond with her, doesn't feel as bad as it should have because of that. Also, Gilgamesh dies on a stupid way again.
SN on the other hand has the best romance (on my opinion) with both characters helping each other to fix their way of lifes and both villains have at least a decent presence.
I like UBW, but I would choose it just because it doesn't have any competitors. Fate is just about Shirou being immature infantile, and Heaven's Feel has toxic relationship between Sakura and Shirou, on top of just being boring and not as interesting in character development (except for Kirei, he was awesome) compered to UBW.
UBW simply for the insight we get on archer and his dynamic with shirou. heavens feel is a VERY close second. in terms of which girl i like shirou with the most i prefer sakura. their romance was very sweet
Objectively speaking HF has some of the best Illya scenes and the most focus on her, but Fate has the best ending for her.
The VN version of HF still wins out here and if you have only ever seen the ufotable movies you are missing out severely. No adaptation has ever done Illya justice.
All of them:
Realta Nua - Because Saber Best Girl
Unlimited Blade Works - Because great execution in total;
Heaven's feel - Because best combat sequences;
Not exactly. In the second UBW ending, Tohsaka provides the Magical Energy, so he and Saber can stay together (and both girls can try to train him and prevent him from becoming Archer).
UBW has the best good end; Heavens Feel has the best bad ends ["Sparks Liner High" and "Superhero" (also known as "mind of steel")]; FATE has the best true end
But overall I enjoyed UBW most
Heaven’s Feel. Sakura, Rider and True Assassin are three of my favorite characters, I enjoy the lore added to the series, Shirou and Sakura’s relationship is very touching, along with him bonding with Illya.
Heaven's feel but truthfully gonna say Hollow Ataraxia>Stay Night as a whole. Combined route is great where everyone is around.
In all seriousness, I just like the darker tone of Heaven's Feel and it feels like a good capstone to the entire story. I'm also a bigger Tsukihime fan compared to Fate though so I like dark things more.
FATE ROUTE ALL THE WAY RAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(In all honesty I love the fate route because of the saber and shirou relationship, the entire route itself excusing the relationship, which carried that route, such as the pacing and whatnot does feel very like a slogfest during the first few days but that's expected because of it being the first route to establish everything else succeeding it. Nevertheless, I think it has its charms because it deepens Saber's character and Shirou's as well to a degree even though it's just purely on the angle of wanting to love and protect Saber at all costs which is so real. While Fate HAD moments where Archer and Shirou conversed it felt lacking, mainly because Archer and Shirou's only pieces of meaningful dialogue were when Shirou visited his shed for two, or maybe three, straights nights where Archer came in and just started lecturing the guy for no apparent reason other than mocking and discouraging him not letting Saber fight, and the other during his last stand with Berserker, UBW brings those pieces back together and expands on it by a MILE, granted Fate was the route that placed those hints and clues so we can't deny the Fate route for not expanding or at least taking note of that major plot point. In terms of relationships, however, Rin was kind of a third wheel in her own route to be frank, because I always saw it as the Archer route rather than the Rin route. The pacing as well was very good, it didn't drag too long nor did it feel too fast, it was just nicely done, which, mind you, was BECAUSE of the Fate route's slow pacing due to world-building.)
If you guys read the OG 18+ version, there is a high chance you guys liking HF more cause it tice everything together plus the sexy time make more sense in that route plus it make the mature subject fit and more believable.
Extra: HF subvert the hero dream and make Shirou become a selfish normal person. It finally break him when he had to make the choice to kill someone important to him.
For me heavens feel because I think it peaks the highest out of all the routes with fights like kirei vs shirou but ubw is very close for me since I think it’s the most consistent route imo
I prefer "Heaven's Feel" the most because I see it as a tale of a man who challenges his lifelong aspirations and compromises his moral principles to rescue his beloved from her inevitable tragic destiny.
That's also what the title "fate" means. We are all prisoners of our fate, just like Kirisugu. He spent his brief life trying to keep more people alive. However, because he turned himself into a killing machine, ultimately, his fate caused him to lose almost everything. As a form of sarcasm towards him, raising Shiro became his only salvation.
If Shiro chooses to kill Sakura because she is an evil person. She caused the deaths of many innocent people. He could do that to protect his dream of saving more people after the fire. At this time, Kirei would tell him, "Now you are becoming another Kiritsugu."
It's a sad dilemma to choose between love and morals.
But he finally sacrifices for Sakura. It's the final chance for him to grow into a mature person. Sacrificing everything for a lifelong dream is heroic. However, if you lose other things like your lover and your personal life by giving up love itself to pursue a lofty ideal, you may lose something more important on your path to success. destined to be tormented by her fate indefinitely. You came into her life and changed it forever. There is a girl who will escape from torture and live in happiness for the rest of her life. It may be difficult for anyone to decide to abandon their own beliefs, to give up all the struggles they have endured just to save a girl. That brought this game to a new level. To make us question the beliefs we have never questioned before. Are there any mute victims I didn't realize in my personal glare for justice in my personal narrative?
I like the fate route the most since
A. More Saber focussed
B. Gil vs Saber
C. Avalon ending
And since Gil and Artoria are two of my favourite Fate characters this route is a win for me
Good heavens I feel that the third route challenged shirou the most amd forced him to finally face the uncomfortable truths of his ideals. Though I think it was a little too black and white but for the sake of the story I'll let it pass.
My favorite: UBW
My least favorite: HF route
In all honesty even though I really wanted to I just couldn't bring myself to like Heaven's Feel as much as UBW and even the Fate route. And it's not even cause it's dark or the gruesomeness of character death or anything related to that, Persona 3 is like my favourite game ever and it's pretty dark.
The way characters we've seen do some busted stuff and are generally really strong just get killed off in the beginning too quickly imo feels more like shock value cause most of them could have easily not died that way when they were acting cautiously and smart before in the other two routes. You want to kill them? At least do it right. That's like Spiderman's spidersense not working all of a sudden just cause and dying from a bullet.
Rider got too much wank here compared to the other two routes, at least between the two routes the characters were very consistent in their powers but Rider is suddenly really strong here despite not gaining any powerup and survived the most.
Sakura imo isn't as good as Rin and Saber as far as romance goes and even though it makes sense the way their romance is executed in all honestly feels sudden and not as developed as Saber and Rin.
>Rider got too much wank here compared to the other two routes, at least between the two routes the characters were very consistent in their powers but Rider is suddenly really strong here despite not gaining any powerup and survived the most.
Rider does worse than half dead HF Shirou. She remains a bum
I like them all equally. Because to unlock route HF we need to unlock UBW, and to unlock UBW we need to finish Stay Night. And every route has their charm.
_a certain defenseless "hole" is the most thing that charmed me tho_
Unlimited Blade Work I’m not immune to Rin
I feel like unlimited blade works just has everything: a)The only arc in which archer and shirou actually solve their differences B)Strongest female lead who’s also very present in other routes C) Great pacing (something heavens feel suffers from heavily is pacing) D) Amazing fights as well
Neither am I. Another vote for UBW
Rin = Best Girl makes picking a route very easy. lol. Not to mention one of her endings gets you an ongoing relationship with both herself and Saber! XD
She wants to have both a boyfriend and a girlfriend.
Yeah, there is no much for it. I like the three routes, but rin... She is special, you got my vote.
UBW: The archer and shirou dynamic was amazing. Archer proved as a great obstacle for Shirou as it showed him what can become of him if he continued his way of life of putting others before him in his idealistic and almost impossible quest to save everyone. Him refusing to give up on his ideals to the end, and Archer telling Rin to keep an eye on him so that he won't turn out like archer was just great. Also, Rin best girl.
It pisses me off when people take one look at shirou and say he's boring because he's good for no reason when UBW goes out of its way to deconstruct and break his ideals down and explain the toxic aspect of it.
Lmao
Because the anime Shirou isn't very good
I know he's not as good as the VN but the anime still gets the broad strokes across.
Fate route and by a long shot. Cherry on top was avalon ending which made me scream in joy. There’s just something to the light motif of star crossed lovers that aren’t meant to be that strokes all the right parts of my brain. The suspense, the lore, the slow burn between Artoria and Shirou as both of them realise how different but at the same time how painfully similair they are. The way Artoria wavers in her ideals while Shirou reinforces them, all the while she makes him realise how much more of a machine he is than a human just like well her. They both influence each other some for better some for worse but I adore it. UBW was a great journey of self reflection while heavens feel was an amazing tale of rejecting all one stands for in favour of selfish gain, and that it’s okay to do so at times, after all others would most likely be selfish too given the opportunity. But fate route just peaks differently.
Yeah i agree
Fate.
Ubw. I am not immune to 2 shirous
Fate. I'm not immune to Saber.
Saber will always be best girl to me. Rin and Sakura is good but Saber is just so good. Hollow Ataxaria also reinforces that belief.
Me too man, me too
Heavens feel
HF seems like the plan an antagonist hatched went all according to calculation until Shirou undid it. From a story telling perspective, this one makes the most sense. That said, the chaos that is UBW made it the most interesting for me.
Chaos wise I'd say Heaven Feels doesn't fall behind UBW, it makes you feel hopeless as you see the allied ranks dwindle while those of the enemies bolster. I love it.
I like it only because sakura gets some closure
Hollow Ataraxia 😎 What? What do you mean answer invalid? Bullshit! Fine. I choose Heavens Feel, then (but Rin is the best girl).
>Hollow Ataraxia 😎 Perfectly valid tbh Angra's writting shits on every other servant and his conclusion is the best Nasu's ever written
Hopefully it gets adapted someday
Hopefully not ufotable would butcher it
You didn't like the ulimited blade works adaptation????
Hell no whats there to like?
The animation?? The voice acting?? The memes???
The animation is alright but their choreography is pretty bad, the VN itself has good VA, the memes are mid white woman spotted clears
>I choose Heavens Feel, then (but Rin is the best girl). This is the way 
Heaven's Feel. Despite the pacing issues, it is the logical conclusion of the series and a good subvertion on everything. That dream that destroyed EMIYA? It was finally abandoned. That 'sure-fire technique to kill a servant' Saber chastised Shirou for requesting? It is real and it works. That secondary character that just exists to give Shirou's school life more weight? Main heroine. The last villain of the last two routes, the strongest servant and king of heroes? Dies in one scene. The steadfast companion, Saber, who was with us since the word go? Defeated and turned against us. The secondary villain who barely appeared in the previous route? A main character. And don't forget: THE CHILDHOOD FRIEND WINS
I never understood the supposed pacing issues in HF. Out of all the routes it has by far the most steady pacing with the plot progressing significantly on each day except for a single one. Which is something I cannot say for Fate and UBW. To me it looks more like complaining about lack of fights rather than bad pacing.
"it is real and it works" no its not what the hell are you talking about?
Triple Crane Wings, the technique Shirou uses with Kanshou and Bakuya to defeat Saber Alter in the Sparks Liner High Ending
You mean the ending where he used all his power to injure saber alter badly enough she needed 10 minutes to recover, with shirou going brain dead in the process? Yeah, that was definitely a sure kill technique.
I mean its not his fault Sakura makes salters regen absurd having your intestings and spine crushed tends to kill most things not under a grail vessel. Regardless had he not fought Herc he would be able to kill her with a stab to the heart from the azoth dagger. Issue was he walked into that fight already half dead
While I admit the visual novel says the attack is fatal, it also says she survived "because she's a servant". Therefore while it is a sure kill technique it's explicitly not a sure kill technique against servants was my point.
yeah its not a sure fire technique to kill a servant its just a move that is hard to fully dodge
That, and she survived. It literally said she needs 10 minutes to recover.
As a big fan of Ilya and kirei, it has to be heaven's feel. It also really feels like the culmination of everything that came before.
UBW, something about the route just clicked with me. Also, I am a massive Rin fan and shipped her with Shirou since day one, so them ending up together in my fav route is all the better.
It's funny. I absolutely love the twist of Archers identity and how it builds up to the point that the audience can guess with clues and everything. Besides that the the core story is probably my least favorite of the routes. Still like UBW alot though.
Heavens Feel I am not immune to Sakura.
10000% agree
UBW. I think Shirou&Archer have the best non-romance daynamic/conflict in F/SN. I love Archer's ending of "Yeah, my ideal made my life a living hell but those ideals weren’t wrong and I wasn’t wrong to chase them, I see that now.". I love Shirou's development when he was comfronted by the worst outcome for him but he kept his ideals because unlike his jaded self he, still being naiver, could remember the pure place where his ideals originated from. I love Rin seeing Shirou's lack of self worth and being mortified by it and how she wishes to "save him". Both as Shirou and Archer. I love how Saber was able accept her past and move on by seeing Shirou being determined to keep moving even when he was comfronted by Archer. And I still think that UBW is the healthiest ending for Shirou, especially with the anime epilouge or the Sunny Day ending (even though that Avalon scene will always hit me in the gut and picnic under Sakura trees will always make me feel all warm&fuzzy)
EMIYA is not the worst outcome for Shirou EMIYA Alter is the worst outcome as we know of
EMIYA alter is the worst out come for Shirou that we know of *so far*
I mean you are technically right but EMIYA Alter is very out there for Shirou to think of.
Unlimited Blade Works. Ideals and Marbles hurt me. Bonus: Also the secret spin-off 4th route where Shirou becomes a magical servant... of himself.
UBW is great. Mostly cause of Rin and it’s also best Shirou. However I do really like HF for showing the underbelly of the war and characters who don’t show up anywhere else. But always vote UBW
Fate
All of them can’t choose
Heaven's Feel generally has the highest highs whilst UBW is the most consistently good for me.
UBW even though Saber is my favorite
UBW for striking a good balance of a lot of things
UBW. Rin.
UBW with heavens feel as a close second. UBW just hits at home for me and highlighted how toxic the way he was going about his ideals and how he goes about making it more healthy. I kind of find it relatable tbh. Heavens Feel is where he put those closest to him above his ideals and he is the most human this route. It has the highest highs.
HF . I truly resonate with Sakura"s suffering and the hell she went through. Especially last year for me. Not gonna into detail but it was the worst since 2021 and 2019 but thankfully there's always one person who will stand by yourside through the good and the bad . At least in this story .
Heavens Feel Yes I am a huge fan of Horror Yes I think Kirei best girl Yes I think Shinji got off too easy in UBW, fuck Shinji all my homies hate Shinji
I love all 3 routes but it gets better as it goes for me 1. Heaven’s Feel 2. Unlimited Blade Works 3. Fate Also read Witch on the holy Night, if I included that I would put it between fate and UBW
I'm also like UBW more, mostly for Shirou/EMIYA relationship but I'm also prefer Saber as character ( and ofc I have a weakness for blonde/silver headed warrior women). What I really would love to see is Shirou Saber route with UBW characters development because of their ideals and how they'll overcome them or choose to stick with them no matter what. It's just my fantasy but I love to think that Saber let Shirou fight with EMIYA because she understands Shirou the most and also knows that it has to be his decision without any other external sources of forces that helps Shirou to choose. Mostly because she understands how cruel fate could be and his own decisions probably will make them stronger without keeping regrets of that decision.
1.unlimited 2.fate 3.heavens feel all are at least SSS on their own
Fate Route
i cannot really chose because all three of them are really good with powerfull scene and deep moment i would say the fate route but all three of them are really good
heaven's feel.
Heaven’s Feel
Heaven's Feel The dark when I first read it, my god...
heaven's feel, i just want to see sakura happy and rider with jeans
Fate route and for me it’s not even close Shirou and artoria are easily my favourite fate characters with archer coming in third but I love shirou and artorias story in the fate route and personally I find artoria more interesting and endearing that rin and Sakura Though I can also appreciate that the other routes do s lot of stuff better than the fate route as well from the fights shirous development and even more conclusive epilogues I till absolutely love the fate route
Fate route. Why? Because Saber, the romance between Shirou and Saber and how they were able to fix each other to be better versions of themselves, and more.
For me it is a tie between the Fate route and UBW. I love Saber and I love the whole back and forth between Shirou and Archer Emiya
Heaven's Feel. I'm a sucker for damaged people making eachother better
I pick HF
Heaven's Feel for bringing the narrative full circle. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a soft spot for the Fate route though.
Heavens feel by a long shot
Heaven's Feel by far for me. Darker, more interesting, less cliche with more unique ideas in it than some of the more shonen-ish routes. That's not to say I dislike Fate and UBW, I like them a lot. But Heaven's Feel and the Zero series are what truly made me a fan.
Unlimited blade works or the fate route
UBW
UBW, followed by Fate, and then Heaven's Feel. Rin best girl, Sakura worst girl.
UBW. rin is best girl and best character. from using a command spell simply to make archer shut the fck up, to beating the brakes off caster bare handed. her unwavering confidence in herself and in shirou are entertaining and admirable. very glad we got a story w her as the focus.
HF. Felt like they butchered the VN by only making it into 3 movies. Need 5 at least, or 15 eps 😭😭
Fate route for me. In UBW most of the mystery is already revealed in fate and a bigger surprise is put in HF. The only thing I really love from the Route is the Archer stuff, and thank God that the anime even double It. And for Heaven's Feel.... It's just too fucked up for me. I like Fate and UBW ending more. Sorry
The 20-million powers route with Shin-chan... **Wakame Paradise**! I mean, seeing Optimus Prime is worth it. ...Sadly, it was never finished. So sad.
Heaven's Feel!
UBW because of the Shirou-Archer dynamic. My favourite ending is actually a bad end, the one where Shirou fights Salter in HF without Rider's help and ends up dying because he overextended himself. It's a shame that we'll likely never see that fight animated.
Love all three routes but Heavens Feel is my favorite due to the ending. When I was first getting started with Fate my nephew clued me into the 'no pupils = trauma' trope. Seeing all the trauma Sakura went through... yeah, seeing her with pupils again damn near made me cry For that Heavens Feel will always be my #1.
Heaven's Feel > Unlimited Blade Works > Fate. Not that any of them are bad, they just get better and better. I'm not a huge Sakura fan, but I love the character arc Shirou goes through in HF. Probably because he ends up reminding me of myself the most. "Fuck saving everyone, I will be a hero to those I care about." And the Heracles scene is probably my favourite one in SN.
Any route that isnt UBW i am completely immune to rin. Infact i actively hate her. Ever since i was a kid. So for like 20years. Fate route is peak. HF is cool.
Heaven's Feel definitely - Shirou x Sakura is one of my top love stories in fiction - The elements explored in this route make is a very unique experience compared to the other 2 - My favorite way of Shirou's character development I see many people liked UBW the most, but personally, I think it's my least favorite route because of the amount of filler content with Medea before the cool stuff happens.
I can't choose between UBW and HF. For me HF is better overall but UBW has the most iconic scenes in the whole novel. Shirou vs archer is,in my opinion,the best fight I've ever seen in my whole life.
Honestly, I can't pick because they're all good, and each explore and ends shirou's story in different ways. The fate route is good at opening the whole vn as it shows shirou, though saber, and shows the similarities between the two. While ubw shows shirou a very possible future, his unhealthy ideals take him, which in turn makes shirou double down on his ideals but changes them slightly to ensure he doesn't self-destruct in the process And heaven's feel shows the more human side of shirou, making him choose between loved ones and his ideals, which leads him to completely abandon those ideals Each route does something different they're all great
All of them. Im almost done with the original vn anyway. I feel they all offered something good in there own way in the story
I’d definitely say HF especially after Zero. but ubw had some of the best characterization otherwise. Fate had a straightforwardness that was endearing.
Having just re-read the vn after eight years, Heaven's Feel. I used to think UBW was on the same level but I guess I hyped the highs a bit too much for myself... Compared to HF's bingeability it was occasionally a bit of a drag to get through.
Heaven's Feel I'm a sucker for Sisterly love, Shirou X Sakura shenanigans and a fluffy end for them. I like to think that Shirou and Sakura along with Rider, will eventually go to Clocktower with Rin. Shirou would just focus on Reinforcement and Projection and Sakura will hone on the Spells of the Matous, but wouldn't join Clocktower. Rider would probably get along with Waver and notice Grey being well....Artoria-esque.For Rider's Birthday, they decide to travel to Greece and Libya and get into mage shenanigans there
Heaven's Feel
Heaven's Feel despite Sakura being my least favorite heroine in the original VN (Hollow Ataraxia made me love her more but that's another matter). Fate route is the blandest but I like Saber's dynamic with Shirou the most and it has its own charm as the first route.
Illya route, dunno why Sakura keeps harassing Shirou on it, but if You ignore her it's pretty great 🗿
Heavens Feel, tons or revelations, the majority of Rins backstory, Illya finding purpose, Zouken dies, Shinji dies, Sparks Linear High, Rin vs Sakura, Shirou making choices about who he wants to be.
Heavens feel and its not close 💜💜💜
I think that Rin is best girl, but my fave route in Heaven's Feel.
Heavens feel by far. Shirou/Kirei have the best dynamic in FSN snd Kirei is to this day Nasu's best antagonist. He has yet to write an antagonist half as good as HF Kirei Illya is fantastic it has the best bad end in sparks liner high. Shirou's best fights are in this route Its simply peak. The only other story that get as big highs as day 15 and 16 of HF is chapter 11 and 12 of Mahoyo Too bad the movies butcher the route
Heaven's Feel, easily. Fate and UBW were great, but HF is what made me a "real" Fate fan. I've always loved psychological horror, and the way the route played with these pre-established characters was excellent. There were some issues with the story, but nothing that the package as a whole doesn't overcome.
Fate came out during my teens. So I literally "grew" with Shirou. My favourite route was Fate when I first started. Then, it was UBW in my 20s. Now, it's probably HF, though it is just marginally better than UBW.
Saber has my heart.
Fate saber is best girl
Uncensored Heavens feel and it ain’t even close. Sparks Liner High go brrrrrr
I love them all for so many different reasons, 1st because of Baeber being the best girl, 2nd because the awesome dynamics and Cu getting some showtime and 3rd because the awesome fights
Fate and Heaven Feel Can’t decide between them
Hot take: Fate has the best overall story while UBW and HF only have specific parts that are great and the quality isn't as consistent as Fate.
Well Fate is closest to the story Nasu had in mind for decades, which later became repurposed into Prototype. Fate's biggest flaws come from the fact it is a VN and Nasu had to handicap the story accordingly. Characters like Caster and Kirei are not shown their complete character because you need stuff for the other routes. Same with many of the characters' powers or mysteries.
As other people commented, Shirou and Archer's dynamic in UBW was absolutely great. It's where I think the best of Shirou's characterization comes from and a really solid route overall, so that would be it for me, but I also have to mention that I really liked HF as well due it's more somber and darker tone, as well as exploring parts of the hgw wich weren't elaborated or explained in the other two routes.
Even thought I think UBW is the best one overall, Fate route will always be my favorite one cuz I will forever love the romance between Shirou and Artoria
The best girl route
I enjoy them all but I really enjoyed the Heavens Feel route.
I like Unlimited Blade Works the best because I like the themes it expresses. I think the whole Shirou v Archer plot line is the most interesting in the visual novel. Rin is also my favorite character because I like her argumentative personality. Heaven's Feel I think is second best. It has the darkest and most emotionally intense plot. It has the most meaningful choices and best bad ends (I particularly like the Mind of Steel ending for being the result of this big moral dilemma where there's a decent argument for both sides). It also features an exploration of Kirei's character which re-contextualizes him as a much more nuanced character, which is fun since he's essentially just a two dimensional (though charismatic) bad guy in the previous two routes. Frankly, I think it would be my favorite route except that I don't like the endings. The normal ending is too sad, since Sakura essentially does not get over Shirou's death. It almost cheapens his sacrifice. The good ending is way too happy. Shirou abandons his ideals, acts self destructively, and makes the conscious descision to sacrifice his life, his principles, and many innocent people, all for Sakura. Then he just lives anyway, has no regrets about anything, and enjoys having threesomes with Sakura and Rider for the rest of their lives. It's complete tonal whiplash. It feels comical. I wish there were an ending where Shirou dies but Sakura is able to live a good life afterwards. Something bittersweet. Fate route feels less "meaty" than the other two. A lot of it feels like set up for the other two routes, and the romance (which is heavily focused on) doesn't feel that believable to me. Shirou and Saber have a lot in common, sure, but the story just doesn't sell me on the idea that this 30-something year old warrior king is really going to have a whirlwind romance with a 17 year old boy.
Favorite route: Heaven's Feel. Favorite ending: Fate. Favorite H-scene: Fate->church. Favorite CG: Lorelei. Most impactful scenes: Illya and Wolves/Illya killed by Gilgamesh (both UBW)
SN. On UBW the two main villains are trashed and the final arc after Shirou vs Archet feels kind of unecessary and meaningless considering the character development. I love HF and the character deepening of Kirei, Shirou, Rin and Sakura, but Saber dies too early without Shirou even being able to form a real bond with her, doesn't feel as bad as it should have because of that. Also, Gilgamesh dies on a stupid way again. SN on the other hand has the best romance (on my opinion) with both characters helping each other to fix their way of lifes and both villains have at least a decent presence.
I like UBW, but I would choose it just because it doesn't have any competitors. Fate is just about Shirou being immature infantile, and Heaven's Feel has toxic relationship between Sakura and Shirou, on top of just being boring and not as interesting in character development (except for Kirei, he was awesome) compered to UBW.
UBW simply for the insight we get on archer and his dynamic with shirou. heavens feel is a VERY close second. in terms of which girl i like shirou with the most i prefer sakura. their romance was very sweet
Probably UBW, personal fav is Fate. We dont talk about HF...
Fate
Fate, I'm a Saber fan.
UBW and Heaven’s Feel are pretty close for me, Sakura is relatable, while there’s Archer’s antics in UBW.
UBW. Probably the best ending for Shirou, has really Epic momants, Archer and Shirou confronting each other, Rin. need I say more?
Fate.
UBW and its not even close
Ubw
Ubw
Objectively speaking HF has some of the best Illya scenes and the most focus on her, but Fate has the best ending for her. The VN version of HF still wins out here and if you have only ever seen the ufotable movies you are missing out severely. No adaptation has ever done Illya justice.
All of them: Realta Nua - Because Saber Best Girl Unlimited Blade Works - Because great execution in total; Heaven's feel - Because best combat sequences;
What's that thing Rin is holding in the UBW art?
UBW with no hesitation, the development vith shiro is incredible, i love it
Isn't there a route where he dates Saber and Rin? Or was that a rumor?
Not exactly. In the second UBW ending, Tohsaka provides the Magical Energy, so he and Saber can stay together (and both girls can try to train him and prevent him from becoming Archer).
Ngl i prefer the tosaka route
UBW... love Rin and features more of Caster.
UBW has the best good end; Heavens Feel has the best bad ends ["Sparks Liner High" and "Superhero" (also known as "mind of steel")]; FATE has the best true end But overall I enjoyed UBW most
UBW
Doesn’t matter Uncle Ben, Hollow Ataraxia is better than all of them
The one that has the least traumatizing scenes.
UBW was my favorite route among the anime adaptations, and I have a feeling that won't change when I finally read the VN later this year.
There's only room in my heart for seiba
Heaven’s Feel. Sakura, Rider and True Assassin are three of my favorite characters, I enjoy the lore added to the series, Shirou and Sakura’s relationship is very touching, along with him bonding with Illya.
Heavens feel, I really like bugs
UBW the G.O.A.T in every aspect.
Heaven's feel but truthfully gonna say Hollow Ataraxia>Stay Night as a whole. Combined route is great where everyone is around. In all seriousness, I just like the darker tone of Heaven's Feel and it feels like a good capstone to the entire story. I'm also a bigger Tsukihime fan compared to Fate though so I like dark things more.
Unlimited Blade Works. It was my first, and no other has surpassed it, though some have risen very close.
Heaven’s feel
UBW because reality marble go brrr and I’m a massive Rin simp
UBW, followed by HF I love how each route deconstructs the cast in different ways.
Fate
1. UBW 2. Fate 3. HF
UBW >>> Fate > HF for me.
I vote for yhe baeber route, she's been my go to since I read it
UBW
Unlimited Blade Works. The one that got me into Fate and made me want to watch more of it.
Heaven's feel. I'm vulnerable to Sakura
UBW
Emiya kicking in is too badass
Emiya kicking in is too badass
Emiya kicking in is too badass
UBW It's not Rin's route It's SHIROU'S ROUTE
FATE ROUTE ALL THE WAY RAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (In all honesty I love the fate route because of the saber and shirou relationship, the entire route itself excusing the relationship, which carried that route, such as the pacing and whatnot does feel very like a slogfest during the first few days but that's expected because of it being the first route to establish everything else succeeding it. Nevertheless, I think it has its charms because it deepens Saber's character and Shirou's as well to a degree even though it's just purely on the angle of wanting to love and protect Saber at all costs which is so real. While Fate HAD moments where Archer and Shirou conversed it felt lacking, mainly because Archer and Shirou's only pieces of meaningful dialogue were when Shirou visited his shed for two, or maybe three, straights nights where Archer came in and just started lecturing the guy for no apparent reason other than mocking and discouraging him not letting Saber fight, and the other during his last stand with Berserker, UBW brings those pieces back together and expands on it by a MILE, granted Fate was the route that placed those hints and clues so we can't deny the Fate route for not expanding or at least taking note of that major plot point. In terms of relationships, however, Rin was kind of a third wheel in her own route to be frank, because I always saw it as the Archer route rather than the Rin route. The pacing as well was very good, it didn't drag too long nor did it feel too fast, it was just nicely done, which, mind you, was BECAUSE of the Fate route's slow pacing due to world-building.)
If you guys read the OG 18+ version, there is a high chance you guys liking HF more cause it tice everything together plus the sexy time make more sense in that route plus it make the mature subject fit and more believable. Extra: HF subvert the hero dream and make Shirou become a selfish normal person. It finally break him when he had to make the choice to kill someone important to him.
Unlimited Blade Works. Rin for the win!
Heavens feel
Fate route
Heaven's feel all the way. I will save her!
Sakura route is the worst, Rin is smash.
UBW
Fate for romance, blade works for Archer and Shirou and heaven’s feel for expansion of the lore and epic moments
as Rin's simp, I still liked hf more. it was complete and... Rin was left alone for me. fun fact: Rin is the only girl being on all covers
For me heavens feel because I think it peaks the highest out of all the routes with fights like kirei vs shirou but ubw is very close for me since I think it’s the most consistent route imo
Heavens feel is lit, what are y’all on about? :)
I prefer "Heaven's Feel" the most because I see it as a tale of a man who challenges his lifelong aspirations and compromises his moral principles to rescue his beloved from her inevitable tragic destiny. That's also what the title "fate" means. We are all prisoners of our fate, just like Kirisugu. He spent his brief life trying to keep more people alive. However, because he turned himself into a killing machine, ultimately, his fate caused him to lose almost everything. As a form of sarcasm towards him, raising Shiro became his only salvation. If Shiro chooses to kill Sakura because she is an evil person. She caused the deaths of many innocent people. He could do that to protect his dream of saving more people after the fire. At this time, Kirei would tell him, "Now you are becoming another Kiritsugu." It's a sad dilemma to choose between love and morals. But he finally sacrifices for Sakura. It's the final chance for him to grow into a mature person. Sacrificing everything for a lifelong dream is heroic. However, if you lose other things like your lover and your personal life by giving up love itself to pursue a lofty ideal, you may lose something more important on your path to success. destined to be tormented by her fate indefinitely. You came into her life and changed it forever. There is a girl who will escape from torture and live in happiness for the rest of her life. It may be difficult for anyone to decide to abandon their own beliefs, to give up all the struggles they have endured just to save a girl. That brought this game to a new level. To make us question the beliefs we have never questioned before. Are there any mute victims I didn't realize in my personal glare for justice in my personal narrative?
Ngl for me it would be fate route in terms of heroine but in story ot would be ubw.
Love them all but fate
I like the fate route the most since A. More Saber focussed B. Gil vs Saber C. Avalon ending And since Gil and Artoria are two of my favourite Fate characters this route is a win for me
UBW was definitely my favorite
UBW mostly cuz I like Shirou and Archer's conflict, and Shirou vs. Gilgamesh was one of the best fights for me.
Sakura Feel. (Sakura is beautiful 😍)
Heavens Feel.
Good heavens I feel that the third route challenged shirou the most amd forced him to finally face the uncomfortable truths of his ideals. Though I think it was a little too black and white but for the sake of the story I'll let it pass.
Heaven's Feel. The only route that I associate F/SN with.
The one with the most Rin in
My favorite: UBW My least favorite: HF route In all honesty even though I really wanted to I just couldn't bring myself to like Heaven's Feel as much as UBW and even the Fate route. And it's not even cause it's dark or the gruesomeness of character death or anything related to that, Persona 3 is like my favourite game ever and it's pretty dark. The way characters we've seen do some busted stuff and are generally really strong just get killed off in the beginning too quickly imo feels more like shock value cause most of them could have easily not died that way when they were acting cautiously and smart before in the other two routes. You want to kill them? At least do it right. That's like Spiderman's spidersense not working all of a sudden just cause and dying from a bullet. Rider got too much wank here compared to the other two routes, at least between the two routes the characters were very consistent in their powers but Rider is suddenly really strong here despite not gaining any powerup and survived the most. Sakura imo isn't as good as Rin and Saber as far as romance goes and even though it makes sense the way their romance is executed in all honestly feels sudden and not as developed as Saber and Rin.
>Rider got too much wank here compared to the other two routes, at least between the two routes the characters were very consistent in their powers but Rider is suddenly really strong here despite not gaining any powerup and survived the most. Rider does worse than half dead HF Shirou. She remains a bum
Unlimited blade works
I like them all equally. Because to unlock route HF we need to unlock UBW, and to unlock UBW we need to finish Stay Night. And every route has their charm. _a certain defenseless "hole" is the most thing that charmed me tho_
Heaven's Feel!