I finally have enough Fate to purchase one Exceptional Story. Which one should I pick?
There are too many options to choose from. Information about what kind of story you’re looking for would definitely be helpful. Here’s a community survey on the "best" Fate-locked content for some initial context. As for my recommendations:
- Lost in Reflections is a nice one to start with. It was the first Exceptional Story that I purchased, and it’s an interesting experience that delves into Parabola, the Calendar Council, and the potential Sixth City.[/li][li]HOJOTOHO! is another excellent story surrounding a band of urchins trying to make the city a better place. It’s a fun experience, even if it only connects to deeper lore topics tangentially, but it’s also one of the most thematically consistent and powerful stories in my opinion.[/li][li]The Stone Guest is not as popular or well-received, and I’d recommend either of the two above before it, but I have to advocate this because it’s one of my favorites. The surface level is the creation of a film based on Don Quixote, but beneath the surface, it’s a commentary on power and control.
Also, anything from the Season of Skies is good. In my opinion, that’s the strongest season overall.
I agree with everything Azothi said, and only must add one tiny correction: The Stone Guest is about Don Juan, not Don Quixote ;)
It all depends on what you enjoy the most.
Lost in Reflections, Steeped in Honey, The Frequently Deceased and the upcoming Menace Eradication Department are my favorites. They are lore-heavy, character-centered, raher lyrical.
For mechanical benefits plus interesting stories, The Sould Trade and the Empres’ Shadow are also good. Two smaller (and cheaper) stories, that leave you with a profitable option, and a card-refreshing, favor grinding carousel.
Aside from the recent season, I’ve played every ES. There are many, many good ones. If you’re choosing one, there are plenty of options for you that will leave you happy.
There are numerous threads that discuss various stories. Since the playable experience is so subjective by user, I’d recommend doing a search and reviewing some of these threads so you can get a better sense of what to reasonably expect going in.